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Hebrews 11:8-16 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Please take your copy of God's Word this morning and join me in Hebrews chapter 11.
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Amen.
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This morning, after an extended break, we will take back up our study of the book of Hebrews.
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Recall with me that this letter was written to a church of Greek-speaking Jewish converts
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that had suffered much and that would likely suffer much more.
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The text gives us evidence that some of them had already abandoned the faith
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and that this remnant being written to was being tempted to do the same.
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The author of Hebrews takes great pains throughout this letter to show his readers
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that Jesus as the Christ is more excellent than any faith system the world can offer
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with a particular backdrop of Judaism.
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Today, we find ourselves just eight verses into the famous faith chapter of Hebrews
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in which its author is making the case that it is those who persevere by faith
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who save their souls.
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He wrote in Hebrews chapter 10, verses 35 and following,
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Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
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For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God,
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you may receive what is promised.
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For yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay.
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But my righteous one shall live by faith.
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And if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.
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But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed,
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but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
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Chapter 11, he goes on, contains a biographical description
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of this soul-preserving, persevering faith.
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He begins in chapter 11, verse 1 and 2.
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Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
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the conviction of things not seen.
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For by it the people of old receive their commendation or approval.
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And he proceeds with many examples,
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beginning with Genesis 4, the example of Abel.
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Then he speaks of the faith of Enoch,
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which can be discovered in Genesis chapter 5,
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and the faith of Noah, found in Genesis chapter 6.
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You see, he has his original Jewish listeners in mind
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as he is walking through the history of their patriarchs
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to make his point.
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Their history is also our history.
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So this point is not lost on us.
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This weekend, next, Lord willing,
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we will consider the paramount faith of Abraham and his family.
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So join me as we read today's text,
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Hebrews chapter 11, verses 8 through 16.
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Before I read it, let me remind you, beloved,
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that this is God's word to us.
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It's written for his glory and our good.
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We would all do well to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
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that he was to receive an inheritance.
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And he went out not knowing where he was going.
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By faith, he went to live in the land of promise,
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as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob,
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heirs with him of the same promise.
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For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations,
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whose designer and builder is God.
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By faith, Sarah herself received power to conceive,
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even when she was past the age,
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since she considered him faithful who had promised.
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Therefore, from one man and him as good as dead,
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were born descendants, as many as the stars of heaven
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and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
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These all died in faith,
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not having received the things promised,
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but having seen them and greeted them from afar
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and having acknowledged that they were strangers
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and exiles on the earth.
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For people who speak thus make it clear
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that they are seeking a homeland.
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If they had been thinking of that land
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from which they had gone out,
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they would have had opportunity to return.
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But as it is, they desire a better country,
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that is, a heavenly one.
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Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God,
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for he has prepared for them a city.
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Remember that the book of Hebrews is written
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in the finest Greek in all the New Testament.
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So as we labor together to work out its meaning,
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we will do so in the following outline,
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which I hope is not overly simplistic,
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but helpful to us
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as we consider the faith of Abraham and his family.
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Number one, faith in the promised land.
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And we will talk about faith obeying,
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faith costing,
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and faith tearing under that initial point.
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Secondly, faith in the promised son.
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We will also discuss faith is certain
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and faith is rewarded.
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And then finally, faith perseveres to the end.
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So first, faith in the promised land.
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We can see in verse 8 that faith obeys.
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Faith obeys.
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By faith, Abraham obeyed
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when he was called to go out to a place,
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that he was to receive an inheritance,
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and he went out.
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We can read of this in Genesis chapter 12,
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verses 1 through 3,
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which says,
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Now the Lord said to Abraham,
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Go from your country and your kindred
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and your father's house
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to the land I will show you.
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And I will make of you a great nation,
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and I will bless you and make your name great
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so that you will be a blessing.
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I will bless those who bless you
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and him who dishonors you.
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I will curse.
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And in you,
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all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
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And then Genesis 12 and verse 4 says,
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So Abram went as the Lord had told him.
