WEBVTT 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:02.440 I want to invite you to Genesis chapter 15. 00:00:02.440 --> 00:00:03.830 That's where we are together today. 00:00:04.300 --> 00:00:05.360 Genesis chapter 15. 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:09.740 And this is one of the, some say, one of the most powerful passages in all of the Bible. 00:00:10.120 --> 00:00:12.740 And if you don't agree, all the Bible, definitely in the book of Genesis. 00:00:12.860 --> 00:00:14.840 This is an incredible section of Scripture. 00:00:14.840 --> 00:00:18.680 It's a delight for me to be able to share this with you together today. 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:21.080 A powerful story found in the Bible. 00:00:21.140 --> 00:00:28.220 And if you've been following along in the book of Genesis, the first 11 chapters of Genesis, we cover a large gamut of history to get us to the place of 00:00:28.220 --> 00:00:29.500 Genesis chapter 12. 00:00:29.540 --> 00:00:31.040 We're dealing with a figure named Abraham. 00:00:31.500 --> 00:00:33.380 Genesis chapter 12 to Genesis. 00:00:33.380 --> 00:00:35.990 Chapter 25 is about the life of Abraham. 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:38.800 And Abraham, we learned, is really nothing special. 00:00:38.800 --> 00:00:43.770 He was a pagan man from a pagan land, part of a pagan family with a pagan name that honored a pagan god. 00:00:44.380 --> 00:00:46.180 And God called him out of that. 00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:48.810 Not because of Abraham was great, but because God was great. 00:00:48.980 --> 00:00:52.500 And as Abraham journeyed to a land, he was uncertain where he was going. 00:00:52.500 --> 00:00:54.210 He was willing to follow after the Lord. 00:00:54.400 --> 00:01:01.300 But when he gets to that land in Genesis chapter 12, we find out he quickly abandons the promises of God because of a famine in the land. 00:01:01.440 --> 00:01:02.460 And he runs to Egypt. 00:01:02.500 --> 00:01:04.120 And from there things spiraled down. 00:01:04.160 --> 00:01:05.990 He ended up losing his wife to Pharaoh. 00:01:06.520 --> 00:01:12.390 God had to intervene in the life of Abraham to get his wife back and send him back to the promised land. 00:01:12.440 --> 00:01:19.720 And in verse 13, that's where we discover Abraham on his knees, turning his life back to the Lord and honoring God in Mammary 00:01:19.720 --> 00:01:21.380 and the Lord. 00:01:21.460 --> 00:01:23.850 From that point, Abraham goes on into a battle. 00:01:24.460 --> 00:01:26.260 Abraham's nephew gets captured. 00:01:26.380 --> 00:01:33.420 Abraham has to take his men 318 men to go after his nephew and others that have been taken captive, and 00:01:33.420 --> 00:01:38.100 he goes and defeats four kings, 318 men, defeating four kings and their kingdoms. 00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:41.590 And he gets all those that have been taken captive and brings them back. 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:45.500 And in chapter 15, now we find that Abraham is struggling. 00:01:46.460 --> 00:01:53.590 Abraham is struggling in chapter 15 with his faith, but he's learned from his past mistakes that in chapter 13, when he struggled, 00:01:54.140 --> 00:01:58.140 he ran away from God into chapter 12, into chapter 13, he ran away from God. 00:01:58.240 --> 00:02:05.360 And now in this chapter, he's learned how to not run away from God and His struggle, but to how to wrestle with his faith before 00:02:05.360 --> 00:02:06.100 the Lord. 00:02:06.780 --> 00:02:07.910 And for Abraham. 00:02:07.980 --> 00:02:10.820 You can begin to understand in this situation why he would do that. 00:02:11.340 --> 00:02:16.580 I mean, he was a he grew up in of the Chaldeans and in Abraham. 00:02:16.700 --> 00:02:18.320 That's where you belonged in his day. 00:02:18.440 --> 00:02:25.500 You were born, you lived, and you died all within a 50 mile radius to pack up everything at the age of 75, all by 00:02:25.500 --> 00:02:25.950 camels. 00:02:26.020 --> 00:02:33.180 Could you imagine that move and journeying west hundreds of miles to a place where he is a foreigner, and in that land 00:02:33.180 --> 00:02:35.980 he now has had to fight a war, a battle? 00:02:35.980 --> 00:02:37.440 Abraham didn't go looking for this battle. 00:02:37.720 --> 00:02:39.040 This battle came to him. 00:02:39.180 --> 00:02:41.280 But Abraham is challenged by this. 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:44.480 This has been obstacle after obstacle for him. 00:02:44.660 --> 00:02:51.980 And he's at this place where he he's recognizing his frailty and his weakness, and he wants some security in 00:02:51.980 --> 00:02:52.520 the Lord. 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:57.220 And in that we see the kindness of God made known. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:04.940 And also through the life of Abraham, we start to understand the importance of how to struggle in a healthy way in our faith. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:10.220 And in Genesis chapter 15, today we're going to we're going to talk about the power of assurance. 00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:13.510 And I really in that assurance, I really don't want to make for us two points. 00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:15.220 And then I'm going to answer two questions. 00:03:15.580 --> 00:03:20.700 At the end, I'm going to answer, how do we find assurance and what does assurance provide for us. 00:03:21.180 --> 00:03:26.590 So in dealing with the power of adversity, point number one in your notes is this we all need assurance. 00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:33.600 We all need assurance because we all face adversity and we all have doubts. 00:03:34.120 --> 00:03:38.020 And Abraham in this story, he certainly has his concerns. 00:03:38.180 --> 00:03:40.480 And God speaks to his fears. 00:03:40.980 --> 00:03:48.280 And in Genesis chapter 15, verse one, that's why you find it says, after these things the word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision or a Brahman, a vision. 00:03:48.580 --> 00:03:50.480 Fear not, Abram, I am your shield. 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:52.940 Your reward shall be very great. 00:03:53.880 --> 00:03:57.060 You know, one of the things that we typically do as people, we read stories of the Bible. 