WEBVTT 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:01.340 We're in a new series together. 00:00:01.740 --> 00:00:04.610 If you got a Bible with you, I'm going to invite you to turn to the Book of Genesis. 00:00:05.760 --> 00:00:09.440 And so you're two weeks into the new year, right? 00:00:11.670 --> 00:00:13.030 Yes, I guess that was rhetorical. 00:00:13.440 --> 00:00:14.240 I'll answer myself. 00:00:15.120 --> 00:00:16.570 so how are your commitments going? 00:00:16.660 --> 00:00:17.220 Right. 00:00:17.560 --> 00:00:19.500 Two weeks in and I'm done. 00:00:19.640 --> 00:00:21.280 I lost a pound, and that was it. 00:00:22.140 --> 00:00:22.800 That was me. 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:24.840 I can't help it. 00:00:25.220 --> 00:00:28.820 It's football season, and wings are good, so. 00:00:29.200 --> 00:00:36.220 But here's the good part of that is with the coming of the new year, one of the commandments were 00:00:36.220 --> 00:00:41.020 encouraging everybody to in our church family is to go through God's Word. 00:00:41.160 --> 00:00:48.300 And if there's one thing in your life that's going to matter, it's taking God's Word and treasuring it in your 00:00:48.300 --> 00:00:49.360 heart, you know? 00:00:50.600 --> 00:00:50.700 Wait. 00:00:50.900 --> 00:00:51.520 We'll come and go. 00:00:51.940 --> 00:00:53.300 But God's word is intended to last. 00:00:54.300 --> 00:00:57.060 And in whatever commitment that you make on New Year's comes and goes. 00:00:57.240 --> 00:00:59.510 But God's Word is intended to last. 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:01.060 And so we're going to go through. 00:01:01.520 --> 00:01:06.160 We're tackling the giants of the Old Testament together, learning to fall in love with that. 00:01:06.160 --> 00:01:13.840 And one of the reasons we do that is because many people, balk at the Old Testament because they find it difficult to understand. 00:01:13.940 --> 00:01:21.260 But reality is, the more that you come to understand what the Old Testament is communicating to us, the more deeply you appreciate God's Word, and 00:01:21.260 --> 00:01:25.480 the more deeply you fall in love with God's Word and you desire to want to know it. 00:01:26.440 --> 00:01:30.480 the Bible for us contains real people and real events. 00:01:31.160 --> 00:01:32.800 They ask the same questions we ask. 00:01:32.940 --> 00:01:34.860 They go through the same things that we go through in life. 00:01:35.600 --> 00:01:37.300 They bleed the same way that we bleed. 00:01:38.080 --> 00:01:43.530 They experience both the joys of life and the pains of life, the goodness of life and the trials of life. 00:01:44.540 --> 00:01:46.700 It's important for us to understand God's Word. 00:01:47.660 --> 00:01:52.900 I think we said in the past one of the beautiful things that God did when he desired to communicate to us is to put it in written form. 00:01:54.320 --> 00:01:59.940 And the reason it's in written form for us is that when one of us feels led of something from God, we. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:01.420 We have the Bible to back it up. 00:02:01.520 --> 00:02:08.600 But not only do we have the Bible to back it up for our personal lives, when we gather together as a church family, if someone says something that's a little off the rocker, we can go to God's Word 00:02:08.600 --> 00:02:09.320 and see it together. 00:02:10.259 --> 00:02:11.520 God's word is truthful. 00:02:11.560 --> 00:02:12.160 It's timeless. 00:02:12.260 --> 00:02:13.260 It's significant for us. 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:20.410 And as we learn it becomes important for us because we want to get to the places in our life where we say things like, rather than, say, the Book of Palms, we say the Book of Psalms, 00:02:20.620 --> 00:02:20.720 right? 00:02:21.060 --> 00:02:22.140 Or the Book of Job. 00:02:22.180 --> 00:02:23.840 We say the Book of job, right? 00:02:23.880 --> 00:02:27.810 Or when someone says, turn to the book of Hezekiah, you immediately know Hezekiah is not even in the Bible. 00:02:27.960 --> 00:02:28.780 Baby, I got that right. 00:02:29.920 --> 00:02:30.900 It sounds like it. 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:32.820 I mean, he was a king, but it's not a Bible book. 00:02:34.180 --> 00:02:36.590 And so it's important for us to understand God's Word. 00:02:37.820 --> 00:02:42.160 God created it to reveal himself to us, that we may know him and enjoy him. 00:02:43.560 --> 00:02:50.560 In fact, we began last week in the Book of Genesis, which is a book of beginnings, and we sat this platform that Moses wrote 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:51.480 the book of Genesis. 00:02:51.600 --> 00:02:57.680 And the reason that Moses wrote the Book of Genesis is he's leading the nation of Israel out of the land of Egypt, through which they've been slaves. 00:02:58.460 --> 00:02:59.690 They've lost their identity. 00:02:59.920 --> 00:03:01.640 They don't have a sense of self-worth. 00:03:02.180 --> 00:03:04.420 They have they have no idea who they are, really, in light of who God is. 00:03:05.420 --> 00:03:12.540 And so Moses begins this book of beginnings to set this precedent for which the nation of Israel can operate on a platform and understanding who they are, 00:03:12.620 --> 00:03:16.380 where they came from and why they exist, and what God has called them to in this world. 00:03:17.440 --> 00:03:24.480 As a matter of fact, when you look at the first 11 chapters of Genesis, more history is covered in those first 11 chapters of Genesis than all the other parts of 00:03:24.480 --> 00:03:25.330 the Bible put together. 00:03:26.980 --> 00:03:28.620 Most conservative historians. 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:36.040 Biblical conservative historians will say Genesis chapter one to Genesis chapter 11, somewhere in that realm covers a period of time period of 00:03:36.540 --> 00:03:38.850 2000 to 6000 years of history. 00:03:40.140 --> 00:03:44.920 From the time of Abraham will pick up today to the end of your Old Testament is only 1800 years of history. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:50.020 From the time of Jesus to the time that we exist today is a little over 2000 years of history. 00:03:51.600 --> 00:03:55.480 And why does the Bible cover such a span of time in such a short period? 00:03:56.720 --> 00:04:02.340 And that's to lay the foundation of who we are as individuals, to get to where we need to be in order to pursue after the Lord. 00:04:04.160 --> 00:04:11.300 The theme of Genesis goes like this God created saying to us as people, when God created God, God created in such a way that says he 00:04:11.340 --> 00:04:13.280 desires to be made known. 00:04:13.900 --> 00:04:16.779 The evidence of the glory of God is seen within creation. 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:20.800 Both Psalm eight and Psalm 19 explain that to us in Romans one as well. 00:04:21.899 --> 00:04:26.720 In the midst of his creation, God forms man who was last man and wo man, right? 00:04:27.400 --> 00:04:33.020 She comes after man, and it was after woman was created that God says, man, that is very good, right? 00:04:33.260 --> 00:04:34.120 Guys were just good. 00:04:34.340 --> 00:04:35.960 And the woman's maintenance becomes very good. 00:04:37.200 --> 00:04:43.170 God breathes into us, his spirit making us a living creature, saying to us as people God and saying that we're very good breathing. 00:04:43.460 --> 00:04:45.600 His spirit designs us different than any other creature. 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:46.840 We connect to God. 00:04:47.840 --> 00:04:48.660 We relate to him. 00:04:48.660 --> 00:04:50.940 We reflect his image in this world. 00:04:52.500 --> 00:04:54.880 The Bible tells us of God creating us. 00:04:55.940 --> 00:04:59.000 That man turns from God. 