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He went.
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And he went,
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the Greek suggests immediately.
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In fact,
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the particular tense of the Greek
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in Hebrews 11, 8
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suggests that even as God was speaking,
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he went.
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Abraham did not act and gain faith.
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Abraham acted because he had faith.
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He believed that what God said was true,
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and therefore he acted.
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It is this faith that the author of Hebrews tells us
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what gave Abraham his commendation
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in verse 2 of chapter 11.
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Similarly,
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our activity does not
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and could never save us,
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but saving faith acts.
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Saving faith is evidenced by activity.
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It is this very point that James makes
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when he asks the rhetorical question
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of James chapter 2 verse 14.
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What good is it, my brothers,
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if someone says he has faith
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but does not have works?
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Can that faith save him?
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Saving faith is evidenced by obedience
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to God's commands.
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Not perfect obedience,
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as we'll see soon.
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None of us can claim that.
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But a saving faith does in fact work.
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Desires to follow God
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and to be sent by him
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wherever he would have us go.
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Faith also,
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and most often,
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costs.
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Faith costs.
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It costs us something.
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The last part of verse 8 says,
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And he went out,
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not knowing where he was going.
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It wasn't until later
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that Abraham's destination
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was revealed to him
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as he stood and overlooked
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the land of Canaan.
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He had no real idea
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where he was going,
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and yet he went.
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Abraham was willing
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to abandon his home
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for the sake
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of a better promise.
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Martin Luther wrote
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of Abraham's faith.
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It was hard to leave
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his native land,
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which it is natural
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for us to love.
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Indeed,
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love for the fatherland
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is numbered among
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the greatest virtues
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of the heathen.
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Furthermore,
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it is hard to leave friends
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and their companionship,
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but most of all,
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to leave relatives.
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And then it is clear
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that with his obedience of faith,
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Abraham gave a supreme example
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of an evangelical life
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because he loved everything
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and followed the Lord,
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preferring the word of God
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to everything
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and loving it
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above everything.
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We do not get
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to negotiate
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the terms
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of following God.
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We must come to him
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on his terms,
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by faith
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in Jesus Christ.
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But to do so
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without counting
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the costs
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is foolish.
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Faith requires
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our everything.
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If you would have God,
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you will have him
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by following
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the way of Jesus.
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And the way of Jesus
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was to give
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everything
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that he would
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please the father.
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Jesus says
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in Mark chapter 8,
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verse 34 and 35,
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If anyone would come
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after me,
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follow him,
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be his disciple.
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If anyone would come
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after me,
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let him deny himself
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and take up his cross
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and follow me.
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You need to read there
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that this idea
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of cross
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is not a momentary
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and light thing,
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but a place of death.
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This is the call
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to follow Christ,
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that we would die
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to ourselves
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in order that we may
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gain him.
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And then in verse 35
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of Mark 8,
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For whoever would save
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his life
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will lose it.
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Whoever loses his life
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for my sake
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and the gospels
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will save it.
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So faith costs.
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And do you find yourself
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trying to negotiate
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the terms with God?
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Well, God,
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I will give you
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this and such,
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but not
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this and such.
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I'm willing to go
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this far,
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but only this far.
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We must come to God
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on his terms.
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Faith also tarries.
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Verse 9 and 10
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say,
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By faith he went
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to live in the land
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of promise
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as in a foreign land,
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living in tents
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with Isaac and Jacob,
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heirs with him
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of the same promise.
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Abraham
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never took possession
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of the land
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that was promised
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to him.
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Neither did his son
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or his grandson.
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The only land
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that Abraham ever owned
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was a tomb
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for his wife
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that he purchased
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near Hebron.
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You can see that
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in Genesis chapter 23.
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He owned
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a small bit
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of alcove
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and a rock.
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But that was it.
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He didn't take
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any other possession
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of this promised land.
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Stephen in his
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wonderful sermon
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in Acts chapter 7
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in verse 4
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and part of verse 5
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stated,
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Then Abraham
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went out
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from the land
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of the Chaldeans
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and lived in Haran.