00:03:57.160 --> 00:04:01.410 You see these great figures of faith found in Scripture, and we tend to put them on pedestals. 00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:08.100 But one of the things that we're reminded of over and over as we start to study their lives is they're people just like you and me. 00:04:08.140 --> 00:04:14.180 When they go through challenges in life, they have to figure out how their faith aligns with the adversity in which they're experiencing. 00:04:14.460 --> 00:04:15.680 And Abraham's the same way. 00:04:16.300 --> 00:04:23.520 It's why when you turn to Scripture, you find repeated over and over the same promises of God in the midst of people facing challenges, 00:04:23.520 --> 00:04:25.380 because we all need assurance. 00:04:26.320 --> 00:04:33.420 There's some 360 plus promises of God where he states to two faith leaders over and over again that the Lord your 00:04:33.420 --> 00:04:36.100 God is with you wherever you go. 00:04:36.740 --> 00:04:43.860 And God, knowing what Abraham has gone through and the state of his own faith before him, God leads off with 00:04:43.860 --> 00:04:49.980 this reminder Abraham, don't have fear because the promises of God is with him. 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:57.640 But we need that type of assurance when we go through life, when we're relationally facing adversity, we want to know that you 00:04:57.640 --> 00:05:00.050 have the security of that relationship, whether it be with. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:05.640 Someone else or with God as you walk through the storms of life to not receive that. 00:05:05.660 --> 00:05:12.700 Could you imagine if maybe it played out this way where you know, if you were about to get married, let's say, and you're headed to the altar to share your 00:05:12.700 --> 00:05:13.280 vows. 00:05:13.280 --> 00:05:17.020 And right before you get married, your spouse looks at you and says, all right, I'm going to say this. 00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:18.840 I'm only going to say this once. 00:05:19.060 --> 00:05:20.600 So you need to listen up, all right? 00:05:21.280 --> 00:05:24.000 I love you, okay, I love you. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:25.720 I just want you to know that I love you. 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:27.680 And we can just settle that matter right here. 00:05:27.840 --> 00:05:29.040 Just know that's forever true. 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:30.080 I love you, and that's it. 00:05:30.080 --> 00:05:30.560 Right? 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:32.940 But that's the only time they're going to say that, right? 00:05:32.940 --> 00:05:39.940 And then any time you ask them, you go through a difficult time, you have some difficulty in your relationship or you had some adversity and you just 00:05:39.940 --> 00:05:42.720 want the comfort of knowing that they're with you. 00:05:42.760 --> 00:05:44.420 You ask the question, do you love me? 00:05:44.440 --> 00:05:46.920 And their only response is I, I've told you once, right? 00:05:46.920 --> 00:05:47.680 I have told you. 00:05:47.880 --> 00:05:48.860 I have told you once. 00:05:48.880 --> 00:05:50.290 I mean, what more do I need to say? 00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:52.720 That's not comforting to the soul. 00:05:53.940 --> 00:05:56.760 And for Abraham, this is exactly where he's found himself. 00:05:57.860 --> 00:06:04.900 I mean, hopefully you've never been in a circumstance like this, but you picture Abraham traveling from a distant land, having lost 00:06:04.900 --> 00:06:08.510 his wife in Egypt, and now he's had to go to war. 00:06:10.060 --> 00:06:11.440 He's coming back from that. 00:06:11.440 --> 00:06:16.330 And he wants to know, did I, did I make up the promises of God? 00:06:16.340 --> 00:06:21.280 Did God really say, you ever been in that place where someone said something to you? 00:06:21.300 --> 00:06:21.770 And it was very encouraging. 00:06:22.700 --> 00:06:27.440 And then a little bit of distance has happened between that promise or that wonderful statement they gave. 00:06:27.440 --> 00:06:31.400 And you start to think to yourself, well, did I really hear them say it that way? 00:06:31.840 --> 00:06:33.760 Was I a little more optimistic than I should have been? 00:06:33.780 --> 00:06:37.620 Did I did I elaborate upon it beyond the words that actually stated? 00:06:37.660 --> 00:06:40.380 I'm not really sure anymore, and you start to talk yourself out of it. 00:06:40.440 --> 00:06:41.480 You think maybe the problem was you? 00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:48.620 Maybe you thought you were crazy, and then you start to think, well, the only thing I can really do to make sure that was really what I heard is to ask them again and to find the security 00:06:48.620 --> 00:06:49.380 of that word again. 00:06:49.420 --> 00:06:50.540 Is that is that really what you said? 00:06:50.540 --> 00:06:51.460 Is that really what you meant? 00:06:51.460 --> 00:06:53.200 Can you just repeat that one more time? 00:06:53.220 --> 00:06:54.380 I've had some hard things happening. 00:06:54.380 --> 00:06:55.440 I just want to know. 00:06:56.860 --> 00:06:58.900 And this is exactly where Abraham is. 00:07:00.020 --> 00:07:01.860 He's going through the adversity of life. 00:07:01.860 --> 00:07:09.100 He wants to know that he's not crazy and that the truthfulness of what God said and the promises that he has 00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:10.140 given him is real. 00:07:10.140 --> 00:07:11.980 That God's Word is what God says. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:17.680 I mean, even from the Garden of Eden, we've seen our tendency as human beings to twist and pervert what God has said. 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:25.240 I mean, when Adam and Eve were tempted, the thing the serpent said, Did God really say to get us to question 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:30.820 the truthfulness of God's word so we don't rest in the assurance and it gives uncertainty to the soul. 00:07:30.840 --> 00:07:35.420 But we need peace in our relationship with God in order to move forward. 00:07:36.740 --> 00:07:39.440 And this is where Abraham finds himself. 