WEBVTT 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:02.200 I'm going to invite you to Genesis. 00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:04.370 Chapter 14 is where we're at together today. 00:00:04.980 --> 00:00:06.420 Genesis chapter 14. 00:00:06.440 --> 00:00:13.500 And if you've gone through Genesis with us, you've seen that the first 12 chapters rapidly cover a large quantity of human 00:00:13.500 --> 00:00:16.980 history, just really hitting some highlights of what God wants to focus on. 00:00:17.060 --> 00:00:18.720 And when you get to chapter 12. 00:00:18.840 --> 00:00:22.860 Chapter 12 suddenly starts to slow down the narrative of what's taking place. 00:00:23.040 --> 00:00:27.710 As from chapter 12 to chapter 25, we focus on this identity of Abraham. 00:00:28.120 --> 00:00:35.280 And if you remember anything about the story of Abraham, it's important to know Abraham was a pagan man and a pagan family living in a pagan land 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:42.360 with a pagan name to worship a pagan god and God, by his grace called him out, gave him a promise, told him to go to a place he's going to 00:00:42.360 --> 00:00:42.960 lead him. 00:00:43.140 --> 00:00:45.150 And God brought Abraham to the Promised Land. 00:00:45.260 --> 00:00:48.520 Abraham tells us in Hebrews 11, didn't know where he was going. 00:00:48.580 --> 00:00:49.960 He by faith trusted in the Lord. 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:57.040 God brought him to a promised land, and in that land told him he was going to multiply his family to the point that through his seed all nations of the earth would 00:00:57.040 --> 00:00:57.700 be blessed. 00:00:57.940 --> 00:00:59.730 And that is specifically through Jesus. 00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:02.060 But Abraham, by faith he stepped out. 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:06.740 But what we discovered in chapter 13, he kind of hung his faith on that one event. 00:01:06.940 --> 00:01:09.700 He stepped out by faith one time and was like, okay, I did it. 00:01:09.820 --> 00:01:10.490 And then the rest. 00:01:10.500 --> 00:01:12.060 He just trusted in himself. 00:01:12.320 --> 00:01:16.160 And I think that's an important, important, important point for us to remember in regards to faith. 00:01:16.500 --> 00:01:18.400 Faith is not just simply an intellectual assent. 00:01:18.580 --> 00:01:20.760 Though faith does involve truth and knowledge. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:22.160 Faith is what you trust in. 00:01:22.860 --> 00:01:26.400 It's not just simply knowing about something, but believing in something. 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:31.200 It's like after I prayed, I told you to sit down and you trusted that seat was going to hold you. 00:01:31.300 --> 00:01:34.240 You literally put your faith in something, right? 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:41.320 And the same is true in our relationship with God that we want to put our not just intellectually know about God, but depend on the Lord, trust in 00:01:41.320 --> 00:01:41.480 him. 00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:48.480 And as we walk with the Lord, what we discover is that God puts us in a place to not only live for his glory and intimacy of our relationship with 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:54.860 him, but through that relationship with him gives us a privilege of blessing other relationships around us. 00:01:55.000 --> 00:02:02.160 And this is what you see in the story of Abraham, that finally, in Genesis 13, he realized Abraham got to the Promised Land. 00:02:02.160 --> 00:02:02.940 There was a famine. 00:02:03.220 --> 00:02:04.040 He panicked. 00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:08.199 He left God's promises, went to Egypt, he gave his wife to Pharaoh. 00:02:08.220 --> 00:02:13.130 And God steps in and brings his wife back to him and tells him, go back to the promised land. 00:02:13.180 --> 00:02:16.420 Abraham does it, tells us in 13 and he worships the Lord there. 00:02:16.640 --> 00:02:19.580 And now Abraham is finding his identity in those promises. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:27.080 And in chapter 14 we start to see the reward of that Abraham becomes a person of influence, that people wanted to 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:28.130 be around him. 00:02:28.200 --> 00:02:29.120 And through his life. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:35.140 God not only blessed his relationship with Abraham intimately, but he also blessed relationships around Abraham. 00:02:35.340 --> 00:02:43.120 The Abraham became a difference maker, and in chapter 14, we're going to discover through the life of Abraham three marks of an honorable person. 00:02:43.700 --> 00:02:48.600 And this helps us understand in our own life how we can model the kind of faith of Abraham in order to bless others. 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:54.720 And point number one in your notes is this surround yourself with who you want to become. 00:02:55.180 --> 00:02:56.620 Surround yourself with who you want to become. 00:02:56.640 --> 00:02:59.900 It's kind of the old adage, show me who your friends are and I'll show you who you are. 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:01.500 What kind of person do you want to be? 00:03:01.500 --> 00:03:07.710 Make sure you surround yourself with those people that invest in you, towards that destiny in which God has called you upon. 00:03:07.820 --> 00:03:09.520 And this is exactly what Abraham does. 00:03:09.880 --> 00:03:11.600 And in Genesis chapter 14. 00:03:11.620 --> 00:03:12.580 But here's the irony. 00:03:12.840 --> 00:03:18.860 We're going to recognize Abraham doing it by not being a part of the first 12 verses of Genesis 14. 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:26.160 If you remember how the story goes, Abraham, when he came back to the Promised Land for the second time, he tells to his nephew, 00:03:26.420 --> 00:03:29.720 pick anywhere in the land you want to go, and I'm going to take the rest, right? 00:03:29.720 --> 00:03:36.760 And rather than choose somewhere in the Promised Land, he actually goes outside of the boundary of the Promised Land to the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, most believe 00:03:36.760 --> 00:03:41.750 is on the east side, southeast side of the Dead Sea, in the land of what would be modern day Jordan. 00:03:42.440 --> 00:03:43.620 But lot goes and lives here. 00:03:43.620 --> 00:03:47.620 He's on the boundary of the Promised Land, but not really in the Promised Land. 00:03:47.880 --> 00:03:54.940 And Abraham, he chooses to follow the path of the Lord, and by so doing, he's not in the mess that's described in the 00:03:54.940 --> 00:03:55.920 first 12 chapters. 00:03:56.380 --> 00:04:00.380 He's setting his life up for faithfulness in God in order to bless others. 00:04:00.480 --> 00:04:02.130 While lot deals with this mess. 00:04:02.360 --> 00:04:06.760 And in Genesis chapter 14, verse one, this is how it starts to break out for us. 00:04:06.820 --> 00:04:08.640 And by the way, I'm going to read through this. 00:04:08.640 --> 00:04:09.810 You're going to see a lot of names. 00:04:10.220 --> 00:04:12.640 And I went to public school in West Virginia, in Alabama. 00:04:12.640 --> 00:04:13.840 So I want to say it fast. 00:04:14.380 --> 00:04:16.060 And you're going to pretend like I said it correct. 00:04:16.180 --> 00:04:16.560 All right. 00:04:16.740 --> 00:04:23.740 In the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer, we're going to 00:04:23.740 --> 00:04:25.380 call him King Cheddar from here on out. 00:04:25.440 --> 00:04:25.680 Okay? 00:04:25.720 --> 00:04:28.100 Of Elam and Tidal, King of goyim. 00:04:28.100 --> 00:04:30.830 These kings made war with Bera, king of Sodom. 