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:04.120 Genesis chapter three gives the answer to the question if a good God created the world, then why do we see so much destruction? 00:05:05.880 --> 00:05:06.500 Why is there pain? 00:05:06.860 --> 00:05:07.600 Why is there death? 00:05:07.840 --> 00:05:08.760 And why is there heartache? 00:05:10.580 --> 00:05:17.070 And the answer is that man turned themselves away from the one who is the giver of life, who is the sustainer of life, who is life himself. 00:05:18.900 --> 00:05:21.310 The Bible says because of sin, death came. 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:23.580 And the wages of sin is death. 00:05:25.020 --> 00:05:26.060 Man turns from God. 00:05:27.840 --> 00:05:33.130 When you get to the end of Genesis chapter three, you see something about God's character being proclaimed to us. 00:05:33.960 --> 00:05:37.570 That in being created in his glory, though we may sin against him. 00:05:38.400 --> 00:05:40.600 God still demonstrates his love to you. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:49.440 And in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve put on the fig leaves to run and hide from God, to prove in their religious setting that they can, they can validate themselves 00:05:49.440 --> 00:05:52.220 and show that they're worthy for God to accept them back as their hiding. 00:05:52.620 --> 00:05:57.940 God runs into that garden in pursuit of them, and he brings them a plan of redemption. 00:06:00.620 --> 00:06:08.260 God kills the first animal, makes the first sacrifice, clothed them in priestly garments, and gives them the promise that from the seed of the woman, one 00:06:08.260 --> 00:06:12.960 will come, and he will crush Satan's head, and Satan will bruise his heel. 00:06:13.960 --> 00:06:16.080 That one is Jesus. 00:06:16.760 --> 00:06:22.760 And so from Genesis chapter three to the end of the Bible, it is one major theme of God's story. 00:06:22.780 --> 00:06:24.620 It's his story in history. 00:06:26.300 --> 00:06:31.070 God's pursuit of man and his redemption for us, that we may know and live with him for all eternity. 00:06:33.280 --> 00:06:37.540 You think after Genesis three that we would get the clear picture, right? 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:44.760 I don't know, walking outside of the garden that day, seeing devastation wrecking the earth, you might think to yourself, maybe, maybe we should listen 00:06:44.760 --> 00:06:45.120 to God. 00:06:47.020 --> 00:06:54.360 But Moses and the story of Genesis gives us the outline of what takes place in Genesis four, right after Adam and Eve, their next children kill 00:06:54.360 --> 00:06:56.380 one another when Cain kills Abel. 00:06:57.260 --> 00:07:04.230 But God in Genesis five gives genealogy to remind us that through a descendant, this Messiah is coming, but he doesn't tell us who. 00:07:06.200 --> 00:07:12.360 Then in Genesis chapter 6 to 9, you get the flood devastating the world because mankind has turned against God. 00:07:12.380 --> 00:07:17.820 And I think last week I mentioned one of the more difficult theological verses in all of the Bible is Genesis chapter six. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:25.960 When the sons of God breed with the daughters of men, and I kind of left you open to interpret that how you want, but 00:07:26.060 --> 00:07:27.180 there's devastation. 00:07:28.460 --> 00:07:29.400 All over the world. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:32.780 When man turns against God. 00:07:32.780 --> 00:07:36.610 And again in Genesis chapter ten, God shares with us genealogy. 00:07:38.020 --> 00:07:44.840 To remind us as people that through the descent of one, through the seed of the woman, a promise is coming of a messiah who will redeem mankind. 00:07:47.220 --> 00:07:50.200 In Genesis chapter 11, you get to the section again. 00:07:50.200 --> 00:07:55.220 It's the Tower of Babel, and once again, man's doing the same thing of the roller coaster and the relationship with God. 00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:56.360 God sets things right. 00:07:56.380 --> 00:08:01.600 God reminds them of why they're created and how he created us for that relationship with him. 00:08:01.640 --> 00:08:03.580 And once again, man turns their back on. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:09.420 God creates the Tower of Babel, and he answers the question to Israel, where did all these nations come from? 00:08:09.440 --> 00:08:16.780 And the answer is that in tower, the Tower of Babel, God confused the people and languages were born, and from the Tower of Babel 70 nations 00:08:16.780 --> 00:08:18.030 are birthed. 00:08:20.020 --> 00:08:21.920 In the midst of tower of the Tower of Babel. 00:08:23.280 --> 00:08:24.300 God then begins a new story. 00:08:26.100 --> 00:08:28.320 And it comes through the life of Abraham. 00:08:30.260 --> 00:08:33.140 Once again as the world has turned its back on God. 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:34.580 God is faithful. 00:08:36.299 --> 00:08:38.280 In Genesis chapter five, Genesis chapter 12. 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:46.060 God's given us a genealogical representation of where his hand is moving in this world, to the point of drawing us in to Genesis chapter 11 00:08:46.060 --> 00:08:47.540 and saying to you, it's right here. 00:08:50.180 --> 00:08:54.420 This is where the evidence of my redemption will be made known for mankind. 00:08:56.980 --> 00:09:00.710 Abraham in the Bible is a person who lives life beyond himself. 00:09:02.180 --> 00:09:06.700 Matter of fact, the title of today's message is Living Life Beyond Me. 00:09:08.040 --> 00:09:15.120 Abraham so important for us to understand in the Old Testament, because when you read the New Testament, the idea of what Abraham did in the Old Testament is discussed 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:18.110 69 times within the New Testament. 00:09:18.840 --> 00:09:25.960 And so when you understand the framework of the idea of what Abraham represents to the nation of Israel, you can understand better what God is communicating even in the New 00:09:25.960 --> 00:09:27.280 Testament for us as individuals. 00:09:28.980 --> 00:09:33.820 Abraham is considered the father of nations and the father of a nation, the Jewish people. 00:09:35.460 --> 00:09:36.620 You know the song, right? 00:09:37.160 --> 00:09:39.660 Maybe father Abraham, many sons. 00:09:39.900 --> 00:09:40.900 Many sons had father Abraham. 00:09:41.780 --> 00:09:43.450 I am right arm, left arm, right foot. 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:45.480 If you don't know that, I just look weird. 00:09:45.540 --> 00:09:45.960 That's okay. 00:09:47.420 --> 00:09:48.290 But Father Abraham. 00:09:49.900 --> 00:09:56.900 The identity of who the nation of Israel centers itself and focuses upon who this man is and what was accomplished through him 00:09:56.900 --> 00:09:58.320 by the Lord in the Old Testament. 00:09:59.880 --> 00:10:03.080 And the story of Abraham begins in Genesis chapter 11. 00:10:04.680 --> 00:10:07.420 There's a man by the name of Torah as Abraham's father. 00:10:09.240 --> 00:10:16.300 Bible tells us that actually, before God calls Abraham specifically, he's also leading to the father of the family into a 00:10:16.300 --> 00:10:17.730 promised land, which is Canaan. 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:20.620 It says this in verse 31. 00:10:20.620 --> 00:10:27.890 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson lot, son of Herron, and his daughter in law Sarah, the wife of his son Abram, 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:31.320 and together they set out from Ur the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. 00:10:32.260 --> 00:10:34.080 But when they came to Haran, they settled there. 