00:07:39.460 --> 00:07:46.700 And so, since God broached the subject, Abraham goes right after the very promises that God gave him the two promises that God had given 00:07:46.700 --> 00:07:47.240 to him, he. 00:07:47.300 --> 00:07:49.380 He just wants to know God one more time. 00:07:49.460 --> 00:07:50.660 Can you can you say to me? 00:07:50.660 --> 00:07:53.220 And so verse, verse two, Abraham goes on. 00:07:53.220 --> 00:07:53.580 Excuse me. 00:07:53.580 --> 00:07:53.900 Verse two. 00:07:53.900 --> 00:07:57.780 He says, But Abraham said, oh Lord God, what will you give me? 00:07:58.640 --> 00:08:03.030 For I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus. 00:08:03.260 --> 00:08:11.200 And Abraham said, behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir. 00:08:12.620 --> 00:08:17.260 And when God gave Abraham the promise, remember what God said to Abraham, Abraham, go where I'm going to show you. 00:08:17.960 --> 00:08:24.260 I'm going to multiply your seed, and through your seed all nations will be blessed, which was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. 00:08:25.280 --> 00:08:27.430 But to Abraham, he also said, I'm going to give you a land. 00:08:28.540 --> 00:08:31.780 And so Abraham makes this journey at 75 years old. 00:08:32.780 --> 00:08:39.799 You've got to think, at this point in Genesis 15, we don't know how much time has elapsed in Abraham's life between Genesis 12, when he 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:43.900 was called at 75, to Genesis 15, where we are right now. 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:51.240 But Abraham is somewhere between the age of 75 and 99, and he just he just wants the comforting thought of 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:51.720 God. 00:08:51.780 --> 00:08:55.760 Are you are you really sure you're going to give me a kid at this age? 00:08:55.800 --> 00:08:58.000 Or maybe he's asking, do I really want a kid? 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:00.300 But he's really asking the question. 00:09:00.340 --> 00:09:03.180 God, 75, somewhere between 75 and 99. 00:09:03.480 --> 00:09:07.020 And Sarah, she's somewhere between 65 and 89. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:13.280 And he's saying, God, give me the assurance he's at a place where he knows how weak he is. 00:09:14.180 --> 00:09:19.300 He knows the possibility of these promises are only as sure as what God has told him. 00:09:20.220 --> 00:09:21.640 And so he wants that reminder. 00:09:21.680 --> 00:09:28.960 And then in verse four, God responds and it says, and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, this man 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:31.080 shall not be your heir, Abraham. 00:09:32.040 --> 00:09:33.740 Your very own son shall be your heir. 00:09:34.520 --> 00:09:40.760 And he brought him outside and said, look toward the heaven and number the stars, if you're able to number them. 00:09:41.460 --> 00:09:44.720 And then he said to him, so shall your offspring be. 00:09:45.380 --> 00:09:48.920 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:57.360 This passage, a famous passage often reflected in the New Testament, is quoted again in Romans four that Abraham's faith was not built on who 00:09:57.360 --> 00:09:59.600 he was, but on the promise of who God was. 00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:02.620 And Abraham trusts in what God says. 00:10:02.700 --> 00:10:10.040 But one of the things I love about this passage is just recognizing how patient God is, and the weakness of Abraham's faith. 00:10:10.820 --> 00:10:13.260 God could have responded any way. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:16.980 Abraham is learning anecdotally about his relationship with God. 00:10:16.980 --> 00:10:18.300 What kind of God are you? 00:10:18.300 --> 00:10:19.740 How patient will you really be with me? 00:10:19.820 --> 00:10:22.700 Especially when I'm struggling and in these obstacles. 00:10:22.700 --> 00:10:27.440 Having just gone to battle and now returning, I just want to know, God that I can really depend on this. 00:10:27.460 --> 00:10:30.080 I just want to be reminded of the truthfulness of who you are. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:37.160 Because if I'm going to put my weight on this, if I move my family across the country, if I'm really if I'm really going to see myself established here, just remind me you are 00:10:37.160 --> 00:10:38.780 who you say you are. 00:10:39.640 --> 00:10:44.640 And God, he could in this moment, he could have looked at Abraham and been like, Abraham, I told you once, right? 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:46.300 What more do I need to tell you? 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:47.620 How pathetic is this going to be? 00:10:47.620 --> 00:10:49.010 Do I have to remind you of this all the time? 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:50.220 I'm done with you, Abraham. 00:10:50.280 --> 00:10:50.460 God. 00:10:50.540 --> 00:10:52.240 God could have responded that way. 00:10:54.620 --> 00:10:55.400 But what does God do? 00:10:56.860 --> 00:10:58.420 His patient. 00:11:00.760 --> 00:11:03.910 I love this about the Lord, that we don't have to run away from him in our struggle. 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:09.780 That we're not here to prove anything to him, but allow himself to prove himself to us. 00:11:11.160 --> 00:11:12.180 God, show me who you are. 00:11:13.340 --> 00:11:15.660 Give me reason to believe more and more. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:17.880 God, help me with this challenge. 00:11:17.880 --> 00:11:19.140 And Abraham goes right after it. 00:11:19.640 --> 00:11:21.620 God, you promised my seed would multiply. 00:11:22.560 --> 00:11:23.660 God, how can I know? 00:11:24.620 --> 00:11:25.550 And God takes him outside. 00:11:25.700 --> 00:11:27.420 And he and he and he shows him the stars. 00:11:27.640 --> 00:11:31.340 And then Abraham comes back and he asks God a second question. 00:11:32.640 --> 00:11:39.680 And he asks in verse seven, and he said to him, I am the Lord who brought you out of, out of ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land 00:11:39.680 --> 00:11:40.360 to possess. 00:11:40.460 --> 00:11:41.380 And then here's what Abraham said. 