00:04:30.900 --> 00:04:32.560 Bersha, king of Gomorrah. 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:33.640 Like I know that name, right? 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:34.850 Because I've watched Guardians of the Galaxy. 00:04:35.100 --> 00:04:36.590 But we're not talking about green people here. 00:04:36.960 --> 00:04:38.440 Shinab, King of Admah. 00:04:38.660 --> 00:04:45.740 Qamber, King of Zeboiim and the King of Bala, that is Zoar and all that join these forces in the valley 00:04:45.740 --> 00:04:47.460 of Siddim, that is the salt sea. 00:04:47.780 --> 00:04:50.100 12 years that have served and King Cheddar. 00:04:50.100 --> 00:04:51.860 But with the 13th year they rebelled. 00:04:52.300 --> 00:04:53.530 In the 14th year cheddar. 00:04:54.200 --> 00:05:00.180 The kings of who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim. 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:04.620 The Zuzim and Ham and the Imam and Sheva and Kiriathaim. 00:05:05.060 --> 00:05:05.340 There you go. 00:05:05.760 --> 00:05:06.920 That's not the end, by the way. 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:07.800 Keeps going. 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:08.820 Verse six. 00:05:08.820 --> 00:05:13.610 And the horites and all the hill country of Sierra as far as El Paran, on the border of the wilderness. 00:05:13.900 --> 00:05:16.640 Then they turn back and came to Mishpat. 00:05:17.200 --> 00:05:18.460 I have a theory about this. 00:05:18.540 --> 00:05:20.920 Like I read this, I'm like, what in the Star Trek is happening here? 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:21.740 Like all these different names? 00:05:22.180 --> 00:05:24.430 I think this is where the Klingons came from. 00:05:24.540 --> 00:05:31.880 And then they returned back and came to Misspap, and they defeated all the country of the Amalekites and all the Amorites who were dwelling 00:05:31.880 --> 00:05:33.770 in the Hazon Tamar. 00:05:34.340 --> 00:05:41.420 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bila, the king of Zoar went out 00:05:41.420 --> 00:05:48.740 and they joined battle in the valley of Siddim with King Cheddar of Elam, title King of Goyim, Amraphel, King of Shinar 00:05:48.740 --> 00:05:50.400 and Arioch, king of Ellasar. 00:05:50.860 --> 00:05:52.620 Four kings against five. 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:54.440 Hold on, just come on. 00:05:54.440 --> 00:05:55.260 Verses. 00:05:55.300 --> 00:05:57.360 King Cheddar of Elam, tidal king of Goim. 00:05:57.660 --> 00:06:00.560 Amraphel, king of Shinar and Arioch, king of Ellasar. 00:06:00.900 --> 00:06:02.460 Four kings against five. 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:04.380 Verse ten speaks to Merari here I'll tell you what. 00:06:04.580 --> 00:06:09.230 Now the valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, which is tar pits. 00:06:09.460 --> 00:06:14.360 And as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. 00:06:14.440 --> 00:06:16.820 I feel like as an 80s kid that verse is so important. 00:06:16.900 --> 00:06:21.420 Like I feel like I was over prepared for things that were never to be a reality as a kid in the 80s. 00:06:21.580 --> 00:06:22.450 Stop, drop and roll. 00:06:22.980 --> 00:06:26.100 You know, I thought I'd have been in way more fires between now and then. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:27.020 Or quicksand. 00:06:27.020 --> 00:06:30.360 You never know when you might step or tar pits, right? 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:31.340 Like land before time. 00:06:31.340 --> 00:06:32.970 Tell me about tar pits. 00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:36.440 But in this passage, they actually have them. 00:06:36.440 --> 00:06:38.460 So there's one person that I know encountered them. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:39.580 Verse 11. 00:06:39.580 --> 00:06:44.640 So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their provisions and went their way. 00:06:44.660 --> 00:06:45.910 And look, finally, here comes Abraham. 00:06:46.360 --> 00:06:47.520 They also took lot. 00:06:47.520 --> 00:06:54.700 The sons of Abraham are Abraham's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom and his possessions, and went their way right there. 00:06:54.840 --> 00:06:55.060 All right. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:57.140 So what just happened? 00:06:57.140 --> 00:07:04.220 Well, in these first 12 verses, he's really setting the stage for seeing how God by faith is working in the life of Abraham, for 00:07:04.220 --> 00:07:06.880 him to get to the position of being able to bless others. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:12.000 And in these verses, it really starts to unfold for us the beauty of what happens. 00:07:12.060 --> 00:07:17.860 And here's how the story communicates these individuals, they're talked about, these kings, these rulers. 00:07:17.860 --> 00:07:25.100 I don't think their archeology has necessarily discovered where they're from, but based on the way that their names are communicated 00:07:25.100 --> 00:07:28.820 here, it's assumed they come from the region of Iraq and Iran. 00:07:29.420 --> 00:07:36.500 So you have four kings and the region of Iraq and Iran who came to the region of Jordan and Israel, 00:07:36.620 --> 00:07:39.270 really on the border of Jordan and Israel, but on the Jordan side. 00:07:40.460 --> 00:07:46.400 And they came against five kings, and they defeated them, and they oppressed them for 12 years. 00:07:46.900 --> 00:07:52.600 And finally, in the 13th year, these five kings rebelled against these four kings in Iraq and Iran. 00:07:52.660 --> 00:07:56.660 So here it is, the first war in the Bible some 4000 years ago. 00:07:56.940 --> 00:07:58.800 And we're still talking about battles in this region. 00:07:58.820 --> 00:07:58.880 Now. 00:07:59.000 --> 00:07:59.880 This is the cradle of civilization. 00:08:00.300 --> 00:08:04.690 So you would expect there have been multitudes of battles here, but nonetheless, this is how it's playing out. 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:12.280 So these five kings rebel against the four Kings in the 13th year and in the 14th year, these four kings from Iraq and 00:08:12.280 --> 00:08:14.980 Iran journey to Jordan. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:16.800 And they fight against these kings. 00:08:16.900 --> 00:08:24.160 And in fighting against these kings, they plunder their kingdoms and they take some slaves with them, including lot's, 00:08:24.700 --> 00:08:26.580 Abraham's nephew. 00:08:27.080 --> 00:08:34.120 And lot for us really becomes a symbol of the difference between what happened in lot's life and what happens in 00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:34.860 Abraham's life. 00:08:34.860 --> 00:08:36.840 Abraham is a man that steps in faith. 00:08:37.179 --> 00:08:39.720 He certainly disobeyed the Lord in chapter 12. 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:40.780 End of chapter 12. 00:08:40.780 --> 00:08:43.460 By 13 he reconciles in his relationship with the Lord. 00:08:43.520 --> 00:08:45.380 He dedicates his life to God again. 00:08:45.480 --> 00:08:49.000 He worships the Lord and he chooses to stay in the Promised Land. 00:08:49.580 --> 00:08:56.580 But lot, when given the opportunity to also stay in a different area of the Promised Land, chooses to go on the outside boundary of the Promised Land in what is in 00:08:56.580 --> 00:08:59.540 modern day Jordan, on the east side of the Dead Sea. 00:08:59.640 --> 00:09:03.920 And lot really represents some people in their understanding of their relationship with God. 00:09:04.900 --> 00:09:07.830 I get this sometimes as a pastor, people ask this question. 