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And after his father died,
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God removed him
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from there
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into this land
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in which you are now living.
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Yet he gave him
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no inheritance in it,
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not even a foot's length.
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Abraham
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was a sojourner.
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He and his family
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lived in tents.
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Just imagine
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that God made a promise
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to you
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to give you
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the land of
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California.
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Trying to think
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of a strange place
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for us to go.
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So you pack up
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your whole family,
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you leave behind
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all that you know
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and many that you love.
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You take a nephew
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with you.
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And you go
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and live
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amongst a strange
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people.
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This analogy
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is working out
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great now
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in my mind.
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I couldn't have
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written a better one.
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Who do not worship
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God
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that you worship,
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right?
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Who will not grant
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you the rights
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of citizenship
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and you dwell there
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until the day
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that you die
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in a tent.
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This is the faith
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of Abraham
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practiced.
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I think we look
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over the fact
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that he had
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no permanent
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dwelling place.
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In fact,
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in our reading
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of Genesis,
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he is constantly
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moving and being
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moved
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by others.
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God is faithful
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to him all along
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but never completes
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the promise
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that was made.
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Would you stay?
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Would you at some
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point say,
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God has not
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been faithful to me.
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He said he would
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do a thing.
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He's not doing it.
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I'm packing up
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and I'm headed
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back to Georgia.
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I think many of us
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would.
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Would you believe
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in the promise
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of God
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even when you
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could not see
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it with your
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own eyes?
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How was Abraham
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able to do
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such a thing?
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Our text tells us.
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He was looking
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forward,
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this is verse 10,
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to the city
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that has
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foundations,
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right?
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His tents had
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no foundations,
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dirt or grass
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floors.
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He was looking
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forward to the
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city that has
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foundations,
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whose designer
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and builder
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is God.
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He was looking
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to a permanent
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dwelling place,
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a place beyond
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this world.
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Beloved,
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our experience
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is not as
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unlike Abraham's
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as we may
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think.
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It seems that
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we make many
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efforts to keep
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our experience
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from being at
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all like Abraham's.
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We're doing
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lots of things
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to try to show
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our permanency
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here.
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But the truth
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is simply
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this.
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We are
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sojourners
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and we are
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exiles
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and our
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faith must
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tarry.
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There's many
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promises that
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God has made
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for us
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that are going
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to be past
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this life.
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The greatest
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promises that
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God has made
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for us are
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past this
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life.
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Our faith
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must
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tarry.
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It must
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endure.
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We are
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sustained
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here in
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temporal
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dwellings
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by faith
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in a future
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city.
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A city
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that has
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foundations.
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A city
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that is
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built
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and designed
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by God.
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Paul writes
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in Philippians
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chapter 3
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verse 20
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Our citizenship
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is in heaven
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and from it
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we await
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a Savior
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the Lord
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Jesus Christ.
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This place
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is not
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our home.
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And in a few
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months we will
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study Hebrews
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chapter 13
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verse 14
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which states
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for here
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we have
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no lasting
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city
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but we
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seek
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the city
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that is
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to come.
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So Abraham
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and his
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family
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express for
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us this
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wonderful
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paramount
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faith
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in the
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promised
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land.
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And we
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can see
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that it
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means so
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much more
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than just
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the promise
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of Canaan.
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It means a
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permanent
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place
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that we
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will dwell
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with God
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forever.
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Secondly
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Abraham and
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his family
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had faith
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in the
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promised
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son.
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Faith
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in the
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promised
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son.
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In verse
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11 we
15:30
can see
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that by
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faith
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Sarah
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herself
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received
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power
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to conceive
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even
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when she
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was past
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the age
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since she
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considered
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him faithful
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who had
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promised.
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So faith
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is
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certain.
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There is
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a
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certitude
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to
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faith.
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Sarah
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was most
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likely
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91
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years
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old
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when she
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gave
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birth
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to
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Isaac.