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:46.800 But he said, oh, Lord, how am I to know that I shall possess it? 00:11:48.200 --> 00:11:49.180 Not just the seed. 00:11:50.280 --> 00:11:52.190 But, Lord, we've already been attacked once. 00:11:53.220 --> 00:11:54.650 We've already gone through a famine once. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:59.260 How do I how do I know, Lord, that we're going to have this land? 00:12:00.260 --> 00:12:05.900 You know, one of the things that's incredible about Abraham, as he's asking this question of the Lord, he's not just asking for himself. 00:12:07.160 --> 00:12:12.620 He knows that God has promised him his, that he would multiply in this land. 00:12:12.640 --> 00:12:19.220 So he he's thinking of a dream beyond himself that would ultimately truly be fulfilled in Jesus as we come to know the Lord. 00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:21.520 But he's thinking much more beyond himself. 00:12:21.540 --> 00:12:22.120 It tells us. 00:12:22.360 --> 00:12:23.680 And in Hebrews chapter 11. 00:12:23.680 --> 00:12:30.740 And what's incredible about the life of Abraham is, as you look through Genesis 12 to 25, if you read about his story, is that Abraham 00:12:30.740 --> 00:12:33.660 wandered in this land as a nomad for years. 00:12:33.700 --> 00:12:40.720 It wasn't until his wife passed that Abraham ever bought any plot of land in this area, and it was only to bury his wife, and it was where 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:41.700 he was buried as well. 00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:46.250 And so Abraham by faith trusted that the Lord would provide. 00:12:47.100 --> 00:12:54.500 Which brings me to point number two in your notes, then, is this God's response to our apprehension is 00:12:54.500 --> 00:12:55.400 covenant love. 00:12:57.280 --> 00:12:59.260 We need to know the power of assurance. 00:12:59.260 --> 00:13:06.720 One we all need assurance, but two God's response to our apprehension or our uncertainty is definitely its covenant 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:07.420 love. 00:13:08.520 --> 00:13:12.000 And by covenant love, we're not just meaning a verbal declaration, but God. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:15.940 Also in this story gives us a demonstration of his covenant love. 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:20.690 And in chapter 15, this is one of those most profound things I think, that happens in all of Scripture. 00:13:20.900 --> 00:13:23.440 It's a picture of what Jesus will ultimately do for us. 00:13:23.560 --> 00:13:30.720 But in verse nine he said to Abraham, bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:34.440 old, a ram three years old, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon. 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:40.280 And he brought him all these, cut them in half and laid each each half over against the other. 00:13:40.460 --> 00:13:42.260 But he did not cut the birds in half. 00:13:42.560 --> 00:13:46.580 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abraham drove them away. 00:13:46.700 --> 00:13:53.580 I started to laugh because I thought, I told you this is one of the most profound passages, but right now it just sounds crazy what is happening here, right? 00:13:53.580 --> 00:13:55.040 Let me show you. 00:13:55.060 --> 00:14:00.420 Let me demonstrate covenant love and these animals into what is he doing here? 00:14:00.420 --> 00:14:05.900 Well, what Abraham is establishing with the Lord is what's referred to as a covenant. 00:14:06.140 --> 00:14:13.880 And literally it would translate as a cutting of the covenant, a little different in an oral tradition society than a than a written or contractual 00:14:13.880 --> 00:14:14.160 society. 00:14:14.160 --> 00:14:17.630 Today, if you want to work in agreement with someone, you set aside a contract. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:21.200 One party agrees to one half, you agree to the other half, and 5050. 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:25.200 If one of you doesn't fulfill the end of the contract, the other person is not obligated to fulfill the end of the contract. 00:14:25.720 --> 00:14:30.960 And in oral tradition, if they wanted to take the seriousness of agreement together, they would do what is called a covenant. 00:14:31.300 --> 00:14:35.440 And a covenant is, I would say, a further step than than just simply a contract. 00:14:35.520 --> 00:14:40.500 A covenant is giving all that you are for the benefit of someone else and vice versa. 00:14:40.560 --> 00:14:44.180 The best comparison we have today is to that of marriage and a marriage covenant. 00:14:44.640 --> 00:14:49.220 When you enter into that, you're giving all of yourself away for the benefit of someone else and vice versa. 00:14:49.620 --> 00:14:52.180 And here in this passage, you're seeing this with Abraham. 00:14:52.180 --> 00:14:57.500 He's entering into a covenant with the Lord and in an oral tradition, rather than a written contract. 00:14:58.280 --> 00:15:00.550 They would do this through the participation of animals. 00:15:00.680 --> 00:15:03.440 And the way this would work was the animals became a demonstration. 00:15:04.540 --> 00:15:06.410 There was only two ways to get out of a covenant. 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:10.060 One was to fulfill it, the other one was to die. 00:15:11.300 --> 00:15:18.340 And when they would separate these animals, the two parties that would agree upon that covenant would pass through those animals as 00:15:18.340 --> 00:15:24.560 if to say, if I do not fulfill my promise in this covenant, may what happened to these animals happen to me? 00:15:25.380 --> 00:15:32.900 This is a very serious and sobering act of a covenant being made known, but it shows the depth of a commitment from one 00:15:32.900 --> 00:15:33.810 to another. 00:15:33.880 --> 00:15:40.900 And God is saying this to Abraham, and maybe you could take a piece of this as a lesson, like the next time you have to hire a contractor in your house, 00:15:41.580 --> 00:15:43.100 go grab your dog, right? 00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:43.680 Just kidding. 00:15:43.860 --> 00:15:44.440 You need your cat. 00:15:46.260 --> 00:15:50.040 I shouldn't say I should not say that, but God doesn't accept cats, so we know that. 00:15:50.040 --> 00:15:51.380 So I'm just kidding. 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:53.340 I'm kidding, I'm kidding. 