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:12.280 It is not a healthy question, and I try to encourage the question to be a little bit different. 00:09:12.380 --> 00:09:19.500 But some people ask me how close to the boundary can I get where, God's not going to be mad at me, but I can still 00:09:19.500 --> 00:09:20.900 do what I want to do, right? 00:09:20.920 --> 00:09:23.180 People tend to treat their relationship with God like that. 00:09:23.180 --> 00:09:30.380 Sometimes they sort of look at it as like, this guy is God, is this angry, angry person in the sky with lightning bolts and he's just waiting for you to mess 00:09:30.380 --> 00:09:33.200 up and he'll let you get to the boundary. 00:09:33.460 --> 00:09:37.670 But you can't necessarily cross the boundary, because if you cross the boundary, then you're in trouble. 00:09:37.860 --> 00:09:39.780 And that sort of represents that, right? 00:09:40.020 --> 00:09:47.200 He, rather than just stay in the Promised Land as he had opportunity to do, he decides to go right outside the boundary of the promised land, 00:09:47.460 --> 00:09:53.820 and the consequences for that are catastrophic for his family, because he goes into the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, which we'll talk about in the days ahead. 00:09:53.820 --> 00:09:57.400 And his family was not prepared to honor the Lord in the region like that. 00:09:57.580 --> 00:09:59.800 And not only that, he has the disruption of his. 00:09:59.880 --> 00:10:01.420 Of this area being conquered. 00:10:01.740 --> 00:10:08.560 We have no idea how much time elapsed between chapter 13 and 14, but whatever has happened, this area has been conquered a lot. 00:10:08.560 --> 00:10:12.660 Finds himself in a position of oppression, and then he gets carried off into slavery. 00:10:13.880 --> 00:10:18.540 And this idea of this land and living in this promised land is symbolic of relationship. 00:10:19.240 --> 00:10:26.320 Enjoying relationship, specifically a relationship with God and choosing rather to live in 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:29.220 that wants to live on the boundary, wants to toe the line. 00:10:29.500 --> 00:10:36.180 Even as parents, some of you know what it's like sometimes when you've got that child that just likes to find the line right, and just and just step on that. 00:10:36.400 --> 00:10:40.760 But we often treat our relationship with God like that and it's unhealthy. 00:10:40.780 --> 00:10:45.210 And let me just give you a little illustration to help us understand why. 00:10:45.500 --> 00:10:52.540 Could you imagine if one day, if you're not married or if you are married right before you got married, the person that was to marry you 00:10:52.540 --> 00:10:59.700 looks at you and says, okay, I know we're about to make this commitment, but really, how much do I really have to be involved 00:10:59.700 --> 00:11:02.400 in our relationship for it to count as a marriage to you? 00:11:02.420 --> 00:11:02.600 Right? 00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:05.660 Like how much of myself do I really have to offer? 00:11:05.660 --> 00:11:08.540 And how dedicated does my dedication really need to be? 00:11:08.640 --> 00:11:15.940 And if that's the kind of question you have leading into your marital vows before people, you would probably say, 00:11:16.140 --> 00:11:19.290 I don't think at least I hope you say this is not going to work right. 00:11:19.640 --> 00:11:23.060 I don't think you understand how marriage is supposed to work, right. 00:11:23.100 --> 00:11:28.060 As you go through your journey in life, you're supposed to experience the intimacy and rejoice in that together, right? 00:11:28.060 --> 00:11:34.920 You're to want to be in one another's company and appreciate what God has provided for you in that relationship with one another. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:42.570 And if you're just asking the question, well, how close to the boundary do I got to get right in order for you to be not mad at me, but still be okay? 00:11:42.780 --> 00:11:48.480 You know you're completely missing the point of relationship and the same thing, same thing is true with your relationship with God. 00:11:49.140 --> 00:11:51.700 And if you're here this morning thinking, well, I just showed up to make God happy. 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:55.620 Look, there's nothing you're going to do with yourself that's going to impress God that he can't do for himself. 00:11:55.940 --> 00:11:56.100 Already. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:04.340 God made you for a relationship with him, and you're never going to live for your purpose until you're connected to your creator because you didn't make you. 00:12:05.060 --> 00:12:12.060 But in knowing God, you get to find the reason for your existence and you find out that you have worth and meaning and value because God made you in his 00:12:12.060 --> 00:12:14.880 image and therefore being in his image, you're connected to relate to him. 00:12:15.020 --> 00:12:19.100 And not only did he make you in his image, he also remakes you in Christ because he gave his life for you. 00:12:19.180 --> 00:12:25.030 There's no greater value that can be placed on you than that, so why not enjoy the relationship for which you were made in Christ? 00:12:25.880 --> 00:12:29.080 Why worry about where the boundary is when the goal of your life should simply be? 00:12:29.140 --> 00:12:33.100 How can I know Jesus more and honor him as I go through this journey of life? 00:12:34.280 --> 00:12:41.440 And so lot represents this unhealthy view, and we see the consequence of that a lot, lot becomes that old 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:44.120 adage, if you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. 00:12:44.520 --> 00:12:47.260 And in this moment he's certainly playing, playing the game. 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:52.560 But rather Abraham represents the opposite of that in these moments. 00:12:52.640 --> 00:12:55.400 He's nurturing spiritual health in the Lord. 00:12:55.660 --> 00:13:00.040 And because of that, it then begins to share with us what unfolds from his life. 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:06.310 So not only in these moments while Lord is in this mess, Abraham is surrounding himself with a kind of person he wants to become. 00:13:06.460 --> 00:13:11.700 He's surrounding himself with the kind of people that help invest in him towards the kind of person he wants to be. 00:13:11.780 --> 00:13:15.760 But point number two, Abraham, because of this, is able to stand for what is right. 00:13:16.100 --> 00:13:17.980 Even if risk is involved. 00:13:19.060 --> 00:13:23.620 Abraham now is going to step in and stand for what's right, even if risk is involved. 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:28.130 Abraham in verse 13 is about to take a stand. 00:13:28.680 --> 00:13:32.860 But truth be told, Abraham is not just becoming a hero in the moment, right? 00:13:32.860 --> 00:13:33.260 There's not. 00:13:33.280 --> 00:13:34.040 Oh no, there's a battle. 00:13:34.040 --> 00:13:35.400 I better do something about this. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:42.700 Abraham has already been preparing his heart and his life in order to be able to step in, to be a blessing, because Abraham has nurtured his 00:13:42.700 --> 00:13:49.820 life with properly what he needs to in order to best serve as needs arise because of 00:13:49.820 --> 00:13:51.670 his obedience to the Lord. 00:13:51.820 --> 00:13:57.780 Abraham's life is not only flourishing relationship relationally with God, he's also viewing this world with the eyes of God. 00:13:58.440 --> 00:14:03.840 How can I come along other people in situations of need, in order to help them? 00:14:03.940 --> 00:14:08.000 And so Abraham, he takes a stand for what's right, even if the risk is involved. 