THE CLOUD OF WITNESSES

HEBREWS 12:6

A. "WHEREFORE SEEING WE ALSO ARE COMPASSED ABOUT WITH SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES"
  1. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews uses:
    1. Weighty arguments for his affirmation that faith in God works; it worked in ages past, under dire circumstances
    2. It has a whole galaxy of witnesses to support the affirmation
  2. This proves to us:
    1. Life's experience is the most powerful witness to the faith
    2. Persevering faith is the evidence of its rich reward from Him who is faithful B. THE CLOUD OF WITNESSES
  3. A witness:
    1. A witness that testifies to claims made by God in His holy word
    2. Witnesses affirm that what God says is true; they have experienced it in their own lives - 2 Pet. 1:16-17
    3. "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord" - Is. 43:10; Acts 1:8-9
  4. Cloud of witnesses:
    1. The annals of both sacred and secular history show conclusively that men and women weak and frail in themselves, became divinely lighted torches of the truth of God
    2. Coming from all walks of life they experienced the power of God to such an extent that no trial and no bribery by man could cause them to deny their faith in the faithfulness of God
    3. Many of these witnesses lost their lives and all their earthly belongings, but they remained faithful to the very end of their lives - Heb. 11:35-40
  5. Let us note to what their testimony is directed:
    1. They witness to us how mighty and divine a thing is - a life of faith; Examples: See what David did to Goliath - 1 Sam. 17:45-51; what Jochebed did to save the life of Moses - Ex. 2:1-10; what Deborah did to the army of Sisera - Judges 4:5; What Elijah did to Baalism - 1 Kings 18; it was the life-giving faith in them
    2. They witness to us of the faithfulness of God who has led them and upheld them through all their conflicts and has brought them to His side at last
    3. That wonderful power avails for us fresh and young as when it helped the world's great fathers C. LET ME IN CLOSING CALL YOUR PRAYERFUL ATTENTION TO A NUMBER OF BIBLE FACTS BASED UPON THE SUBJECT TITLE OF THIS MESSAGE
  6. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Personal Saviour:
    1. We become His witnesses in this world
    2. We affirm that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation - Rom. 1:14-17
    3. We affirm this by what God did and does in our own lives; Examples: Just like the blind man that had received his sight silenced the enemies of Christ - John 9:25; or what the woman of Samaria said about the Redeemer that made her fellow citizens followers of Jesus Christ - John 4:29-42
  7. Our personal experience in our relationship to Jesus Christ is:
    1. The most powerful argument for the claims of the gospel of Jesus Christ
    2. Said Jesus, "Ye are the light of the world...Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" - Matt. 6:14-16
    3. Our missionaries in the dark places of the earth have to bring the light to the heathens by their practical daily life
    4. This brings home to us; what does the Bible say according to me and you?
    5. God has chosen us to fulfill an special mission in this world - "that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness in to His marvelous light" - 1 Peter 2:9
  8. Friends of mine, you have read the eleventh chapter of Hebrews - the men and the women spoken of are no strangers to you; which one of them could you or I replace in sacrifice, in loyalty, in trust in God


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