00:15:53.660 --> 00:15:53.980 But. 00:15:54.300 --> 00:15:55.120 But you see this? 00:15:55.160 --> 00:15:56.260 The seriousness. 00:15:56.380 --> 00:16:03.340 You see the seriousness of this covenant that God is bringing to Abraham and this oral tradition that's being practiced. 00:16:03.380 --> 00:16:10.500 And then and then, as if to add to help us recognize how serious this is, it then goes on to describes the demeanor of Abraham. 00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:16.060 It says in verse 12, and as the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. 00:16:16.940 --> 00:16:21.040 And behold, a dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. 00:16:22.160 --> 00:16:23.140 Now I'll let you know. 00:16:23.140 --> 00:16:27.180 I've read several commentaries, and none of them really spoke to verse 12 the way that I wanted to. 00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:30.640 So I'm going to give you the Nathaniel Wall commentary of verse 12. 00:16:30.640 --> 00:16:31.160 All right. 00:16:31.280 --> 00:16:32.210 Take it for what it's worth. 00:16:32.280 --> 00:16:33.610 If you don't like it, you can discard it. 00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:34.140 All right. 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:40.220 But you come to this passage and you see the weightiness of this moment on Abraham. 00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:45.150 And let me just give you a thought as to why I believe Abraham feels this way. 00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:50.200 When you enter into a covenant, it's all that you are to fulfill this covenant. 00:16:51.460 --> 00:16:58.560 When you enter into a covenant with God and you think about who could mess this up, I promise 00:16:58.560 --> 00:17:00.320 it's not God, right? 00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:06.599 And the weight of that in that moment when you realize, as Abraham is laying these pieces out, he knows. 00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:07.950 He knows what this represents. 00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:10.040 He knows what could happen here. 00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:12.900 And Abraham's thinking in his mind. 00:17:12.900 --> 00:17:18.400 Am I am I about to promise something to the Lord like I'm going to be? 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:20.040 I've already demonstrated in my life that I would run away, right? 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:27.260 He did that in Genesis chapter 12, and now he's thinking, now God wants to fulfill this covenant with me, and he wants me to do this with 00:17:27.260 --> 00:17:28.020 him, right? 00:17:28.020 --> 00:17:34.120 He's like, okay, God, I've already asked you about you like, God, how do I know you will fulfill this seed? 00:17:34.120 --> 00:17:36.220 And how do I know you will promise this land? 00:17:36.220 --> 00:17:43.300 But when I think about in terms of this covenant, if you're expecting anything from me, there is this weightiness to that I realize that the only 00:17:43.300 --> 00:17:45.350 person that's going to disappoint this moment is myself. 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:50.880 And if you read in the book of Genesis, if you consider this is the first book of the Bible, right? 00:17:50.900 --> 00:17:57.900 In this book, the only other time that you have seen up to this point, someone experiencing this type of feeling around the Lord, it's 00:17:57.900 --> 00:18:04.200 Adam, right after he sent in the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter three, verse ten, the weightiness of that sin, Adam runs and hides. 00:18:04.940 --> 00:18:06.780 And now Abraham knows this. 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:09.380 This is a serious commitment I'm about to make. 00:18:09.380 --> 00:18:11.780 And there's only one person that's going to mess this up, right? 00:18:11.780 --> 00:18:19.160 You ever been in that place in life where the weight of whatever happened that day has so much you just you're tired and it's just worn you out emotionally. 00:18:19.840 --> 00:18:24.100 Maybe you didn't do a lot physically, but you can't put a measure to how much emotionally. 00:18:24.100 --> 00:18:24.830 You just feel drained. 00:18:25.260 --> 00:18:28.100 And then even when you go to bed, it's like you carry that weight on you. 00:18:29.320 --> 00:18:36.080 But something interesting happens in the story for Abraham that brings this great assurance in the Lord. 00:18:36.080 --> 00:18:37.700 And it goes on verse 13. 00:18:37.760 --> 00:18:40.640 Then the Lord said to Abram, know for certain. 00:18:41.860 --> 00:18:49.340 Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in the land that is not theirs, and will be servants there, and 00:18:49.340 --> 00:18:51.650 they will be afflicted for 400 years. 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:57.380 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterwards they shall come out with great possessions. 00:18:57.460 --> 00:19:00.500 As for you shall go to your fathers in peace. 00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:02.220 You shall be buried in a good old age. 00:19:02.560 --> 00:19:05.290 Here's what he's saying is, Abraham, I'm going to tell you exactly how it's going to play out. 00:19:05.980 --> 00:19:10.110 And for generations, from the time of you to Moses, this 400 years, this is what it's going to look like. 00:19:10.460 --> 00:19:11.820 And also Abraham. 00:19:11.820 --> 00:19:12.420 No concern. 00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:13.900 Look, I have you right in my hand. 00:19:13.900 --> 00:19:15.880 I know you're going to live and you think you're old. 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:16.760 Now just wait. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:17.040 Right. 00:19:17.140 --> 00:19:18.180 You're going to get really old. 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:18.700 That's what I'm going to say. 00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:20.150 And you're only as old as you feel. 00:19:20.540 --> 00:19:20.660 But. 00:19:20.800 --> 00:19:22.400 But for Abraham, he's going to get much older. 00:19:22.460 --> 00:19:26.280 And he's saying in verse 15, I've got you right in my hands, Abraham. 