00:14:08.040 --> 00:14:10.000 And here's what's important in Abraham's decision. 00:14:10.660 --> 00:14:11.980 He's not obligated to do this. 00:14:13.420 --> 00:14:18.400 Abraham could have been like, well, I heard about the battle just across the borderline there. 00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:19.800 Tough break for those guys. 00:14:19.820 --> 00:14:21.400 Good thing it's going so well for us. 00:14:21.540 --> 00:14:21.760 Guys. 00:14:21.800 --> 00:14:23.440 Let's just keep being awesome, right? 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:29.000 Abraham Abraham was not obligated to have to step across the boundary line and go do anything, but he does. 00:14:29.540 --> 00:14:31.160 And the reason he does is because of grace. 00:14:31.740 --> 00:14:35.640 And Abraham is demonstrating the growth in his own life. 00:14:36.300 --> 00:14:42.380 If you remember in chapter 12 what Abraham did, he left the promise of the land and leaving the promise of land, it spiraled down. 00:14:42.380 --> 00:14:45.200 He eventually leaves his family, starting with his wife. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:46.520 He hands his wife to Pharaoh. 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:48.930 God intervenes and shows grace. 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:52.560 Abraham takes his wife back and goes back to the Promised Land, and he worships the Lord. 00:14:53.280 --> 00:14:54.290 And now here it is again. 00:14:54.640 --> 00:14:59.980 There is this battle against right on the border of his promised land and now his family. 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:00.720 Money has been taken captive. 00:15:01.700 --> 00:15:06.630 But rather than just simply set back, Abraham has prepared his life to make a difference. 00:15:06.860 --> 00:15:07.940 And so Abraham journeys. 00:15:08.380 --> 00:15:12.760 He takes this opportunity to take a stand at risk to his own life. 00:15:13.060 --> 00:15:17.140 He could have easily been like, my theology at this moment is to be a pacifist, right? 00:15:17.280 --> 00:15:24.180 I don't want to take the hard road, and I believe in pacifism, but rather he stands up for what he knows is right in order to make a difference. 00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:25.680 And in verse 13, this is what it says. 00:15:26.540 --> 00:15:33.540 Then one who had escaped came and told Abraham the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite brother of Eshcol and of 00:15:33.640 --> 00:15:37.300 Annar, these were the allies of Abram or Abraham. 00:15:37.900 --> 00:15:38.690 Here's what it's saying in the beginning. 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:41.520 Abraham is still at that place of worship. 00:15:41.520 --> 00:15:43.880 If you remember in chapter 13, he was worshiping at Mamri. 00:15:44.360 --> 00:15:49.860 He's still there is recognizing this is where he's found his identity in the Lord, and he's standing for that. 00:15:49.880 --> 00:15:51.600 And it references Abraham as a Hebrew. 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:56.100 This is the first time the word Hebrew is used in Scripture in reference to the to the Jewish people. 00:15:56.100 --> 00:16:02.260 The word Israel comes later with Jacob as he wrestles with God and the word Jew comes later with the tribe of Judah. 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:08.230 Because Israel was taken into captivity in Assyria, and the only tribe remaining was Benjamin and Judah. 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:12.760 Judah, being the largest tribe, becomes the Jewish people, which is how we refer to them today. 00:16:13.380 --> 00:16:20.580 But Abraham here, he's referred to as a Jew or excuse me, as a Hebrew, but I want you to see what's interesting about this passage, because 00:16:20.580 --> 00:16:21.480 here's what they're saying. 00:16:22.060 --> 00:16:26.440 This group of people have just been conquered and taken into captivity by another group of people. 00:16:26.580 --> 00:16:30.620 One person gets away, one person is able to escape. 00:16:31.100 --> 00:16:38.100 And let me just say, if you're in a situation where you're in a bind and you needed help and your life was at risk, where would 00:16:38.100 --> 00:16:38.720 you go? 00:16:39.260 --> 00:16:39.420 Right? 00:16:39.420 --> 00:16:41.740 I mean, call the police, do something right. 00:16:42.280 --> 00:16:49.440 And the fact that this individual thought enough to run to Abraham speaks volumes to the influence and integrity of 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:50.140 Abraham. 00:16:50.180 --> 00:16:57.800 In these moments, Abraham would have been seen by these people who lived outside the boundaries as a person of strength and 00:16:57.800 --> 00:16:59.520 also a person of compassion. 00:17:00.260 --> 00:17:07.280 We have no idea how much time has elapsed between chapter 13 and 14, but whatever has elapsed has been enough for the precedent and influence 00:17:07.280 --> 00:17:11.520 of Abraham to be known as such a man of power and a man of care. 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:16.630 And this is exactly why this person runs to Abraham, looking for solace and help. 00:17:17.040 --> 00:17:24.200 In verse 14 it says, When Abraham heard that his kinsmen had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men born in his house, 00:17:24.560 --> 00:17:26.060 318 of them. 00:17:26.280 --> 00:17:28.260 And he went in pursuit. 00:17:28.260 --> 00:17:35.280 As far as Dan, what's being said, I think in verse 14, might be the most important verse in all of the 00:17:35.280 --> 00:17:42.400 chapter in communicating the integrity of who Abraham is, because it says Abraham led forth his 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:43.360 trained men. 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:51.220 And what it's acknowledging is Abraham is mobilizing an army of men, meaning Abraham didn't sit on his hind quarters when he's 00:17:51.220 --> 00:17:52.860 in the Promised Land, right? 00:17:52.860 --> 00:17:54.540 He wanted to set his life up for success. 00:17:54.560 --> 00:18:00.970 So he was preparing his own people for anything that might happen to them in order to help out in that time of need. 00:18:01.560 --> 00:18:08.780 And when it says that Abraham, he's he sends his people out in verse 14, or specifically he sends forth trained men in 00:18:08.780 --> 00:18:09.480 the Hebrew. 00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:16.740 It literally says it literally describes unsheathing, a weapon he had warriors prepared for battle. 00:18:16.740 --> 00:18:20.700 And Abraham draws out that weapon in order to pursue. 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:26.240 He's not making the same mistake again as he did in Egypt, but rather if his family has need. 00:18:27.040 --> 00:18:31.240 If the land is being threatened, Abraham's going to do something about it. 00:18:31.940 --> 00:18:38.940 And so he unsheathes this weapon by faith and pursues in what God has called him 00:18:38.940 --> 00:18:39.520 to. 00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:47.180 And in verse 14 it says that these individuals that he unsheathes were born in his house, 318 men. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:51.060 Now this term born in his house is an idiom. 00:18:51.080 --> 00:18:54.880 It doesn't literally mean that everyone that went to battle was born in Abraham's house. 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:59.860 This is not just people that work for Abraham, and they had kids and those kids went to this battle. 00:19:00.380 --> 00:19:04.750 What it's acknowledging is that people want to belong to Abraham's house. 00:19:04.820 --> 00:19:07.330 In Abraham's day, there were two ways to find your protection. 