 |
|||
| Books | Sermons | Today's Devotion | |
| Devotion Archives | Scripture Reference Index | Sermon Archives | |
| Home | About Us | Contact Us | Links |
Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
THE HEDGE
We read in ROM 4:11, "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also."
Let’s consider the importance of the meaning of the word "seal." It comes from the Greek word "sphragis" which means "A signet (as fencing in or protecting from misappropriation); the stamp impressed as the mark of genuineness." We are to use this seal as a hedge to protect from misappropriation; it is a hedge to keep out those who do not have that mark. It is a hedge of exclusion. GEN 17:14 tells us that those who are uncircumcised are cut off and are not to be received into the fellowship or embraced as brethren in the Lord if they do not have the gift of repentance. The seal is the signet, the fencing in or protecting from misappropriation; the stamp of genuineness. .
When we see the work of repentance and godly fear in the heart, that is not only the mark of genuineness, but it is also the hedge whereby we are to discern and separate with whom we can or cannot fellowship. Evil company corrupts good manners. A person may make a big profession that he has accepted the Lord and is one of God’s people, but if he is still living in sin, he does not love the Lord with all his heart, soul, and mind. If he lives in hatred and bitterness against his brother, we must reprove him. We must also admonish him that he is excluded by this hedge.
After Abraham had walked for thirteen years in human reasoning, the Lord came to Him to set up this hedge. The Lord was teaching Abraham that the covenant of circumcision was a hedge that Abraham had to establish to keep out the wild boar, i.e., human reasoning or walking after the flesh. Abraham was to walk in repentance.
See this principle in PSA 80:12-14: "Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine." Who is the Psalmist talking about? He is talking about the vineyard of the Lord. The hedge has been broken down and those who were uncircumcised of heart had infiltrated the assembly. It is polluted by this wild boar, i.e., the unrepentant came into the sanctuary. The unrepentant were admitted into the church when the hedge was broken down.
Now that God had reproved Abraham for his waywardness and entered in a covenant of repentance, God went on to explain to Abraham what He meant by, "And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly," GEN 17:2. After the Lord entered into the covenant of circumcision with Abraham, He qualified what He meant. GEN 17:15-16 says, "And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her." The Lord explained that Hagar was NOT going to be the mother of nations that He was using as a vessel of His blessings. In spite of Abraham’s human reasoning and all that he had done in turning his back on the Lord, Hagar was not the one to be the mother of the Messiah. Sarah was to bear a son and be the mother of nations, and kings of people would be of her.
Now was Abraham, after he had fallen on his face, able to reach out the hand of faith and take God's promise when the God of heaven spoke to him? GEN 17:17-18 says, "Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!" See the weakness of the human frame. Relying on his human reasoning, Abraham could not understand that Sarah would have a child at such an old age. He continues by pleading that Ishmael would be the one. Abraham is still trying, through human reasoning, to help the Lord accomplish that which is impossible. Even after the Lord has entered into this covenant of repentance with him, Abraham is still captive to human reasoning and is not yet able to reach out in faith and take God’s promise even though the Lord had just told him that Sarah would bear a son.
Herein we see God's unfaltering love and His firm decree in sending the Messiah. If the Lord had allowed Abraham’s human reasoning, the Messiah would never have been born because the Lord was not sending the Messiah through the Egyptian maid. The Lord’s decree would not be altered.
GEN 17:19 says, "And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him." Therein we see the Messiah. The Lord came back to show Abraham why Sarah would have a son because therein is the promised seed, the everlasting covenant, and the blessed Messiah who was to come.
Abraham and Sarah his wife were still not able to believe. Sometimes we must struggle against the human thoughts and reasoning of our own hearts. Faith is a gift of God. Abraham, the father of the faithful, could not believe Sarah would have a son because they had passed the time of life until God sent His angel to confirm that He would restore their vitality. The Lord would restore unto them the time of life.
GEN 18:10 says, "And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him." Something significant now happened. When the Lord first told Abraham that Sarah should have a son, He did not reprove Abraham for laughing and questioning in his heart, "Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?" However, now that the Lord had confirmed His message and had sent an angel to confirm it, Sarah laughed, and the Lord did reprove Abraham for doubting. Neither Abraham nor his wife was yet cured from their human reasoning nor were they able to believe. Amen.
These on-lines sermons are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a book ministry and a daily devotion. See also our sermon notes. We pray this sermon has been a blessing to those who read it. If you share this sermon with a friend, please let us know. Thank you.