00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:39.700 That's where I lived 205 years, and he died in Haran. 00:10:40.740 --> 00:10:43.280 For Abraham's journey begins with the Lord. 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:45.260 It kind of starts off with a rough beginning. 00:10:46.920 --> 00:10:51.320 Get this idea that Abraham's father necessarily wasn't a godly influence in the life of Abraham. 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:55.760 That God led this family to this particular place. 00:10:56.120 --> 00:11:01.000 But before God got them to where they desired to go, it tells us that Terah just settled. 00:11:03.370 --> 00:11:07.970 When we think about in our own personal relationships with the Lord, how easy that becomes for us sometimes. 00:11:09.500 --> 00:11:15.040 The Lord guides us, leads us, directs us to do particular things within our lives or for him. 00:11:15.060 --> 00:11:18.780 And we halfway do the job and just settle. 00:11:21.140 --> 00:11:23.640 And that's the evidence that the Bible gives us in the life of Torah. 00:11:25.420 --> 00:11:31.720 Maybe look in that passage and thinking to yourself, well, how do we know that Abraham was called out of out of earth? 00:11:31.760 --> 00:11:36.060 But how do we know that Turad was mishandling the calling that God has placed on him? 00:11:36.100 --> 00:11:40.240 And the reason is because of the evidence found in Nehemiah chapter nine and verse seven. 00:11:41.660 --> 00:11:47.680 It says this you are the Lord God who chose Abram and brought him out of ur of the Chaldeans. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:49.340 Meaning. 00:11:49.340 --> 00:11:54.630 When Abraham was called, there was evidence within the family that they understood that calling way back in the land of her. 00:11:56.160 --> 00:12:03.900 And when God called this family to a particular place, Turad, not necessarily being a godly influence on his son, 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:05.630 fell short for the family. 00:12:07.980 --> 00:12:09.580 I don't know what excuse we could give to that. 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:15.790 Maybe it was because Tara and the family left the land of ur of the Chaldeans. 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:21.030 You know, it's one of the oldest cities that we've archaeologically discovered. 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:30.400 And in discovering that city when it's located just 250 miles southeast of where modern day Iraq is, the 00:12:30.400 --> 00:12:34.260 understanding of that city was that was heavily involved in false worship and pagan idolatry. 00:12:37.380 --> 00:12:38.980 Maybe in following other gods. 00:12:38.980 --> 00:12:45.880 Turad didn't see the influence of the one and true living God of his life and the significance of following after him, but Abraham did. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:55.180 The Bible tells us that Abraham was able to live life beyond himself because Abraham lived a life that was full of faith. 00:12:57.260 --> 00:13:01.880 And so in Genesis chapter 12 and verse one, you get the call of Abram, who will later become Abraham. 00:13:02.160 --> 00:13:09.200 In chapter 17 it says this the Lord had said to Abram, go from your country, your people, and your father's household to the 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:10.260 land I will show you. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:12.800 Sorry it went off the screen. 00:13:12.940 --> 00:13:15.360 I will make you into a great nation. 00:13:15.480 --> 00:13:16.080 I will bless you. 00:13:16.140 --> 00:13:18.790 I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. 00:13:18.900 --> 00:13:19.980 I will bless those who bless you. 00:13:20.540 --> 00:13:27.020 And whoever curses you, I will, I will curse, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:33.420 Abraham's calling comes in Genesis chapter 12. 00:13:33.640 --> 00:13:35.800 Abraham in the Bible is described as a man of faith. 00:13:36.260 --> 00:13:43.320 As a matter of fact, when you turn to the book of Hebrews in chapter 11, it's called the Faith chapter or the Hall of Faith chapter. 00:13:44.120 --> 00:13:45.460 You guys probably relate to that better. 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:46.180 It's the end of the football season. 00:13:46.540 --> 00:13:48.520 I think they just elected people going to the Hall of Fame. 00:13:49.140 --> 00:13:56.400 You think about Football Hall of Fame or the Baseball Hall of Fame, Genesis or excuse me, Hebrews chapter 11 is God's 00:13:56.460 --> 00:13:57.080 Hall of Fame. 00:13:58.460 --> 00:14:02.550 It's interesting you think about the qualifications to get in any sort of Hall of Fame in this world. 00:14:03.560 --> 00:14:10.580 When God creates his Hall of Fame, the one thing that he is interested in is not what you accumulate in this world, not what you do in this world, but the faith 00:14:10.580 --> 00:14:12.140 that you put in him in this world. 00:14:13.920 --> 00:14:21.120 And so in Hebrews chapter 11, the Hall of Fame is created, and Abraham is considered so important to this Hall of Fame that when you read Hebrews chapter 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:26.640 11, it describes different individuals throughout biblical history and the things that they did for the Lord and putting their faith in him. 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:29.760 But everyone within that chapter only gets one verse. 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:31.380 Except for Moses. 00:14:32.400 --> 00:14:32.900 He gets six. 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:35.340 And Abraham. 00:14:35.560 --> 00:14:36.200 He gets eight. 00:14:38.340 --> 00:14:43.000 Abraham lived a life beyond himself because Abraham lived a life of faith. 00:14:44.340 --> 00:14:47.760 And you think about the significant calling that God has placed upon his life. 00:14:47.860 --> 00:14:54.880 And in Genesis chapter 12, when Abraham calls God, he's calling him from the land of ur of the Chaldeans 00:14:54.980 --> 00:14:57.380 to the land of Canaan, giving an illustration. 00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:03.960 It's like living the high life in New York City and going to the country bumpkin western lifestyle where no one lives. 00:15:05.780 --> 00:15:07.900 He has all the luxuries in the world. 00:15:09.100 --> 00:15:16.300 The Bible in fact, tells us in chapter 12 and verse four that when God calls Abraham, he's 75 years old. 00:15:17.460 --> 00:15:24.460 I don't know about you, but when I would want the ship to sail on God's calling in my life, it's when I retire, put me on a beach and let 00:15:24.460 --> 00:15:25.550 me think about me. 00:15:25.820 --> 00:15:26.140 That's. 00:15:26.440 --> 00:15:30.380 That would be selfishness, I know, but Abraham's at that place. 00:15:31.140 --> 00:15:32.320 I've retired, man. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:33.380 I'm kicking up my feet. 00:15:33.380 --> 00:15:35.760 I am relaxing, and then all of a sudden, God calls. 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:44.400 And when you study the land of ur where God calls Abraham, this place was so well advanced for a city that it paled in comparison 00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:45.380 to the towns around it. 00:15:46.800 --> 00:15:53.060 They had irrigation systems, they had sewage systems, they had public educational systems. 00:15:54.180 --> 00:15:57.500 They've even discovered receipts from bills of cells. 00:15:57.520 --> 00:15:58.120 They had shops. 00:15:59.140 --> 00:16:06.500 They had multiple roomed homes with brick ovens and living rooms for families to dwell and enjoy one 00:16:06.500 --> 00:16:06.880 another. 