00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:08.600 There was no police to call. 00:19:08.620 --> 00:19:11.740 There was no army to call upon, but rather two ways for protection. 00:19:11.740 --> 00:19:13.190 One, you live in a fortified city. 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:14.600 You had a wall around your city. 00:19:15.300 --> 00:19:20.910 Two, you had a group of people that cooperated to work together in order to protect one another for their well being, for human flourishing. 00:19:21.600 --> 00:19:23.780 In Abraham's case, this is exactly what they've done. 00:19:24.120 --> 00:19:31.160 Abraham became a man of such influence that people saw what Abraham was doing, and they said, we want to be a part of that, and we want to stand for what 00:19:31.160 --> 00:19:37.120 you stand for, to the point that we will live to protect this group of people for our sake and for everyone else's well-being. 00:19:37.820 --> 00:19:45.000 And so there is a group of people committed to what Abraham has been called to, and they want to belong to 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:45.520 his household. 00:19:45.620 --> 00:19:48.560 And Abraham became such a man of influence that others gather. 00:19:48.560 --> 00:19:55.840 And it tells us up to 318 people, 318 people go into this battle to 00:19:55.840 --> 00:19:58.820 fight against the forces that came. 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:02.780 Against Sodom and Gomorrah, and no one knows how large they were. 00:20:02.800 --> 00:20:09.760 But they were four kings representing four kingdoms, and so we could rest assured, it's definitely more than 318 people, perhaps thousands. 00:20:10.760 --> 00:20:15.480 So Abraham takes 318 people to battle against thousands. 00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:17.860 And Abraham is successful. 00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:22.800 He even fights this battle in enemy territory and Abraham is successful. 00:20:22.820 --> 00:20:29.820 It reminds me of the old adage, it's not about the size of the dog of the fight, but rather the size of the fight and the dog until you meet my dog. 00:20:29.820 --> 00:20:30.680 And then that's never true. 00:20:31.620 --> 00:20:38.900 But with Abraham, there is this discipline in their lives in order to be effective 00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:41.180 in what they're called to do. 00:20:41.640 --> 00:20:43.850 You don't have to be large to make a difference. 00:20:45.380 --> 00:20:46.020 Just be effective. 00:20:47.280 --> 00:20:53.780 I think in terms of our church, like, I love it when if you're new and you're here, we're glad you're here and we hope you enjoy your time. 00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:54.960 And thank you for being here today. 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:55.260 Right. 00:20:55.700 --> 00:21:00.620 But I can tell you, the success of our church is not measured by the size of our crowd, but the commitment of our core. 00:21:01.520 --> 00:21:06.840 The more people we have together on mission in Jesus understanding our identity for what Christ has called us to. 00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:08.840 The more successful we will be. 00:21:10.040 --> 00:21:17.260 Meaning, if you're looking for a different church, and what I mean by that is if you're looking for someone to just tickle 00:21:17.260 --> 00:21:23.520 your ears, please you with their words to say your truth is your truth, and my truth is my truth. 00:21:23.560 --> 00:21:25.940 Just talk some kind of wokism bull to you. 00:21:25.940 --> 00:21:26.420 That's not us. 00:21:27.560 --> 00:21:28.280 That's not us. 00:21:29.460 --> 00:21:31.410 We want to be a church that lives on mission. 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:32.500 Which I said in the beginning. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:38.760 We want to give ourselves away for the glory of the God to the benefit of others, which makes truth paramount to who we are. 00:21:38.840 --> 00:21:39.570 It is our identity. 00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:42.000 It defines the purpose of our existence. 00:21:42.080 --> 00:21:43.450 And we want to stand on that unashamedly. 00:21:45.900 --> 00:21:47.520 And at the same time, we want to do so compassionately. 00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:55.100 Because we understand it took the grace of God to get us to where we are, and it's only by his grace we are who we are. 00:21:55.800 --> 00:22:03.060 It was Jesus who pursued us in our sin to help us understand who he is that we could live for his 00:22:03.060 --> 00:22:05.000 glory in this world. 00:22:05.820 --> 00:22:09.560 And so God has called his church for a purpose. 00:22:09.560 --> 00:22:14.720 And so our power is not based on the size of the crowd, but the commitment of the Corps. 00:22:15.460 --> 00:22:18.390 We are called to be a people of grit and gentleness. 00:22:18.600 --> 00:22:23.900 We are called to be a people of endurance and compassion, a people of strength and of grace. 00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:31.740 And I think that was modeled beautifully in the life of Jesus in Romans chapter or excuse me, revelation chapter five, verse 00:22:31.740 --> 00:22:33.020 five and six. 00:22:33.120 --> 00:22:38.570 It refers to Jesus as the lion of the tribe of Judah, and also as the lamb who was slain. 00:22:39.380 --> 00:22:45.280 I think what a beautiful picture of one who stood with great strength and also gave his life compassionately for others. 00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:48.340 And the same is true for us in the life that we live. 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:50.950 We're called to model both of those at different points in our life. 00:22:51.040 --> 00:22:58.080 To be a lion and a lamb, to stand up for what's right and what's true, at risk to ourselves, and also to do it compassionately for 00:22:58.080 --> 00:22:59.000 the people around us. 00:22:59.640 --> 00:23:04.240 I understand in our culture not everyone understands biblical truth or who Christ is. 00:23:04.540 --> 00:23:09.360 People are trained in a thoughts of worldliness, and they might walk a path that's contrary to God. 00:23:10.340 --> 00:23:14.550 And we're not here just to throw stones at people, just to cast judgment at people. 00:23:14.560 --> 00:23:18.500 That's not what God calls us to do, to share the truth firmly, but in love. 00:23:19.820 --> 00:23:24.040 And so we are called in this world to really resemble both the lion and the lamb. 00:23:24.340 --> 00:23:26.680 The danger becomes when we reverse those roles. 00:23:27.020 --> 00:23:28.680 And there are people in this world that do that. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.550 There are there are men. 00:23:29.600 --> 00:23:31.340 If I could speak to you personally for a minute. 00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:32.800 There are men in this world that do that. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:40.240 They act like lions in the home, attacking the very people God calls them to protect, to act like a lamb, and then they act like a lamb in this world, bowing down 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:41.340 to the things the world says. 00:23:42.080 --> 00:23:46.940 That's not who God calls you to be, but the rest firm and truth in your identity of the Lord. 00:23:47.800 --> 00:23:49.860 And then be compassionate in serving the needs of people. 00:23:51.120 --> 00:23:52.860 He'll make an apology for who you are in Christ. 00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:54.420 Jesus gave his life for that. 00:23:55.440 --> 00:24:00.000 But we want to do so in a gracious way, understanding how it's the grace of God that set you and me free. 00:24:00.760 --> 00:24:02.660 And this is what Abraham is doing in this moment. 