00:19:26.280 --> 00:19:29.780 So you can rest in peace, because this is dependent upon me. 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:42.380 And in verse 16, and 00:19:42.380 --> 00:19:43.120 they shall come back here in the fourth generation. 00:19:43.120 --> 00:19:43.120 For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. 00:19:43.120 --> 00:19:43.120 And then something incredible, verse 17. 00:19:43.120 --> 00:19:47.160 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 00:19:48.020 --> 00:19:54.440 I should just warn you in this passage, like this is a narrative in Scripture, which means this is not prescriptive for everybody. 00:19:54.620 --> 00:19:54.880 Okay? 00:19:55.220 --> 00:20:01.960 If anyone else walks out of here and happens to see a floating, smoking pot and a torch, come see your pastor so we can get you help. 00:20:02.020 --> 00:20:02.260 All right. 00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:04.280 But for Abraham, this is unique. 00:20:04.280 --> 00:20:05.900 This means something I'll talk about in a minute. 00:20:06.080 --> 00:20:06.640 Verse 18. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:13.700 On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying to your offspring, I will give this land from the river of Egypt to the great 00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:21.070 river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and the parasites, and the Rephaim, and the Amorites, 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:23.130 and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites and the Jebusites. 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:26.920 The God's promising this to Abraham. 00:20:27.660 --> 00:20:32.460 And here's what's powerful about this passage is this flame. 00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:37.380 And the smoke that appears in this passage is the representation of God the Father. 00:20:38.180 --> 00:20:40.330 And you have some verse references here at the bottom. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:45.540 And the reason this is important is get this in the Bible over and over again. 00:20:45.620 --> 00:20:47.520 It tells us God does. 00:20:47.600 --> 00:20:49.640 God the Father does not have a physical body. 00:20:50.440 --> 00:20:55.960 In fact, the only member of the triunity who takes on a physical body is Jesus. 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:57.560 And he doesn't do that until the New Testament. 00:20:57.660 --> 00:21:01.700 And the reason he does that is so that he can become a sufficient sacrifice for you. 00:21:01.800 --> 00:21:07.700 He lived a perfect life as we are relating to us, in order to be a sufficient sacrifice for you. 00:21:08.380 --> 00:21:10.560 God the father does not have flesh and bones. 00:21:10.780 --> 00:21:13.500 God the father is not in a body. 00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:15.070 Only Jesus took on a body. 00:21:15.260 --> 00:21:21.620 And in fact, when you read the when you read the Old Testament, you see that picture of God over and over again as fire and smoke. 00:21:22.660 --> 00:21:29.680 When God led Israel out of Egypt in Exodus chapter 13, the way he directed them was by cloud by 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:31.200 day and fire by night. 00:21:31.760 --> 00:21:35.220 When they built the temple, God's presence was made known over the temple. 00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:39.180 The way that you saw God's presence was cloud by day, fire by night. 00:21:39.300 --> 00:21:44.700 This cloud and this fire became this representation of God's presence with his people. 00:21:44.700 --> 00:21:48.360 And so it's God's representation of being with Abraham. 00:21:48.980 --> 00:21:54.280 And the Bible tells us in multiple passages over and over again that God the Father is invisible. 00:21:54.320 --> 00:21:59.420 In fact, in Matthew chapter three, when Jesus was baptized, it tells us the spirit descended like a dove. 00:21:59.500 --> 00:22:02.250 The father spoke from heaven and Jesus was baptized. 00:22:02.520 --> 00:22:06.760 The father has a voice, but no, no physical bodily presence. 00:22:07.020 --> 00:22:14.150 In John chapter four verse 24, it tells us God is spirit, and Luke 24, verse 39, it tells us a spirit has no flesh and bones. 00:22:14.660 --> 00:22:21.380 And Colossians chapter one, verse 15, it tells us Jesus is the image of the invisible God. 00:22:22.100 --> 00:22:23.540 And first Timothy chapter one. 00:22:23.540 --> 00:22:25.540 It says the same thing that God is invisible. 00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:32.680 In fact, at the end of Timothy chapter six verse 16, it says, no one has seen God and no one will ever see God. 00:22:32.980 --> 00:22:40.340 In fact, in Exodus 3320 it says, if anyone has looked upon God or the presence of God, you will die. 00:22:41.500 --> 00:22:48.680 That when God was made known by fire, by light, it was it was masked in a glory cloud, because if someone looked directly at 00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:50.040 that light, it would kill them. 00:22:50.560 --> 00:22:57.560 In fact, even in the New Testament, when Jesus was at the Transfiguration, it tells us Jesus was in this transfiguration, this 00:22:57.560 --> 00:23:02.760 glory state because he was God, yet he was captured within a cloud as his disciples. 00:23:03.180 --> 00:23:07.530 His three disciples stood there, and it was as if to protect them from death. 00:23:08.040 --> 00:23:15.500 When you walked into when a priest walked into the temple before you could get to the Holy Rooms, there was the altar of prayer, 00:23:15.520 --> 00:23:16.980 which incense would burn. 00:23:17.040 --> 00:23:20.240 It would as if to cover or mask the presence of God. 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:22.680 Sacred. 00:23:23.880 --> 00:23:24.460 And holy. 00:23:25.940 --> 00:23:28.300 And so God's presence is made known in this covenant. 00:23:28.360 --> 00:23:30.600 But here's what's so powerful about this story. 00:23:32.840 --> 00:23:35.820 That it's God alone who walks through this covenant. 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:41.260 Abraham had this concern, knowing if anyone fails in this story, it's going to be me. 00:23:41.820 --> 00:23:43.390 If anyone fails in this covenant, it's going to be me. 00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:51.060 But God causes this sleep to fall on Abraham and it's God alone who passes through this covenant. 