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His
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conception
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full-term
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gestation
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and
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healthy
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delivery
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let me
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remind you
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in a
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tent
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were not
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only
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improbable
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but
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impossible
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in human
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terms.
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However
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Abraham and
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Sarah
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weighed
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the human
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impossibility
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of having
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a son
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against
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the divine
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impossibility
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that God
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would not
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be true
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to his
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word
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and they
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believed
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him.
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We put
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those two
16:20
things on
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a scale
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together
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and God
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not being
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a liar
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highly
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outweighs
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any of
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our
16:26
conception
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of what
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he has
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promised
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to accomplish.
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Thomas
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Watson
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Puritan
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once wrote
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this is on
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your bulletin
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where reason
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cannot
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wade
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their
16:37
faith
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may
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swim.
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The author
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of Hebrews
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tells us
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in chapter
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11
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verse
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6
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without
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faith
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it is
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impossible
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to
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please
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him
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for
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whoever
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would
16:48
draw
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near
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to
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God
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must
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believe
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that
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he
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exists
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and
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that
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he
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rewards
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those
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who
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seek
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him.
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Abraham
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and
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Sarah
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believed
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in the
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promise
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of God
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and
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they
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had
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a
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son.
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But
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allow
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me
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to be
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of
17:03
encouragement
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to
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you
17:05
this
17:05
morning.
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The
17:06
faith
17:07
of
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Abraham
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and
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Sarah
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was
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not
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a
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perfect
17:11
faith.
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We
17:12
read
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of
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the
17:13
birth
17:13
of
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Isaac
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in
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Genesis
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chapter
17:15
21
17:16
but
17:16
before
17:17
that
17:17
in
17:18
Genesis
17:18
chapter
17:19
16
17:20
verse
17:20
1
17:21
and
17:21
following
17:21
we
17:21
read
17:22
now
17:23
Sarah
17:23
Abraham's
17:24
wife
17:24
excuse me
17:25
Abram's
17:25
wife
17:26
they're
17:26
getting
17:26
new
17:26
names
17:27
soon
17:27
had
17:28
born
17:28
him
17:28
no
17:28
children
17:29
she's
17:30
not
17:30
believing
17:30
the
17:31
promise
17:31
she
17:32
had
17:32
born
17:32
him
17:32
no
17:32
children
17:33
she
17:33
had
17:33
a
17:33
female
17:34
Egyptian
17:34
servant
17:35
whose
17:35
name
17:35
was
17:35
Hagar
17:36
and
17:37
Sarah
17:37
said
17:37
to
17:38
Abram
17:38
behold
17:40
me
17:40
from
17:40
bearing
17:40
children
17:41
go
17:42
into
17:42
my
17:42
servant
17:43
it
17:43
may
17:44
be
17:44
that
17:44
I
17:44
shall
17:44
obtain
17:44
children
17:45
by
17:45
her
17:46
and
17:47
Abram
17:48
listened
17:48
to the
17:49
voice
17:49
of
17:49
Sarah
17:50
so
17:51
after
17:52
Abram
17:52
had
17:52
lived
17:52
in
17:52
ten
17:53
years
17:53
in
17:53
the
17:53
land
17:53
of
17:53
Canaan
17:54
Sarah
17:54
Abram's
17:55
wife
17:55
took
17:55
Hagar
17:56
the
17:56
Egyptian
17:56
her
17:56
servant
17:57
and
17:57
gave
17:58
her
17:58
to
17:58
Abram
17:59
her
17:59
husband
17:59
as
18:00
a
18:00
wife
18:01
I'll
18:01
encourage
18:02
you to
18:02
read
18:02
that
18:02
chapter
18:02
all
18:02
kinds
18:03
of
18:03
things
18:03
happen
18:04
that
18:04
are
18:04
not
18:04
favorable
18:04
because
18:05
of
18:06
the
18:06
unfaithfulness
18:08
of
18:09
Sarah
18:09