00:24:03.660 --> 00:24:08.680 He's stepping in as an example of what it means to be a man who's found his identity in the Lord. 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:12.020 And in so doing, being able to bless others in their need. 00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:14.080 And we see this play out practically. 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:16.490 And we you think about this passage, here's what's happening. 00:24:16.600 --> 00:24:16.990 There's a war. 00:24:17.860 --> 00:24:24.380 People come in to this land, they're fighting a battle and they're taking they're taking innocent lives with them as slaves into captivity. 00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:26.820 And where else are we seeing that today? 00:24:27.740 --> 00:24:29.560 It's right on the border of Israel again. 00:24:30.520 --> 00:24:32.000 And there is an opportunity. 00:24:32.200 --> 00:24:39.220 God's people have or you can have or anyone to make sure that something like that doesn't happen again to rescue 00:24:39.220 --> 00:24:41.580 the innocent and prevent further destruction. 00:24:42.280 --> 00:24:46.100 In fact, the theologians refer to that as a just war, and I don't have time to dive into all of that. 00:24:46.300 --> 00:24:50.620 But if you grab the paper notes this morning, there's a QR code that talks about the ideas of a just war. 00:24:50.620 --> 00:24:56.860 But to stand up for what's right, even at risk to yourself, or maybe in our own culture, what it looks like to stand up for injustice? 00:24:57.680 --> 00:24:59.880 I said in the beginning, all lives are made in the image of God. 00:24:59.880 --> 00:25:00.400 It's sacred. 00:25:01.500 --> 00:25:02.680 And so we want to honor life. 00:25:03.560 --> 00:25:05.100 It doesn't matter young or old. 00:25:05.540 --> 00:25:07.560 It doesn't matter where you come from. 00:25:08.140 --> 00:25:11.720 Every life made in the image of God and can be recreated in Christ. 00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:13.500 And therefore we are to honor life. 00:25:14.420 --> 00:25:22.020 You know, I've said to us before, the most dangerous place for a person to exist in America today is in the womb of a mother, and 00:25:22.020 --> 00:25:24.860 everyone is made in the image of God. 00:25:25.960 --> 00:25:28.140 Honoring that image becomes important. 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:32.080 God's got places for you to take a stand, even at risk to yourself. 00:25:32.280 --> 00:25:33.630 We're not here to malign people. 00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:36.660 We're not here to attack people. 00:25:36.780 --> 00:25:42.700 We're here to promote the goodness of who God is and the image of God in everybody, and that we can be remade in him. 00:25:43.540 --> 00:25:46.530 One character I love in history is a man by the name of Elijah Lovejoy. 00:25:47.500 --> 00:25:48.740 Elijah Lovejoy was. 00:25:48.900 --> 00:25:50.500 He was a minister and a teacher. 00:25:51.180 --> 00:25:53.140 And one day he witnessed a lynching. 00:25:53.760 --> 00:25:57.640 He gave up both careers, started a newspaper and became the editor of it. 00:25:57.900 --> 00:26:03.530 And he used it as a platform to speak against slavery as he used his life for that purpose. 00:26:03.620 --> 00:26:07.320 People came against him with threat after threat even attacked him. 00:26:07.420 --> 00:26:11.720 They destroyed his printing press and Elijah Lovejoy would not stop. 00:26:12.220 --> 00:26:13.880 In fact, they tried to call him to compromise. 00:26:14.380 --> 00:26:20.120 And he said this if by compromise is meant that I should cease from my duty, I cannot make it. 00:26:20.120 --> 00:26:21.990 I fear God more than I fear men. 00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:25.290 Crush me if you will, but I shall die at my post. 00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:29.440 Four days later, at the age of 35, he was killed by a mob. 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:32.100 No one in that mob was ever convicted. 00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:34.960 In fact, no one on that mob ever stood trial. 00:26:35.560 --> 00:26:38.620 One person in that mob even became the mayor of Alton, Illinois. 00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:43.980 People that stood with Elijah Lovejoy were put on trial, but no one that stood against him went on trial. 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:51.800 But Elijah Lovejoy had made a friend and his friend that day that he died, was aware of his death, and his friend had 00:26:51.800 --> 00:26:54.820 just become elected as a legislature in Illinois. 00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:57.460 And his friend's name was Abraham Lincoln. 00:26:59.580 --> 00:27:05.200 When you stand for what's right, you never know the impact your life will have on someone else. 00:27:06.380 --> 00:27:12.700 But even if it doesn't impact lives the way you want it to choose to honor God rather than the things of this world. 00:27:13.740 --> 00:27:15.140 That's what God calls us to in him. 00:27:16.540 --> 00:27:20.050 Abraham was the kind of person that took a stand even at risk to himself. 00:27:20.200 --> 00:27:21.600 And point number three. 00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:27.720 Oh, by the way, I should tell you in Dan and Damascus it says in verse 14, he started the battle in Dan that carried to Damascus. 00:27:28.080 --> 00:27:34.220 It's saying Abraham went with his men a hundred miles for this battle, and the battle continued for another 50 miles. 00:27:34.540 --> 00:27:38.620 And then after the battle was complete, Abraham collects the possessions and he comes back. 00:27:39.020 --> 00:27:46.320 And then he teaches us how, in point number three, handle all relationships with integrity as a person of wisdom, a 00:27:46.320 --> 00:27:48.840 person that is honorable. 00:27:48.840 --> 00:27:50.700 He handles all his relationships with integrity. 00:27:50.740 --> 00:27:53.460 This is this is godly relationships and ungodly relationships. 00:27:53.760 --> 00:27:55.520 Abraham teaches us how to do that. 00:27:55.560 --> 00:27:58.720 The first is through a godly relationship and it comes to this guy named Melchizedek. 00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:05.890 It says after he returned from the defeat of King Cheddar and the kings who were with him, the King of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Sheba. 00:28:06.320 --> 00:28:13.520 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and he blessed him and said, blessed be Abraham by God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, 00:28:13.520 --> 00:28:16.840 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:18.800 And Abraham gave him a 10th of everything. 00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:20.310 Let me just say a few things here real quick. 00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:26.800 Abraham is a is a godly representative, but most people, well, Melchizedek is a man of mystery. 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:31.470 In fact, I refer to him as the original dosages guy, the most interesting man in the world. 00:28:32.060 --> 00:28:35.580 There's not a lot that's known about Melchizedek because he's such a mysterious figure. 00:28:35.840 --> 00:28:40.840 If you want to read about him, I think the best passage of Scripture is Hebrews chapter five to Hebrews chapter seven. 00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:43.000 But Melchizedek represents something. 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:50.070 This person that really emerged out of an abyss and he's the king Melchizedek, which is a king of righteousness. 00:28:50.840 --> 00:28:54.560 And he is the priest of Salem, which is Salem, is short for Jerusalem. 