00:23:52.420 --> 00:23:53.900 What God is saying to Abraham. 00:23:53.900 --> 00:24:01.420 Abraham, the reason you know that what I'm telling you is going to be true is not because of you, but 00:24:01.460 --> 00:24:03.540 because of the faithfulness of me. 00:24:04.760 --> 00:24:08.400 It's the consistency of his character that makes this possible. 00:24:08.420 --> 00:24:11.870 And so it's because of that God is the only one who enters into this covenant. 00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:16.700 The reason you can trust in what I'm telling you, Abraham, is because it's not contingent upon you. 00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:20.440 But the promise that I'm giving you is contingent upon me. 00:24:20.540 --> 00:24:20.540 And. 00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:28.040 And the profound thought of this covenant is that during Abraham's day, and even after Abraham's day, when someone would establish a covenant, two people 00:24:28.040 --> 00:24:33.280 would typically walk between the covenant of those animals as if to establish it together. 00:24:33.380 --> 00:24:40.500 On rare occasions, only one person would walk through the aisle of establishing a covenant, but in those occasions, the way it would work 00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:47.500 out would be a king would go to a new land, he would conquer that land, and he would cut the covenant with the people of that 00:24:47.500 --> 00:24:47.820 land. 00:24:47.860 --> 00:24:51.780 And he would cause the people to walk through that covenant, to promise to the king. 00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:53.520 But the king would never walk through it. 00:24:54.420 --> 00:24:56.450 But here in that story, it's the exact opposite. 00:24:57.460 --> 00:25:01.500 It's the King of kings and the Lord of lords who makes his covenant known. 00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:08.530 And so the promises that God's giving to Abraham are completely based on the faithfulness of who he is. 00:25:08.620 --> 00:25:11.000 And God, Scripture tells us, is unchanging. 00:25:13.500 --> 00:25:18.040 This passage provides Abraham Assurance. 00:25:19.260 --> 00:25:25.320 And because Abraham has assurance, when he finds himself secure, he knows he has hope for tomorrow. 00:25:26.580 --> 00:25:28.380 Because God takes care of me today. 00:25:29.120 --> 00:25:29.900 I have a future. 00:25:31.380 --> 00:25:34.120 So the question for us is twofold here. 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.290 One is how? 00:25:36.100 --> 00:25:37.680 How then just like Abraham. 00:25:37.840 --> 00:25:37.940 Right. 00:25:38.340 --> 00:25:39.720 And this is great for the story of Abraham. 00:25:39.900 --> 00:25:41.380 But there's nobody go home. 00:25:41.380 --> 00:25:42.820 Do this to animals for sure. 00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:45.940 But you're not going to see any smoking pots or flaming torches, right? 00:25:45.940 --> 00:25:48.900 Like how can this relate to you? 00:25:48.900 --> 00:25:49.920 This is great for Abraham. 00:25:50.300 --> 00:25:50.340 But. 00:25:50.520 --> 00:25:55.180 But how do you find this kind of assurance, like Abraham, where he knows the certainty of his life? 00:25:55.180 --> 00:26:02.200 What does this story mean for you when you need solid hope, when life is rocking you, when things are hitting the fan and you just need 00:26:02.200 --> 00:26:07.400 something to cling to, something that you know, just like Abraham as God was his rock. 00:26:07.420 --> 00:26:09.600 That God is your shield and your rock. 00:26:10.680 --> 00:26:16.440 Can I can I tell you in Hebrews chapter six, that's exactly what the author was thinking about. 00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:20.920 And Hebrews chapter six, check this out in verse 11. 00:26:20.940 --> 00:26:22.460 The author starts it like this. 00:26:22.460 --> 00:26:29.860 He says, and we desire each of you to show the same earnestness, meaning you have this hope, you live for this purpose and 00:26:29.860 --> 00:26:33.360 to have the full of assurance of hope until the end. 00:26:34.500 --> 00:26:35.120 Wanted to have assurance. 00:26:35.320 --> 00:26:40.230 And so thinking about the assurance, the author of Hebrews goes all the way back to the story of Abraham. 00:26:40.780 --> 00:26:47.960 And in verse 13 he said, for when God made a promise to Abraham talking about this covenant promise, since he had no one greater by whom 00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:52.600 to swear, he swore by himself, saying, surely I will bless you and multiply you. 00:26:52.840 --> 00:27:00.000 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited to obtain the promise, but then thinking about the story of Abraham, he then jumps in verse 19 to 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:00.540 you today. 00:27:01.560 --> 00:27:02.230 And he says this. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:10.800 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the 00:27:10.800 --> 00:27:17.960 curtain where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of 00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:18.560 Melchizedek. 00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:21.890 Now, we've already talked about Melchizedek, but let me let me tell you what he's saying. 00:27:21.940 --> 00:27:24.680 He's saying, do you want covenant promise of God? 00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:29.400 Do you want to experience what Abraham had in the midst of adversity? 00:27:29.400 --> 00:27:30.000 Here's what you look to. 00:27:31.600 --> 00:27:32.420 It's the cross of Christ. 00:27:34.780 --> 00:27:35.220 You want. 00:27:35.220 --> 00:27:42.620 Not not just the words of God, but the demonstration by God that he loves you and he 00:27:42.620 --> 00:27:44.280 would give his life for you. 00:27:44.380 --> 00:27:51.400 The answer is look, look, look to the cross of Christ, because that becomes the tangible expression and demonstration of God's love on your behalf. 00:27:51.400 --> 00:27:58.120 It's not just a declaration, but it's lived out that Jesus would become flesh and give his life for you, that you may find freedom in him. 00:27:59.400 --> 00:28:05.550 The place that you find yourself resting is rooted in the cross of Christ, and I love the way he compares it to the idea of an anchor. 