and
18:09
Abraham
18:10
later
18:11
we can
18:11
read
18:11
in
18:12
Genesis
18:12
chapter
18:12
18
18:13
verse
18:13
11
18:13
and
18:14
following
18:15
now
18:16
Abraham
18:16
and
18:16
Sarah
18:16
were
18:17
old
18:17
advanced
18:17
in
18:17
years
18:18
the
18:19
way
18:19
of
18:19
women
18:20
had
18:20
ceased
18:20
to be
18:21
with
18:21
Sarah
18:21
this
18:21
is
18:21
this
18:22
is
18:22
a
18:22
funny
18:23
episode
18:23
in
18:24
the
18:24
book
18:24
of
18:24
Genesis
18:25
so
18:26
Sarah
18:26
laughed
18:26
to
18:27
herself
18:27
saying
18:27
after
18:29
I
18:29
am
18:30
worn
18:30
out
18:30
and
18:31
my
18:31
Lord
18:31
is
18:32
old
18:32
shall
18:33
I
18:33
have
18:33
pleasure
18:33
that's
18:35
funny
18:35
maybe
18:38
when you
18:38
get
18:38
older
18:38
you'll
18:39
get
18:39
it
18:39
the
18:39
Lord
18:39
said
18:40
to
18:40
Abraham
18:40
why
18:41
did
18:41
Sarah
18:41
laugh
18:42
and
18:42
say
18:42
shall
18:42
I
18:42
indeed
18:43
bear
18:43
a
18:43
child
18:43
now
18:44
that
18:44
I
18:44
am
18:44
old
18:45
is
18:45
anything
18:46
too
18:46
hard
18:47
for
18:47
the
18:47
Lord
18:48
at
18:49
the
18:49
point
18:49
in
18:49
time
18:50
I
18:50
will
18:50
return
18:50
to
18:50
you
18:50
about
18:51
this
18:51
time
18:51
next
18:51
year
18:52
and
18:52
Sarah
18:52
shall
18:53
have
18:54
a
18:54
son
18:55
those
18:56
chapters
18:56
are
18:56
riddled
18:57
with
18:58
doubt
18:59
as a
19:00
side
19:01
note
19:01
some
19:01
people
19:01
use
19:02
this
19:02
little
19:03
bit
19:03
of
19:03
Sarah
19:04
laughing
19:04
as a
19:06
context
19:07
for
19:07
something
19:07
called
19:08
holy
19:08
laughter
19:08
you
19:10
need
19:10
to
19:10
ignore
19:10
that
19:11
this
19:13
was
19:13
not
19:14
holy
19:14
at
19:14
all
19:15
right
19:15
this
19:15
was
19:16
Sarah
19:16
doubting
19:17
fully
19:18
doubting
19:18
that
19:18
God
19:18
would
19:19
do
19:19
what
19:19
he
19:19
had
19:19
said
19:20
that
19:21
he
19:21
would
19:22
do
19:22
and
19:23
can
19:24
we
19:24
blame
19:24
them
19:25
they
19:26
they've
19:26
been
19:26
in
19:27
the
19:27
land
19:27
quite
19:28
some
19:28
time
19:29
now
19:30
the
19:30
promise
19:31
doesn't
19:31
seem
19:31
like
19:32
it's
19:32
coming
19:32
to
19:32
pass
19:33
right
19:33
they're
19:34
waiting
19:34
and
19:34
they
19:34
are
19:35
waiting
19:35
I'm
19:35
astounded
19:36
in my
19:36
reading
19:36
of the
19:37
Old Testament
19:37
at how
19:38
impatient
19:38
I am
19:39
as God
19:40
works out
19:40
his
19:40
faithfulness
19:41
with
19:41
his
19:42
people
19:43
I
19:43
kind of
19:43
snap
19:43
my
19:43
fingers
19:44
and see
19:44
things
19:44
happen
19:45
I
19:45
don't
19:45
want
19:45
to
19:45
wait
19:46
10
19:46
years
19:46
40
19:47
years
19:47
to see
19:48
promises
19:48
come
19:49
to
19:49
pass
19:49
I
19:50
don't
19:50
really
19:51
want
19:51
to
19:51
wait
19:51
for
19:51
promises
19:52
to
19:52
come
19:52
to
19:52
pass
19:52
after
19:53
I
19:53
pass
19:54
the
19:56
faith
19:56
of
19:56
Abraham
19:57
and
19:57
Sarah
19:58
was
19:58
not
19:59
perfect
20:00
faith
20:00
but
20:01
it
20:01
was
20:02
sufficient
20:03
faith
20:04
this
20:05
text
20:05
reminds
20:06
me
20:06
of
20:06
the
20:06
father
20:06
of
20:06
the
20:07
demon
20:07
possessed
20:08
son
20:08
who
20:09
says
20:09
to
20:09
Jesus
20:10
in
20:10
Mark
20:10
chapter
20:11
9
20:11
and
20:11
verse
20:11
22
20:12
and
20:12
following
20:13
if
20:13
you
20:13
can
20:13
do
20:14
anything
20:14
have
20:14
compassion
20:15
on
20:15
us
20:16
and
20:16
help
20:16
us
20:17
and
20:18
in
20:18
verse
20:18
23
20:19
Jesus
20:19
said
20:19
to
20:20
him
20:20
if
20:20
you
20:21
can
20:21
all
20:22
things
20:23
are
20:23
possible
20:23
for
20:24
one
20:24
who
20:25
believes
20:25
and
20:26
then
20:26
in
20:26
verse
20:26
24
20:27
immediately
20:28
the
20:28
father
20:28
of
20:28
the
20:29
child
20:29
cried
20:29
out
20:30
and
20:30
said
20:31
I
20:32
believe
20:32
help
20:33
my
20:34
unbelief
20:35
I
20:37
feel
20:37
that
20:38
way
20:38
often
20:39
you
20:40
may
20:40
find
20:40
yourself
20:40
with
20:41
faltering
20:41
faith
20:42
this
20:43
morning
20:43
find
20:44
solidarity
20:45
in the
20:46
life
20:46
of
20:46
Abraham
20:47
and
20:48
Sarah
20:48
find
20:49
solidarity
20:50
with
20:50
every
20:51
Christ
20:51
follower
20:51
in
20:52
my
20:52
hearing
20:52
and
20:52
know
20:53
that
20:53
God
20:53
is
20:53
abundantly
20:54
merciful
20:55
and
20:55
a
20:55
steadfast
20:56
love
20:56
endures
20:57
forever
20:58
be
20:59
comforted
21:00
this
21:01
morning
21:02
with a
21:03
text
21:03
like
21:03
Isaiah
21:04
chapter
21:04
42
21:05
verse
21:05
3
21:06
a
21:06
bruised
21:07
reed
21:07
he
21:08
will
21:08
not
21:08
break
21:09
and
21:10
a
21:10
faintly
21:10
!
21:10
burning
21:11
wick
21:12
he
21:13
will
21:13
not
21:13
quench
21:14
!