00:28:54.560 --> 00:28:56.340 He's the priest of peace. 00:28:56.980 --> 00:29:01.600 And most people look at Melchizedek and think he is a type of Christ, if not a pre-incarnate Christ. 00:29:01.640 --> 00:29:05.920 And the reason is because of the combination of two titles that he carries, King and priest. 00:29:06.260 --> 00:29:10.980 And the only place you really see that other than a Melchizedek is in Jesus, who is both king and priest. 00:29:11.460 --> 00:29:18.670 And so people think this is like a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ to Abraham, which happened to Moses and Jacob. 00:29:18.780 --> 00:29:20.720 And you see this in the patriarchs of the Old Testament. 00:29:21.060 --> 00:29:24.980 And so most thing this is a pre-incarnate picture of Christ. 00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:32.670 And other than Melchizedek, Jesus is the only one who meets the qualifications of what it means to hold the Melchizedek priesthood. 00:29:33.540 --> 00:29:40.780 In fact, in Hebrews chapter seven, it describes that and it's important for Jesus to hold a priesthood because Jesus 00:29:40.780 --> 00:29:42.320 is our high priest. 00:29:42.320 --> 00:29:45.880 It tells us in Hebrews, for to the Lord we need access to God. 00:29:45.880 --> 00:29:48.260 Jesus becomes your way of access to relationship with the Lord. 00:29:48.440 --> 00:29:51.260 And so Jesus is our High Priest, our representative. 00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:55.340 Jesus could not be of Jewish priesthood because he wasn't born of a Levite. 00:29:55.340 --> 00:29:55.760 Levite. 00:29:55.760 --> 00:29:56.870 He was born of the tribe of Judah. 00:29:57.200 --> 00:30:00.370 He wasn't from Aaron, and so he couldn't belong to the Jewish priesthood. 00:30:00.540 --> 00:30:01.650 He wasn't born in the right family. 00:30:02.340 --> 00:30:08.280 So in this passage, it reminds us he's of the Melchizedek Priesthood, and Jesus is the only one that can hold this position. 00:30:08.460 --> 00:30:10.670 Because in Hebrews chapter seven verse three, look at this. 00:30:11.400 --> 00:30:17.160 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God. 00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:18.320 He continues a priest forever. 00:30:19.060 --> 00:30:21.800 The Melchizedek priesthood was intended to be forever. 00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:22.640 Aaronic priesthood. 00:30:22.660 --> 00:30:25.980 When you died, your priesthood was over Melchizedek priesthood to last forever. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:31.120 The reason it lasts forever is because the person that holds that position has neither beginning of days or end of life. 00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:32.300 The person is eternal. 00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:33.530 He doesn't have a mom or dad. 00:30:33.760 --> 00:30:34.000 Right? 00:30:34.300 --> 00:30:35.540 And so this is what it's saying to you. 00:30:35.760 --> 00:30:39.780 There's not a person on planet Earth that can hold the position of the Melchizedek Priesthood. 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:40.420 Why? 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:42.480 Because you all have a mom and daddy, right? 00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:45.160 Everyone came from somewhere and you're not eternal. 00:30:45.260 --> 00:30:50.160 You may live for eternity from this point on, but you're not eternal because you had a beginning of your days. 00:30:50.580 --> 00:30:51.420 Jesus does not. 00:30:51.420 --> 00:30:55.020 That's why he can hold this position and likeness to that. 00:30:55.580 --> 00:31:00.520 None of us can hold the Aaronic Priesthood position, because you're not a Levite from the tribe of Aaron. 00:31:00.560 --> 00:31:07.440 And number 16 it says, no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should draw near to burn incense before God. 00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:11.120 This is to do the duties of a priest, lest he become like Cora and his company. 00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:15.910 So here's what it's saying to us in this chapter. 00:31:16.280 --> 00:31:20.780 Genesis 14, you see Abraham paying homage or worship through Melchizedek. 00:31:21.360 --> 00:31:28.560 And what it's acknowledging is, while Judaism is important and God set up a system of worship because Abraham bows to Melchizedek, 00:31:29.160 --> 00:31:35.160 it's saying to us that all of Judaism really in that way bows to Melchizedek as a superior priest. 00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:38.400 And Jesus now becomes our representative in that. 00:31:39.060 --> 00:31:43.800 And because of what Jesus has done as our high Priest, you now have access to God. 00:31:44.200 --> 00:31:47.460 Every once in a while, I could ask the question, by what authority do you do what you do? 00:31:48.020 --> 00:31:49.350 And my answer is Jesus's. 00:31:50.300 --> 00:31:51.760 I'm going to make up some position. 00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:53.150 I can't hold the tribe of Aaron. 00:31:53.540 --> 00:31:54.080 No one can. 00:31:54.340 --> 00:31:55.130 I can't hold the tribe. 00:31:55.260 --> 00:31:56.190 No one here can anyway. 00:31:56.380 --> 00:31:58.210 And I can't hold the tribe of Melchizedek. 00:31:58.560 --> 00:31:59.710 No one on planet Earth can. 00:32:00.500 --> 00:32:05.790 And so for me to have a relationship with the Lord, it's got to come through another high priest, that is Jesus. 00:32:06.780 --> 00:32:11.820 And so in Matthew 28, it tells you, Jesus says, all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. 00:32:12.060 --> 00:32:13.070 And then he looks to his people. 00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:15.190 And says, now go make disciples of all nations. 00:32:15.560 --> 00:32:16.920 You've been given all authority. 00:32:17.460 --> 00:32:24.560 And then first Peter chapter two, verse nine, it tells you are a royal priest because of Christ, meaning you belong to a king, and now 00:32:24.560 --> 00:32:25.700 you have access to the Lord. 00:32:25.760 --> 00:32:27.480 That's what priest represents, access to God. 00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:30.710 It doesn't matter if you're male or female in Christ. 00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:32.300 Everyone is a priest. 00:32:32.300 --> 00:32:34.520 It means everyone has access to the Lord. 00:32:34.560 --> 00:32:41.600 And so in Hebrews 414 to 16 it says, you come boldly to the throne of grace, not because of what you do, but because of what 00:32:41.600 --> 00:32:43.080 Jesus has done for you. 00:32:44.220 --> 00:32:47.060 And so Abraham, he handles these relationships with integrity. 00:32:47.060 --> 00:32:49.340 He comes to Melchizedek and he honors that. 00:32:49.800 --> 00:32:52.560 And then it goes on and it tells us about this king called Sodom. 00:32:53.300 --> 00:32:57.660 And the king of Sodom said to Abraham, give me the person, but take the goods for yourself. 00:32:58.500 --> 00:33:05.540 But Abraham said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted my hand to the Lord God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread 00:33:05.540 --> 00:33:07.620 or a sandal strap or anything that is yours. 00:33:08.060 --> 00:33:15.100 Lest you should say, I have made Abraham rich, I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went 00:33:15.100 --> 00:33:15.520 with me. 00:33:15.880 --> 00:33:18.720 Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamri take their share. 00:33:19.420 --> 00:33:20.420 So here's what Abraham is saying. 00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:25.620 Abraham was completely justified in taking what he wanted because he got the plunder. 