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:12.380 And when God called Abraham from the land of ur. 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:20.230 He's calling him from the life that he has built for himself to enjoy a place of luxury and a place of peace. 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:22.380 To what? 00:16:22.640 --> 00:16:23.900 Conan. 00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:26.130 I mean, those people live in tents. 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:28.530 They dig holes to go to the bathroom. 00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:29.220 I've got. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:31.600 I've got sewage in my house. 00:16:33.970 --> 00:16:36.560 They don't even talk, right? 00:16:36.660 --> 00:16:38.960 They sound like they're from West Virginia, right? 00:16:40.790 --> 00:16:44.140 But when God calls you somewhere. 00:16:46.380 --> 00:16:50.140 You will leave some things that are precious to you. 00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:57.800 And Abraham was able to live a life beyond himself because Abraham was focused on living a life of faith. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:03.240 Bible tells us in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse eight. 00:17:03.500 --> 00:17:10.540 In that faith chapter describing Abraham, it says by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to 00:17:10.540 --> 00:17:14.160 a place which was to receive for an inheritance, and he went out. 00:17:15.319 --> 00:17:16.619 Not knowing where he was going. 00:17:18.020 --> 00:17:25.200 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:25.760 the same promise. 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:29.040 By faith. 00:17:29.040 --> 00:17:29.540 Abraham. 00:17:29.700 --> 00:17:30.880 Trust God and his plan. 00:17:31.540 --> 00:17:32.660 Above his own. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:41.500 I mean, could you imagine the way that verse 11, chapter 11, verse eight describes that Abraham, I'm calling you to leave this 00:17:41.780 --> 00:17:43.700 amazing place, right? 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:44.800 Are you enjoying yourself? 00:17:44.800 --> 00:17:45.020 Yes. 00:17:45.060 --> 00:17:45.160 Okay. 00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:46.070 Time to go. 00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:47.400 Where? 00:17:47.400 --> 00:17:49.740 I don't know, verse eight. 00:17:50.120 --> 00:17:51.580 You're just going to just start following me. 00:17:51.580 --> 00:17:52.300 That's the plan. 00:17:53.820 --> 00:17:54.320 Are you sure? 00:17:54.320 --> 00:17:55.500 Yeah, yeah. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:56.260 Don't you? 00:17:56.420 --> 00:18:00.180 Don't you mean the other Abraham who lives on five one, two three or Chaldean Street? 00:18:00.180 --> 00:18:01.780 I mean, that's not the other guy down the road. 00:18:01.780 --> 00:18:02.820 He's better than me, right? 00:18:03.220 --> 00:18:04.200 Just pass the buck here. 00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:05.180 God, I'm. 00:18:05.460 --> 00:18:06.280 I'm 75. 00:18:08.620 --> 00:18:10.920 But Abraham trusts in God. 00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:16.580 In a situation where he didn't know God exactly was leading, but God was calling him to a foreign land. 00:18:16.840 --> 00:18:22.660 God was revealing the steps that he had desired for Abraham, just piece by piece. 00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:25.020 I look at this and wonder why? 00:18:27.060 --> 00:18:28.280 Why would God do that? 00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:35.920 Why is it that God just is interested in showing us where the next foot goes, rather than showing us the end of the road? 00:18:36.800 --> 00:18:37.870 Where's the finish line? 00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:42.920 I would tend to say it's because of this. 00:18:44.080 --> 00:18:51.120 If God were to show us everything in life that we were to go through the moment you entered into your relationship with the Lord, we 00:18:51.120 --> 00:18:53.750 probably, out of fear, wouldn't take another step forward. 00:18:55.040 --> 00:18:56.340 Just being honest. 00:18:57.420 --> 00:18:57.660 When. 00:18:57.760 --> 00:19:00.400 When the Lord led me to Utah. 00:19:01.960 --> 00:19:04.550 And put me in a place in a position for a church here. 00:19:05.980 --> 00:19:10.350 Had I known five years ago everything that was in front of us before we did this. 00:19:11.580 --> 00:19:12.820 I don't know that I could have done this. 00:19:16.280 --> 00:19:16.480 It's overwhelming. 00:19:19.980 --> 00:19:27.230 God always puts us in a place of trust within him, shows us the next place he desires to lead us and just asks us by faith to follow. 00:19:28.900 --> 00:19:35.940 Because in reality, when we do so, rather than look at the overall situation and stress out about our power, we look to him and trust in him in 00:19:35.940 --> 00:19:36.820 that moment for his power. 00:19:39.860 --> 00:19:47.080 Matter of fact, the Bible tells us in Matthew chapter six and verse 34, therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for 00:19:47.320 --> 00:19:49.620 tomorrow will worry about itself. 00:19:49.740 --> 00:19:52.360 Each day has enough trouble of its own. 00:19:54.540 --> 00:20:01.560 And what God is saying to Abraham in chapter 11 verse eight, Abraham, if I showed you everything that was about to happen, you 00:20:01.560 --> 00:20:02.600 wouldn't want to do this. 00:20:02.620 --> 00:20:04.320 But right now, here's what you need to know. 00:20:04.580 --> 00:20:05.040 Just let go. 00:20:06.760 --> 00:20:11.040 Let go of what you're holding on to and just listen to me. 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:20.540 I said, I know tomorrow's got a lot of stuff that you need to do, but right now, what's most important is the trust that you place in me. 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:25.080 When God creates his Hall of Fame. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:27.580 It's all about faith. 00:20:29.940 --> 00:20:31.840 He's not interested in how strong you are. 00:20:32.900 --> 00:20:34.800 He's not interested in how gifted you are. 00:20:35.860 --> 00:20:37.640 He's not interested in the talents that you have. 00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:41.330 What is first interested in is the faith that you carry in him. 00:20:42.540 --> 00:20:48.120 I know we've said here often God doesn't call the equipped, but he equips the called. 00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:53.840 We met Abraham in that moment and said, are you ready for this? 00:20:53.920 --> 00:21:00.440 His response to us with a very simply, I think, been no, no way am I ready for this. 00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:05.880 But I trust in the one who knows what I have in front of me, and he'll make me ready. 00:21:08.440 --> 00:21:13.590 Abraham lived beyond himself because Abraham was a man of faith. 00:21:14.100 --> 00:21:20.070 And when God calls you to follow him, he first calls you into worship of him. 00:21:21.340 --> 00:21:26.760 Abraham, by faith, trusted in God to accomplish his plan in his life. 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:32.310 You know, the interesting thing is that when God calls us, the road ahead isn't always easy either. 00:21:33.620 --> 00:21:38.520 I mean, if you're following Jesus because you think it's going to be easy, then you're not following the biblical Jesus. 00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:42.260 I mean, Jesus is life himself wasn't easy. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:44.760 I mean, you look at the apostles, their lives weren't easy. 00:21:45.220 --> 00:21:49.940 Jesus said he'll put brother against brother and father against son and mother against daughter. 00:21:49.940 --> 00:21:50.780 It's not easy. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:53.690 But it's worth it. 00:21:55.620 --> 00:22:02.700 Abraham understood one thing about the message which was shared in Genesis, and that is this that God desires a people for his name and for 00:22:02.700 --> 00:22:03.640 his glory. 00:22:05.120 --> 00:22:06.610 You think about the life of a soldier. 00:22:07.800 --> 00:22:09.310 You would ask them, did you enlist? 00:22:09.600 --> 00:22:10.140 Because it was easy. 00:22:12.060 --> 00:22:12.540 No. 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:14.690 No way would they ever know. 00:22:14.820 --> 00:22:15.600 It's not easy. 00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:16.680 We know it's not easy. 00:22:16.680 --> 00:22:16.740 But. 00:22:16.860 --> 00:22:17.140 But here's. 00:22:17.380 --> 00:22:18.200 Here's why they listen. 00:22:18.800 --> 00:22:19.620 Rather than thinking. 00:22:19.640 --> 00:22:20.240 It's easy. 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:23.660 We enlist to serve because it's noble and it's worthy. 00:22:23.660 --> 00:22:25.970 And it's full of honor and respect. 00:22:28.180 --> 00:22:31.680 You think of the calling that the King of Kings then puts on your life? 00:22:31.840 --> 00:22:36.160 It's not easy, but it's noble and it's worthy and it's full of respect. 00:22:38.360 --> 00:22:39.940 It's honoring to him. 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:43.180 My mom. 00:22:43.420 --> 00:22:45.710 I don't know if I've told this story, but pretend like I haven't before. 00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:47.960 This is the first time you've all heard this, okay? 00:22:48.390 --> 00:22:49.480 you've never heard this? 00:22:52.040 --> 00:22:56.300 my mom went to Germany this fall, and she went into this restaurant. 00:22:56.380 --> 00:23:00.250 And as she walks in, she says the restaurant's full, and they're getting ready to close. 00:23:00.280 --> 00:23:02.310 I guess because they close in the middle of the afternoon there. 00:23:02.860 --> 00:23:09.900 And when she walks in, she's not going to be able to get a table to eat in time, because by the time everyone got finished and the table was clear, she wasn't going to be able to enjoy 00:23:09.900 --> 00:23:10.400 a meal. 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:10.500 So. 00:23:10.920 --> 00:23:14.940 So this older couple, two older couples see her and they motioned her to come and sit down with them. 00:23:15.540 --> 00:23:16.400 And so she walks in. 00:23:16.460 --> 00:23:22.880 She sits down with them and the older couple that's there, she said they're both in their 90s and one of them starts to share a story. 00:23:23.960 --> 00:23:28.580 One of the couples they were from, I think it was France, and they were sharing his kids. 00:23:29.280 --> 00:23:36.020 They grew up in and lived in France during World War two, and Hitler had come in and took over the town that they were living in. 00:23:37.980 --> 00:23:40.120 And they said that they had to run for the hills as little kids. 00:23:41.660 --> 00:23:44.000 And they didn't have any time to grab anything from their house. 00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:45.530 And they just ran into the woods. 00:23:45.560 --> 00:23:49.660 And everyone from the city that could make it to the woods ran into the woods, and they just hid. 00:23:49.660 --> 00:23:50.230 And they stayed there. 00:23:50.560 --> 00:23:53.620 And they said, as little kids, they can remember going to grade school. 00:23:53.620 --> 00:23:57.760 And then the next day, running into these woods and going days with nothing to eat. 00:23:57.780 --> 00:24:01.040 And they said, when we say there's nothing to eat, there was nothing to eat. 00:24:01.660 --> 00:24:08.700 And they said, they sat and they watched as their friends starved to death, as they hid in the woods from the danger that was awaiting them in their city, 00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:10.410 and there was nothing they could do. 00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:14.660 And they said one day they heard planes overhead. 00:24:16.940 --> 00:24:18.040 And they knew that it was the Americans. 00:24:19.620 --> 00:24:21.930 And they knew that everything was going to be okay. 00:24:23.660 --> 00:24:30.920 The couple was sharing that story, and as they shared that story with my mother, they said in a few years ago, we were traveling across 00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:33.000 the country and we were sharing this story with this couple. 00:24:34.520 --> 00:24:41.600 And what we found out was this man was flying that plane over that city for us as people the day that we 00:24:41.600 --> 00:24:42.120 needed him to. 00:24:42.340 --> 00:24:43.490 And he delivered us. 00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:50.000 If you study World War two and pilot history, you know those men that left on those missions. 00:24:50.540 --> 00:24:51.860 Most of them did not come back alive. 00:24:55.060 --> 00:24:56.210 Think about that. 00:24:56.860 --> 00:24:57.520 Is that easy? 00:24:58.800 --> 00:24:59.820 No, it's not easy. 00:25:01.840 --> 00:25:06.740 But it's noble and it's worthy and it's honoring and it's full of respect. 00:25:08.800 --> 00:25:13.350 And when God calls Abraham from a life of luxury, is it easy? 00:25:13.660 --> 00:25:15.000 No, no, it's not easy. 00:25:16.560 --> 00:25:20.480 When you read his story, the Bible tells us that he's attacked his. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:26.180 His nephew has taken his wife has taken he has Ishmael even in his own life. 00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:26.680 There's sin. 00:25:26.700 --> 00:25:27.660 And Ishmael is born. 00:25:27.660 --> 00:25:27.760 Who? 00:25:27.900 --> 00:25:31.380 Who birthed the Arabic nation that wars with Israel. 00:25:32.760 --> 00:25:33.370 Is it easy? 00:25:33.700 --> 00:25:34.580 No, it's not easy. 00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:41.880 As a matter of fact, when you read in chapter 17 and you look at what God says, it says, now when Abraham was 99 years old, 00:25:41.880 --> 00:25:47.960 get that when Abraham is 99 years old, I don't know what kind of condition you think you're going to be when you're 99. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:49.300 But me, I want to be pushed everywhere. 00:25:49.880 --> 00:25:50.080 Okay? 00:25:50.380 --> 00:25:57.250 And Abraham is 99 years old, and the Lord appeared to Abraham and said to him, I am God Almighty. 00:25:57.740 --> 00:26:02.220 Walk before me, not push before me, but walk before me and be blameless. 00:26:02.320 --> 00:26:06.140 Now get this at 99 years old, this is what God says to him. 00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:10.300 But God said, But Sarah, your wife will bear you a son. 00:26:11.560 --> 00:26:14.640 She will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. 00:26:14.660 --> 00:26:20.100 And I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 00:26:21.100 --> 00:26:24.600 I mean, could you imagine that moment, if I would have said, this is what did Abraham in? 00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:28.240 It's when the wife comes in and says, honey, I'm pregnant, right? 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:29.440 Like kids are a blessing. 00:26:29.520 --> 00:26:36.060 But 99, come on, 99 years old, he has this child. 00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:39.180 I love the way that the Bible gives Isaac his name. 00:26:40.340 --> 00:26:41.820 His name literally means laughter. 