21:15
do
21:15
do
21:15
you
21:15
feel
21:16
like
21:16
your
21:16
flame
21:16
is
21:17
just
21:17
about
21:18
to
21:18
go
21:18
out
21:18
this
21:19
morning
21:20
if
21:21
you
21:21
are
21:22
God's
21:22
in
21:22
Christ
21:23
what
21:24
I
21:24
can
21:24
promise
21:25
you
21:25
is
21:25
that
21:25
he
21:25
will
21:26
fan
21:27
it
21:27
back
21:27
into
21:28
flame
21:29
be
21:29
encouraged
21:30
God
21:31
does not
21:32
expect of
21:32
us
21:33
a
21:33
perfect
21:34
faith
21:34
but a
21:35
sufficient
21:36
faith
21:37
so
21:38
faith is
21:39
certain
21:40
or
21:41
maybe one
21:42
should say
21:43
in time
21:43
finds
21:44
certitude
21:46
and
21:48
faith
21:50
is
21:50
rewarded
21:50
verse 12
21:52
therefore
21:54
from one
21:54
man
21:55
and him
21:55
as good
21:56
as dead
21:56
I like
21:57
that
21:57
interjection
21:59
there
21:59
Abraham
22:01
was quite
22:01
old
22:02
at the time
22:02
they conceived
22:03
were born
22:04
descendants
22:05
as many
22:06
as the
22:07
stars
22:07
of heaven
22:08
and as
22:08
many
22:09
as the
22:09
innumerable
22:10
grains
22:10
of sand
22:11
by the
22:12
seashore
22:12
beloved
22:14
that's
22:14
us
22:15
in part
22:17
we are
22:17
counted
22:18
amongst
22:18
those
22:19
many
22:20
that by
22:21
faith
22:22
are
22:23
grafted
22:23
in
22:23
to the
22:24
family
22:25
of God
22:25
I want to
22:27
read to you
22:27
just briefly
22:28
Kent Hughes
22:29
commentary
22:30
on this
22:31
he wrote
22:32
this
22:32
I just
22:32
thought
22:32
this was
22:32
a
22:33
great
22:34
insertion
22:35
here
22:35
he wrote
22:36
George
22:36
Sweeting
22:37
a past
22:37
president
22:37
of Moody
22:38
Bible
22:38
Institute
22:38
once gave
22:39
this
22:39
memorable
22:40
definition
22:41
of
22:41
optimism
22:42
he said
22:43
optimism
22:44
is when
22:44
an 85
22:45
year old
22:45
man
22:46
marries
22:46
a 35
22:47
year old
22:47
woman
22:47
and moves
22:48
into a
22:48
12 room
22:48
house
22:49
next to
22:49
an
22:49
elementary
22:50
school
22:50
inappropriate
22:51
but you
22:52
get his
22:52
point
22:52
but I
22:54
have a
22:54
better
22:55
definition
22:55
for him
22:56
optimism
22:57
is when
22:57
a 90
22:58
year old
22:58
man
22:59
and his
22:59
90
23:00
year old
23:00
bride
23:00
hear God
23:04
say
23:04
they're going
23:05
to be
23:05
parents
23:06
and believe
23:06
their offspring
23:07
will fill
23:08
not a
23:08
schoolhouse
23:09
but the
23:09
whole
23:10
earth
23:10
that they
23:11
will be
23:11
as many
23:12
as the
23:12
stars
23:12
of heaven
23:13
and as
23:13
many
23:14
as the
23:14
innumerable
23:14
grains
23:15
of sand
23:15
by the
23:16
seashore
23:17
praise God
23:19
that now
23:20
Abraham and
23:21
Sarah
23:22
in glory
23:24
with God
23:25
can see the
23:26
promise
23:27
fulfilled
23:28
and being
23:29
fulfilled
23:30
and it
23:31
started by
23:32
their faith
23:32
in the
23:34
promised
23:34
son
23:35
faith
23:37
and
23:37
faith
23:37
perseveres
23:40
to the
23:41
end
23:41
faith
23:43
perseveres
23:43
to the
23:44
end
23:44
verse 13
23:47
these
23:47
all died
23:48
in
23:48
faith
23:49
not having
23:50
received the
23:51
things promised
23:51
but having
23:52
seen them
23:53
and greeted
23:53
them from
23:54
afar
23:54
and having
23:55
acknowledged
23:56
that they
23:56
were strangers
23:57
and exiles
23:58
on the
23:59
earth
23:59
that is to
24:01
say
24:01
these all
24:02
died
24:02
in faith
24:03
Abraham