00:33:25.680 --> 00:33:28.180 He got it all back, but he chooses not to. 00:33:28.200 --> 00:33:33.520 And the reason why is because he didn't want to be obligated to anyone, especially the king of Sodom who was an evil king. 00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:34.610 He is a wicked king. 00:33:35.760 --> 00:33:42.520 And so Abraham wanted him himself to always be in a position where he's free to worship the Lord, as God had called him to, not obligated to anyone else. 00:33:43.380 --> 00:33:50.540 And so when the king of Sodom comes around Abraham, he worked and he served for a need, but then he distanced himself from 00:33:50.540 --> 00:33:54.080 this king in order to truly worship his God for us. 00:33:54.080 --> 00:34:01.280 Let me just tell you, orcs in our culture, I'll give it to you personally, from me, from just some experiences I get usually every year, every 00:34:01.280 --> 00:34:04.920 every year I usually get a couple of phone calls, let's say, from just the community abroad. 00:34:05.500 --> 00:34:07.440 And typically one a couple questions. 00:34:07.520 --> 00:34:09.940 One, can I help the community abroad in this way? 00:34:10.360 --> 00:34:17.460 And so somebody will lay something out like this year someone asked if we get flooding from all the snow, will you call on your church 00:34:17.460 --> 00:34:19.159 and ask them to come help? 00:34:19.159 --> 00:34:22.679 Because if we need help, we need to call on everyone that we can to help stop the flooding. 00:34:22.940 --> 00:34:24.480 So sure, sure, I'll do that. 00:34:24.520 --> 00:34:27.790 You know, for the good of everyone, we want to be involved in this for human flourishing. 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:28.440 Yes. 00:34:28.440 --> 00:34:29.060 We participate. 00:34:29.060 --> 00:34:30.460 Life matters and we want to honor life. 00:34:30.739 --> 00:34:32.420 We'll do that just like Abraham, right? 00:34:32.760 --> 00:34:33.600 This land was attacked. 00:34:33.620 --> 00:34:34.889 People taken into slavery. 00:34:34.920 --> 00:34:36.810 Abraham goes after him for the well being of the people. 00:34:36.900 --> 00:34:37.580 He does that. 00:34:37.580 --> 00:34:37.980 It's honorable. 00:34:38.540 --> 00:34:45.840 But then the other question I often get is can we usually around Christmas, can we can we combine multiple religious groups for worship? 00:34:45.860 --> 00:34:52.980 Like, do you want to get together on your holiday, which is intended to honor Christ with other religious groups that don't believe in that Jesus and worship 00:34:52.980 --> 00:34:53.679 together? 00:34:53.900 --> 00:34:55.179 And my answer is always the same. 00:34:55.480 --> 00:34:56.800 No, absolutely not. 00:34:57.220 --> 00:34:57.740 I don't want to. 00:34:58.080 --> 00:35:00.920 And the reason I don't want to is because what we stand for is so sacred. 00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:02.030 I don't want to muddy the waters. 00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:04.680 It defines who we are and what we are about. 00:35:05.280 --> 00:35:08.880 Now look, we're going to have a worship service and anyone else is welcome to come be a part of that. 00:35:09.040 --> 00:35:11.320 But what we're going to talk about is Jesus, right? 00:35:11.420 --> 00:35:15.580 I don't want to kumbaya and hold hands to the demise of what we're about as God's people. 00:35:15.580 --> 00:35:17.000 We want to stand for that truth. 00:35:17.640 --> 00:35:18.830 It doesn't mean I don't like people. 00:35:19.200 --> 00:35:20.140 It doesn't mean I don't care about people. 00:35:20.440 --> 00:35:26.700 I love people and I love people enough to stand for what we stand for, because it defines why we care about people. 00:35:27.140 --> 00:35:28.850 I don't want to convolute the message of Christ. 00:35:29.620 --> 00:35:34.420 It becomes the pinnacle for which defines what we do in this world and why people matter to begin with. 00:35:35.480 --> 00:35:39.400 Sure, I appreciate people around me and yes, I love them and I want the best for them. 00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:43.320 But that doesn't mean I have to compromise on what we stand for as God's people. 00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:45.000 And this is exactly what Abraham does. 00:35:45.720 --> 00:35:46.620 He comes to Sodom. 00:35:46.620 --> 00:35:47.960 He said, your people are hurting. 00:35:47.960 --> 00:35:49.470 We just want to help, and he helps. 00:35:49.540 --> 00:35:51.600 And then Sodom says, let's hold hands together forever. 00:35:51.600 --> 00:35:53.440 And he says, I don't think so, right? 00:35:53.440 --> 00:35:55.700 Because you represent something I don't want to stand for. 00:35:55.820 --> 00:35:58.080 I want to be free to worship the Lord wherever I go. 00:35:58.480 --> 00:36:01.640 And I want to use my life to bless as God gives me the opportunity to bless. 00:36:02.280 --> 00:36:06.340 So here's the question what brings a man to offer so much? 00:36:07.380 --> 00:36:09.760 And expect nothing in return but to give things to God. 00:36:11.980 --> 00:36:18.440 The answer for Abraham is he was walking in his identity in the Lord through covenant love. 00:36:20.060 --> 00:36:22.900 In the past, Abraham found his identity in the things around him. 00:36:22.940 --> 00:36:24.720 That's why he ran away at a famine. 00:36:25.580 --> 00:36:26.460 He found his identity. 00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:27.700 What other people thought about him. 00:36:27.700 --> 00:36:29.600 That's why he gave his wife away to Pharaoh. 00:36:30.700 --> 00:36:37.920 But then he realized where that got him, and he gave his life to the Lord and decided to follow after him. 00:36:39.320 --> 00:36:44.780 Abraham became a man that simply lived his life by one question what pleases the Lord? 00:36:46.340 --> 00:36:50.440 And in answering that question, then Abraham was able to determine where his steps would go. 00:36:51.420 --> 00:36:55.200 He wanted to be free to serve and not obligated to others. 00:36:57.020 --> 00:37:04.080 You can never get get to this place that Abraham is in without contentment in who you are in Christ, 00:37:05.120 --> 00:37:12.240 fully surrendering, trusting in the Lord who will not disappoint, but through that relationship with the Lord, you 00:37:12.240 --> 00:37:13.680 then have the opportunity to bless. 00:37:14.840 --> 00:37:16.120 Ct Studd was a. 00:37:16.700 --> 00:37:18.280 He was a popular cricket player. 00:37:18.280 --> 00:37:21.480 Apparently in his day they liked to dress like the milkman when they played cricket. 00:37:22.360 --> 00:37:29.520 But he was a popular cricket player and he heard a message from Hudson Taylor, the great missionary Hudson Taylor from China, and 00:37:29.520 --> 00:37:31.180 he dedicated his life to the Lord. 00:37:31.220 --> 00:37:36.900 And in so doing he went and served in India, China and Africa, proclaiming the truth of who Christ was. 00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:39.200 And he reminded his life. 00:37:39.240 --> 00:37:44.520 This famous quote from him says this only one life twill soon be past. 00:37:45.160 --> 00:37:47.520 Only what's done for Christ will last. 00:37:48.840 --> 00:37:52.440 Because I hope you see through a life of Abraham a life dedicated to Christ. 00:37:52.460 --> 00:37:56.240 He didn't live perfect from this point, but in a life dedicated to Christ. 00:37:57.040 --> 00:38:04.240 The difference he was able to make, not because he found his identity in other places or other people, but rather he knew who he was 00:38:04.240 --> 00:38:07.500 because of what the Lord would do for him and had done for him. 00:38:08.340 --> 00:38:09.320 Guys, the same is true for you. 00:38:10.220 --> 00:38:17.420 Covenant love shapes who you are, and it's in that relationship that God gives you the opportunity to 00:38:17.500 --> 00:38:18.020 bless others.