00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:47.780 So when God tells this to Abraham and Sarah, they laugh out loud like this. 00:26:47.780 --> 00:26:49.340 That's just that's just ridiculous, right? 00:26:49.700 --> 00:26:50.560 I think to myself. 00:26:50.860 --> 00:26:54.040 I wonder if they're laughing with him or at him, right? 00:26:54.460 --> 00:27:01.860 Because Isaac's name, a positive name or they're just making fun of him, I don't know, but Abraham, at 99 00:27:01.860 --> 00:27:05.760 years old, he would say, yeah, it's not not easy. 00:27:07.100 --> 00:27:09.910 But get this, I would say, okay, that's enough. 00:27:10.220 --> 00:27:11.080 Abraham's had enough, right. 00:27:11.380 --> 00:27:12.300 Check this next one out guys. 00:27:17.580 --> 00:27:20.580 He's 99 years old, I don't. 00:27:21.040 --> 00:27:21.860 How do you not get. 00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:23.600 He's 99 years old. 00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:24.980 I mean, don't. 00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:25.660 Touch me. 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:26.420 Right. 00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:28.640 I'm looking in the passage Scripture. 00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:29.020 I'm waiting. 00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:34.640 And Abraham had an argument with God, and it never happens. 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:39.100 Bible saying to Abraham. 00:27:41.120 --> 00:27:44.350 Abraham, even in the most intimate of settings. 00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:47.900 Even the most private places of your life. 00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:50.380 I am still Lord. 00:27:53.320 --> 00:27:57.160 And Abraham by faith, trust God. 00:27:57.820 --> 00:28:01.460 Abraham by faith takes the next step. 00:28:03.040 --> 00:28:05.120 You read the life of Abraham and you think. 00:28:06.740 --> 00:28:06.940 Okay. 00:28:07.020 --> 00:28:08.380 How much more can this man go through? 00:28:09.740 --> 00:28:11.460 Well, what else could God call him to? 00:28:13.260 --> 00:28:14.540 You get to chapter 22. 00:28:14.540 --> 00:28:19.800 And I think the Bible describes one of the most difficult things Abraham had to do out of everything that the Lord called him to. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:29.580 Bible tells us in this chapter that after God gives him that son, his only son, from his wife, Sarah. 00:28:29.960 --> 00:28:34.470 Then God asks Abraham to take the life of his only child. 00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:37.720 I'm not going to tell you before I read this passage of scripture. 00:28:38.420 --> 00:28:45.500 Many of you are probably familiar with the sacrifice of Isaac, but if you're like me and you read the Bible for the first time and you come 00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:50.000 to places like this, you just get uncomfortable with it and you just say, ah, I don't I don't get it, you know? 00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:52.410 this can't really this didn't really happen. 00:28:53.040 --> 00:28:54.480 I hope no one asks me about this. 00:28:54.880 --> 00:28:55.780 I don't know what to say. 00:28:56.620 --> 00:28:57.880 God's telling someone to kill kids. 00:28:57.880 --> 00:28:58.540 What's up with that? 00:29:02.040 --> 00:29:08.180 The story of Abraham offering Isaac is a story of communicating God's glory to Abraham. 00:29:08.180 --> 00:29:10.100 And I'll get to it in just a second. 00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:14.450 But I just want to say to us, I don't think we're much different from Abraham in this situation. 00:29:16.300 --> 00:29:18.320 I mean, as a nation, we've figured out ways to kill kids. 00:29:19.700 --> 00:29:21.420 For self rather than for God. 00:29:23.480 --> 00:29:24.620 Taking life is no different. 00:29:26.280 --> 00:29:27.360 And what Abraham is doing here. 00:29:28.740 --> 00:29:36.260 Matter of fact, if we were to ask Abraham about the way that we take out human life today, the innocent baby 00:29:36.260 --> 00:29:37.160 in the mother's womb. 00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:44.070 People in the land of ur of the Chaldeans, when they looked at that, they would say, you think what we're doing is bad, what you're doing is bad. 00:29:45.020 --> 00:29:49.000 Like we at least think that we're doing it for a deity. 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:51.600 You do it for yourself. 00:29:54.300 --> 00:29:55.480 It's not that different. 00:29:57.180 --> 00:30:01.520 But even still, considering life, we're challenged with the question why? 00:30:01.980 --> 00:30:04.610 Why on earth would God ever ask this of someone? 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:08.540 You turn to Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 19. 00:30:08.600 --> 00:30:14.560 The Bible tells you that when Abraham comes to this moment, if God calls him to take the life of this child, the. 00:30:14.560 --> 00:30:16.940 The thought in Abraham's mind is God has promised. 00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:24.360 God has promised that this kid would bring the seed that would bless all nations, and through him all nations would be blessed. 00:30:24.680 --> 00:30:31.300 And he says in verse 19 of Hebrews 11 that if God requires me to kill him, then God will bring him back from the grave. 00:30:32.440 --> 00:30:37.310 Abraham knew how important this kid was and the promises that God had given to him. 00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:42.040 Abraham even could have reflected in this moment on Genesis 15. 00:30:43.280 --> 00:30:47.080 This was a signifying moment in the life of Abraham and what God called him to do. 00:30:48.100 --> 00:30:48.690 It says this. 00:30:48.860 --> 00:30:51.800 So he said to him, bring me a three year old heifer. 00:30:51.800 --> 00:30:57.700 God is talking to Abraham and a three year old female goat, and three year old ram, and turtledoves, and a young pigeon. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:02.640 And then he brought all these to him and cut them into and laid each half opposite the other. 00:31:02.760 --> 00:31:04.180 But he did not cut the birds. 00:31:04.340 --> 00:31:07.960 The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abraham drove them away. 00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:11.140 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abraham. 00:31:11.560 --> 00:31:14.420 And behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him. 00:31:15.600 --> 00:31:22.700 And it came about when the sun had set that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these 00:31:22.700 --> 00:31:23.440 pieces. 00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:25.960 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham. 00:31:27.600 --> 00:31:29.890 And that covenant is through your seed. 00:31:30.140 --> 00:31:31.340 All nations would be blessed. 00:31:32.860 --> 00:31:35.980 Through the seed of Abraham, God's Messiah would come. 00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:40.670 And so what God calls him to in Genesis chapter 15 is to make a covenant. 00:31:40.680 --> 00:31:47.820 And this was a traditional thing, not Peta approved, that existed back in the Old Testament, where a sacrifice of animals would be made 00:31:47.820 --> 00:31:52.580 and two individuals who make a covenant with each other would walk through on that agreement. 00:31:52.700 --> 00:31:59.820 With that covenant, they would walk through these dead animals, and they would say to one another, if whatever we do, if we violate this 00:31:59.820 --> 00:32:03.900 covenant, let what happens to me be what happened to these animals? 