24:03
Sarah
24:04
Isaac
24:04
and Jacob
24:05
all
24:06
finished
24:07
well
24:08
they
24:08
persevered
24:09
in faith
24:10
to the
24:11
end
24:12
and not
24:13
only did
24:13
they finish
24:14
well
24:15
but they
24:16
lived
24:17
well
24:18
how
24:19
how did
24:20
they live
24:21
and finish
24:22
by
24:23
faith
24:24
the text
24:26
tells us
24:27
verse 14
24:28
for people
24:29
who speak
24:30
thus
24:31
acknowledging
24:32
is what he's
24:32
talking about
24:33
acknowledging
24:33
that they're
24:33
strangers
24:34
and exiles
24:34
acknowledging
24:35
that this
24:36
place is
24:36
not our
24:36
home
24:37
acknowledging
24:37
that there
24:38
are
24:38
promises
24:38
for us
24:38
that are
24:39
beyond
24:39
this
24:40
place
24:41
people
24:41
who speak
24:42
like
24:42
that
24:43
make it
24:44
clear
24:44
that they
24:45
are seeking
24:45
a homeland
24:46
beloved
24:48
this world
24:48
is not
24:49
our home
24:49
we
24:50
persevere
24:51
by faith
24:52
in recognizing
24:53
that
24:54
in knowing
24:55
this is not
24:55
where we
24:56
belong
24:57
there's a
24:58
new place
24:59
being made
24:59
for us
25:00
to dwell
25:00
with God
25:01
forever
25:02
verse 15
25:04
if they had
25:04
been thinking
25:05
of that land
25:06
from which
25:06
they had
25:06
gone out
25:07
they would
25:07
have had
25:07
opportunity
25:08
to return
25:09
but as it
25:10
is
25:10
they desire
25:12
a better
25:12
country
25:13
that is
25:13
a heavenly
25:14
one
25:15
therefore
25:16
God is not
25:17
ashamed
25:17
to be called
25:17
their God
25:18
for he has
25:18
prepared for
25:19
them
25:19
a city
25:20
they looked
25:22
to the
25:22
promise
25:22
they looked
25:24
to the
25:24
future
25:24
reward
25:26
they knew
25:27
that the
25:29
promised
25:29
inheritance
25:29
was sure
25:30
and they
25:31
ran
25:32
with endurance
25:33
the race
25:34
that was set
25:35
before them
25:36
we are asked
25:37
to do the
25:38
very same
25:38
thing
25:39
as we
25:39
live
25:40
in a
25:40
place
25:40
that is
25:41
uncomfortable
25:42
and growing
25:44
in discomfort
25:45
right
25:46
this is not
25:46
our home
25:47
beloved
25:47
right
25:48
we are
25:48
strangers
25:49
and we
25:49
are
25:49
exiles
25:50
and God
25:51
is preparing
25:52
for us
25:53
a city
25:54
and so in
25:56
these few
25:57
verses this
25:57
morning we
25:58
see faith
25:58
in the
25:58
promised
25:59
land
26:00
and that
26:00
faith
26:00
obeys
26:01
that it
26:01
costs
26:02
something
26:02
that it
26:03
tarries
26:04
faith in
26:05
the promised
26:05
son
26:05
that faith
26:06
finds its
26:07
certitude
26:08
and that
26:08
is rewarded
26:09
and that
26:10
faith
26:11
saving
26:11
faith
26:12
perseveres
26:13
to the
26:14
end
26:14
the author
26:16
of Hebrews
26:17
was charging
26:18
his original
26:19
readers
26:19
and the
26:20
Lord is
26:21
using his
26:21
pen to
26:22
charge us
26:22
today to
26:23
take up
26:23
the example
26:24
of Abraham
26:24
and his
26:26
family
26:26
in closing
26:28
listen to the
26:29
remarks of
26:29
Hebrews
26:30
chapter 12
26:31
and verse
26:32
1
26:32
therefore
26:34
since we
26:35
are surrounded
26:36
by so great
26:37
a cloud
26:38
of witnesses
26:38
let us also
26:40
lay aside
26:41
every weight
26:41
and sin
26:42
which clings
26:43
so closely
26:44
and let us
26:45
run with
26:46
endurance
26:46
the race
26:48
that is set
26:49
before us
26:49
let's pray
26:50
together