00:32:05.520 --> 00:32:06.680 It's a very sobering moment. 00:32:08.020 --> 00:32:11.400 I don't know about you, but passing between two dead carcasses, I would be pretty sober. 00:32:14.020 --> 00:32:16.350 Saying to myself, let what happened to me happen to these animals? 00:32:17.450 --> 00:32:19.220 Okay, I guess I promise, right? 00:32:20.800 --> 00:32:22.200 But what God does in this passage. 00:32:23.860 --> 00:32:25.420 He has Abraham prepared the ground. 00:32:26.840 --> 00:32:29.860 And the thing that God does is he rewrites the covenantal commitment. 00:32:30.860 --> 00:32:33.860 He does something that other people couldn't even conceive of. 00:32:34.700 --> 00:32:42.110 Rather than require Abraham to walk through this covenant, God requires Abraham to fall asleep and God alone walks through this covenant. 00:32:44.300 --> 00:32:46.430 Meaning God's promise to us. 00:32:47.460 --> 00:32:49.310 Is despite our sin. 00:32:50.460 --> 00:32:56.380 God demonstrates his love towards us and that while we are yet sinners, Christ died for us. 00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:58.060 This would have been blown people away. 00:32:59.640 --> 00:33:06.700 And you think about all other gods at this moment in the early of Chaldeans, these individuals, they would have they would have been worshiping these 00:33:06.960 --> 00:33:10.820 false gods in ways today that we would just consider vile before God. 00:33:12.600 --> 00:33:17.720 And here in this moment, they're proving to these false gods that they're worthy to be loved. 00:33:18.300 --> 00:33:19.140 God, I'm doing this. 00:33:19.140 --> 00:33:21.780 I think that now you should have to love me. 00:33:23.040 --> 00:33:27.780 But in this moment, rather than showing God God, you need to love me and find me acceptable. 00:33:28.300 --> 00:33:29.920 God loves Abraham anyway. 00:33:32.080 --> 00:33:33.720 We'll just blow their mind away. 00:33:35.800 --> 00:33:39.240 Abraham's thinking about this sacrifice as he brings Isaac to this altar. 00:33:41.760 --> 00:33:42.720 Genesis 22. 00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:49.960 As he gets ready to lay Isaac up, he's thinking about the promise that God gives him and the sacrifice he's about to make that God could resurrect 00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:51.550 him from the grave. 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:55.100 Abraham by faith is trusting. 00:33:56.860 --> 00:34:01.180 Bible tells us that he's laying Abraham, or laying Isaac on the altar to sacrifice him. 00:34:03.100 --> 00:34:05.620 Angel Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham. 00:34:06.760 --> 00:34:07.560 And he said, here I am. 00:34:07.580 --> 00:34:11.260 He said, do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him. 00:34:11.580 --> 00:34:18.900 For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me. 00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:23.960 God is communicating something about his character to the nation of Israel. 00:34:26.600 --> 00:34:26.920 To Abraham. 00:34:28.800 --> 00:34:34.030 When Abraham left ur of the Chaldeans, a common practice in that land was to sacrifice children. 00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:40.659 When Abraham gets to Genesis chapter 22, we read it today and think there's a problem with that. 00:34:42.179 --> 00:34:44.620 But we're reading it from a Judeo-Christian mindset. 00:34:46.280 --> 00:34:49.409 Abraham when he's telling this story, is in a mindset of ur of the Chaldeans. 00:34:49.699 --> 00:34:56.219 And he would have been saying to himself, I'm following this God, and I've trusted in this God, but this God is no different than the gods I left behind. 00:34:57.330 --> 00:34:59.260 The things that are precious to me. 00:34:59.280 --> 00:35:04.400 This child that he's promised me, he's taken away just like I've seen him do to families and or. 00:35:05.840 --> 00:35:06.300 He's no different. 00:35:08.100 --> 00:35:09.200 And then God in this moment. 00:35:10.340 --> 00:35:11.880 Stops Abraham. 00:35:12.640 --> 00:35:17.190 And he says, Abraham, I by far am different from the gods of earth. 00:35:18.680 --> 00:35:21.790 I don't require you to make a sacrifice. 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:26.020 Bible goes on and explains the story goes like this. 00:35:26.020 --> 00:35:30.980 And Abraham raised his eyes and looked and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by thorns. 00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:36.120 And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. 00:35:36.680 --> 00:35:43.480 Abraham called the name of the place the Lord will provide, as it is said to this day, in the mount of the Lord it will be provided. 00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:47.960 You know what happens when you trust God with your life by faith? 00:35:49.880 --> 00:35:50.260 What Abraham said. 00:35:52.080 --> 00:35:52.900 The Lord will provide. 00:35:55.580 --> 00:35:59.260 Abraham is about to deliver the fatal blow to a son and God, he'll stop. 00:36:01.340 --> 00:36:03.120 2000 years from that day. 00:36:05.680 --> 00:36:06.920 Jesus will come. 00:36:08.420 --> 00:36:10.880 And God will deliver a blow to his son. 00:36:10.880 --> 00:36:12.720 And this time the hand will not stop. 00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:20.280 Bible tells us in this passage of Scripture that there is a ram caught in the thicket. 00:36:22.360 --> 00:36:30.260 2000 years from this time, Jesus will come into Jerusalem, caught by the crown of his head, by thorns in 00:36:30.260 --> 00:36:31.780 the place of sacrifice. 00:36:34.900 --> 00:36:41.270 This picture that Abraham is enduring in Genesis chapter 22 is a foreshadowing of what Christ will accomplish for us. 00:36:43.600 --> 00:36:48.120 Just as Isaac, as a son was to be sacrificed, so Jesus would become that sacrifice. 00:36:48.200 --> 00:36:51.920 Just as the ram showed up, caught by a crown of thorns around his head. 00:36:52.160 --> 00:36:55.720 So Jesus would come, caught by a crown of thorns around his head. 00:36:55.860 --> 00:37:00.170 And you know, the beautiful place about this entire story is today in Israel. 00:37:00.680 --> 00:37:04.520 The Islamic nation has built a place on the Temple Mount where the Jews would worship. 00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:12.060 It's called the dome of the Rock, and under the dome of the Rock is contained a rock from which they say Abraham offered his son 00:37:12.060 --> 00:37:13.990 Isaac up for a sacrifice. 00:37:15.280 --> 00:37:22.740 Not only is God using this as a foreshadowing of Jesus who was to come, God is picking the exact place Jesus 00:37:22.740 --> 00:37:25.760 would give his life for you and for me. 00:37:28.500 --> 00:37:29.300 What God is saying. 00:37:32.280 --> 00:37:33.460 By faith. 00:37:35.260 --> 00:37:35.660 By faith. 00:37:36.940 --> 00:37:39.660 We see his hand move in our lives. 00:37:41.800 --> 00:37:43.410 If you're looking for ease. 00:37:44.380 --> 00:37:46.140 Then Jesus isn't for you. 00:37:48.360 --> 00:37:52.500 But here's what we know God desires a people for his name and for his glory. 00:37:53.700 --> 00:37:54.560 He did it in Genesis. 00:37:55.560 --> 00:38:02.120 He's doing it in the life of Abraham, and he's called all of his followers to be a part of that picture. 00:38:03.520 --> 00:38:10.520 In the Bible for us connects these stories of individuals who are characters within what God 00:38:10.520 --> 00:38:12.520 being the main characters desires to accomplish. 00:38:12.820 --> 00:38:16.030 From Genesis chapter three, all the way to the end of the Bible. 00:38:16.420 --> 00:38:23.560 God redeeming mankind for his good name and for his glory being created in his image, that we may know him for all 00:38:23.560 --> 00:38:24.080 eternity. 00:38:26.320 --> 00:38:27.800 And so my encouragement to you this morning. 00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:30.430 As you see the life of Abraham. 00:38:32.260 --> 00:38:33.670 Still underestimate your story. 00:38:35.820 --> 00:38:37.320 Don't underestimate your story. 00:38:37.340 --> 00:38:41.800 But most of all, don't underestimate how God is the main character of your story. 00:38:43.980 --> 00:38:47.960 It's really not about us, but about his glory being made known through us. 00:38:50.720 --> 00:38:52.140 Abraham's life tells us yes. 00:38:52.320 --> 00:38:53.420 Following God isn't easy. 00:38:54.740 --> 00:38:57.010 But in following God, he always provides. 00:38:59.040 --> 00:39:00.010 And get to the end of this morning. 00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:04.640 And I ask myself, as I studied this week, I wonder what Abraham thought about. 00:39:06.740 --> 00:39:08.180 As he's on this journey with God. 00:39:08.220 --> 00:39:08.920 He left Earth. 00:39:08.920 --> 00:39:09.760 He's heading to Canaan. 00:39:09.760 --> 00:39:13.180 He knows he's left the good life, and he's probably going to be living in tents. 00:39:13.220 --> 00:39:14.000 As a matter of fact, he does. 00:39:14.460 --> 00:39:15.550 The Bible tells us he does wonder. 00:39:16.040 --> 00:39:17.780 Wonder what he thought about. 00:39:19.700 --> 00:39:21.880 When do you think he worried about the luxury he left behind? 00:39:24.780 --> 00:39:25.790 Where do you think about the glory? 00:39:26.860 --> 00:39:31.920 He thought about the glory that was to come as he and through his seed all nations would be blessed. 00:39:34.020 --> 00:39:35.520 I wonder what he thought about. 00:39:37.440 --> 00:39:45.200 Bible tells us in Genesis chapter 11 when he's called, his name's Abram, which means respected father, and he changes his name in Genesis chapter 17 00:39:45.240 --> 00:39:47.120 to Father of Nations. 00:39:48.640 --> 00:39:56.600 Give me some indication of what he thought about, but I wonder how much Abraham thought about his life and how it would be used by God. 00:39:57.280 --> 00:40:01.680 I wonder if he had ever imagined that we'd be singing songs years later, called Father Abraham and Many Sons. 00:40:03.580 --> 00:40:10.620 Now I wonder if he thought beyond his generation and the next generation, and the effect that 00:40:10.620 --> 00:40:12.480 he had in the Lord by following in faith. 00:40:14.950 --> 00:40:16.630 I wonder if we think about that. 00:40:18.580 --> 00:40:21.430 We come to God as it for particular selfish reasons. 00:40:23.080 --> 00:40:28.260 Or do we think about the legacy that could happen through us if by faith, we follow after him? 00:40:29.880 --> 00:40:34.900 Not only is one nation blessed through Abraham, but all nations are blessed through Abraham. 00:40:36.340 --> 00:40:38.880 Bible tells us this in Hebrews nine chapter 12. 00:40:38.880 --> 00:40:46.140 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise. 00:40:47.920 --> 00:40:49.670 I wonder if he thought about what he left in her. 00:40:51.180 --> 00:40:58.340 The Bible then goes on and tells us the answer to that question in verse ten, for he was looking for the city, which was which foundations, 00:40:58.420 --> 00:41:02.040 whose architect and builder is God by faith. 00:41:02.180 --> 00:41:09.360 Even Sarah herself received the ability to conceive even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered him faithful 00:41:09.740 --> 00:41:10.450 who had promised. 00:41:10.840 --> 00:41:17.920 Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead, at that as many descendants as the 00:41:18.080 --> 00:41:22.860 stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. 00:41:24.660 --> 00:41:25.160 Its meaning. 00:41:25.160 --> 00:41:32.260 Abraham, no doubt, was brought to this moment where he had one son that God was going to supposedly do all these things, and that kid was as good 00:41:32.260 --> 00:41:33.220 as dead. 00:41:33.260 --> 00:41:40.340 But he trusted God because he wasn't thinking about what was yesterday, but he was thinking about living by faith in that moment for 00:41:40.340 --> 00:41:45.900 Christ, that for generations to come, in that faith, all nations could be blessed. 00:41:48.760 --> 00:41:51.780 In your walk with God. 00:41:52.340 --> 00:41:53.460 Do you think about that? 00:41:55.000 --> 00:41:55.620 Forgetting what lies behind. 00:41:57.140 --> 00:41:57.800 And looking ahead. 00:41:59.980 --> 00:42:01.610 I would propose to you this morning. 00:42:03.040 --> 00:42:09.780 The reason we have the Bible as it's contained is because Abraham and faith lived life beyond himself. 00:42:12.180 --> 00:42:13.740 And the living life beyond himself. 00:42:13.880 --> 00:42:20.600 He thought of the impact the Lord could use him to make in generations to come, and he looked by faith to that in Christ. 00:42:22.720 --> 00:42:24.780 Can I give you a verse this morning? 00:42:26.040 --> 00:42:28.760 Just one verse to think about as we've looked at Abraham's life. 00:42:29.020 --> 00:42:30.640 That calls us to a similar way. 00:42:30.680 --> 00:42:32.720 And it says this in second Timothy one nine. 00:42:33.100 --> 00:42:34.210 This is in the New Living Translation. 00:42:34.840 --> 00:42:36.720 It says, For God has saved us. 00:42:38.240 --> 00:42:39.860 And he called us to a holy life. 00:42:41.280 --> 00:42:43.760 God doesn't just save you to save you, but he calls you to a holy life. 00:42:43.840 --> 00:42:46.680 And a holy life doesn't mean that you just go in life without sinning. 00:42:48.320 --> 00:42:52.140 If that's what holy life is, then you can do that in any religion in the world. 00:42:53.420 --> 00:42:57.940 But what God is saying and calling us to a holy life is a life that's separated to him. 00:42:58.100 --> 00:43:03.780 What it means is, it's not that you're not sinning, it's that you're looking to him for direction, and he is governing your past. 00:43:03.940 --> 00:43:09.160 And as you do that, then God will move you from sin closer to him. 00:43:09.200 --> 00:43:14.770 But it's not a it's not about just avoiding sin. 00:43:16.020 --> 00:43:18.270 But it's about pursuing him. 00:43:19.520 --> 00:43:23.640 What I'm saying this morning is I'm not saying try harder. 00:43:25.060 --> 00:43:26.640 What I'm saying is trust deeper. 00:43:28.600 --> 00:43:33.160 Rather than look to yourself for your power, look to the one who has called you to be holy. 00:43:35.120 --> 00:43:37.360 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. 00:43:37.500 --> 00:43:45.340 He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time to 00:43:45.340 --> 00:43:48.460 show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 00:43:50.880 --> 00:43:55.960 I say as a church family this morning, God is doing incredible things in our church. 00:43:57.200 --> 00:43:59.940 Lives are being transformed more into his image. 00:43:59.980 --> 00:44:00.900 Our family is growing. 00:44:01.140 --> 00:44:05.480 A church is being established in the city that will last for generations to come. 00:44:06.800 --> 00:44:15.280 But the success of that story rests on the people who look at a life by faith beyond themselves and 00:44:15.280 --> 00:44:22.560 understanding what God has called me to do, even at 75, even at 99 years old, is by faith 00:44:22.560 --> 00:44:24.260 trust in him. 00:44:25.680 --> 00:44:27.360 Not my power, but his. 00:44:29.200 --> 00:44:30.020 It's not going to be easy. 00:44:31.680 --> 00:44:32.520 But here's what God desires. 00:44:34.100 --> 00:44:35.820 By grace to make himself known. 00:44:37.920 --> 00:44:38.600 It may not be easy. 00:44:39.880 --> 00:44:40.460 But it's noble. 00:44:41.700 --> 00:44:42.360 It's worthy. 00:44:43.540 --> 00:44:44.120 It's respectable. 00:44:45.380 --> 00:44:50.900 It's got Jesus's name all over it and through you generations to come will be blessed.