00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:11.140 Meaning, look, if you want to solidify your faith in the Lord, ask questions. 00:28:11.160 --> 00:28:12.480 Especially when you go through adversity. 00:28:12.740 --> 00:28:14.140 Definitely ask questions. 00:28:14.140 --> 00:28:14.860 Seek the Lord. 00:28:15.360 --> 00:28:20.580 But to really root yourself in the truthfulness of Christ on the cross, his death, burial, and resurrection. 00:28:20.580 --> 00:28:23.220 That's where we see the hope of what God has done for us. 00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:30.240 And the more you as a Christian plunge the depth of that, the more you find yourself secure in the difficulty of life and comparing 00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:31.160 it to an anchor. 00:28:31.880 --> 00:28:38.880 I can tell you, as a kid, I spent time in high school on in the Gulf of Mexico, on Gulf Gulf Shores in Alabama, and my 00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:40.700 dad was he is a daredevil. 00:28:40.700 --> 00:28:42.760 He still is, but he definitely was as a kid. 00:28:42.860 --> 00:28:47.870 We did some things my mom would not be happy for, but sometimes we would go out in adventures. 00:28:48.120 --> 00:28:52.420 We'll say we would go out and at risk to our lives. 00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:58.060 We would go out in high tides and big waves and have a fun time in a boat. 00:28:58.060 --> 00:29:03.760 And sometimes we would even take the fishing boat in the ocean during high waves, which that was scary. 00:29:03.820 --> 00:29:10.740 But one thing I learned when we would travel around in this boat, especially when we would face high tides and strong waves. 00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:14.720 That we are as only secure as the anchor would allow us to be. 00:29:15.600 --> 00:29:19.650 If you just have an anchor but you never put it in the ground, you're going to get tossed around. 00:29:21.300 --> 00:29:24.100 But the minute you put your anchor in what's trustworthy. 00:29:25.120 --> 00:29:25.860 It can hold you. 00:29:25.940 --> 00:29:26.040 True. 00:29:27.600 --> 00:29:34.680 And this is what he's saying about the cross of Christ, that for us, there is no other faith in this world where you 00:29:34.680 --> 00:29:41.780 will find a God more personal than the God of the Bible, who pursues you with his life and gave his life 00:29:41.780 --> 00:29:42.160 for you. 00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:49.260 And it's not because of what you've done, but because of who he is, that we can rest assured 00:29:49.260 --> 00:29:53.340 in the promises of God, because he, by grace became our substitute. 00:29:53.360 --> 00:30:00.080 He walked the path of covenant, and he did it alone so that we could have freedom in him. 00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:07.820 And so this becomes a very important, crucial point to think about when we consider covenant, because I know sometimes in some of the traditions or 00:30:07.820 --> 00:30:13.190 way we have been raised in different faith ideas, the word covenant is something that can be tossed around. 00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:19.810 But when you study the word covenant in the New Testament, here's what's extremely important for you this morning is to know this. 00:30:20.020 --> 00:30:22.340 The covenant in the New Testament is only one. 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:24.510 There is only one covenant in the New Testament. 00:30:24.700 --> 00:30:27.360 And it's not God asking you to make a covenant with him. 00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:30.780 It's God making a covenant for you. 00:30:31.860 --> 00:30:38.920 It's God alone walking that path for you, and it's you being called by faith to receive the 00:30:38.920 --> 00:30:42.580 covenant that he alone has paved for your life. 00:30:44.540 --> 00:30:45.820 And so the question then is. 00:30:47.380 --> 00:30:48.520 What does this assurance provide? 00:30:50.520 --> 00:30:51.740 What does this assurance provide? 00:30:51.780 --> 00:30:54.360 Can I can I just tell you, as a pastor, one of the greatest joys I have? 00:30:56.320 --> 00:30:59.380 Is seeing the hand of God's grace made known in your life. 00:30:59.460 --> 00:31:02.380 When you find freedom in Jesus and what he has done for you on the cross. 00:31:03.640 --> 00:31:07.940 I mean, again and again I get to see that redemptive story told over and over in your lives. 00:31:09.100 --> 00:31:13.220 Given your heart to Christ not because of what you've done, but he by his grace, what he has done for you. 00:31:14.060 --> 00:31:15.360 And in that you find freedom. 00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:23.720 So when we think in terms of what does assurance provide for me, it provides you the opportunity to dream beyond yourself and 00:31:23.720 --> 00:31:27.320 to live freely for the purpose which Christ has created you in him. 00:31:27.880 --> 00:31:34.080 That God not only made you in his image, but he redeemed you in his image, that you could be free for him forevermore in our lives. 00:31:34.080 --> 00:31:36.140 If there's ever a place where you don't feel secure. 00:31:37.380 --> 00:31:39.440 When you say to yourself, does this even matter? 00:31:39.480 --> 00:31:40.180 Do I even matter? 00:31:40.180 --> 00:31:40.830 Do I have worth? 00:31:40.840 --> 00:31:41.380 Do I have value? 00:31:41.380 --> 00:31:42.050 Am I even loved? 00:31:43.220 --> 00:31:49.260 When you get to those places where we feel a lack of security, all of a sudden everything becomes internal in our world. 00:31:49.260 --> 00:31:56.520 We just focus on us because we want to know we matter, and we want to know we have what we need in order to take the next step forward. 00:31:58.260 --> 00:31:59.600 But when we find ourselves secure. 00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:07.010 We find peace in our heart and in our lives because of what Christ has done, we find purpose and meaning and value. 00:32:07.220 --> 00:32:14.240 Then it gives us the opportunity to live for something beyond ourselves, because we're not as concerned with what's happening within us, because we know what Christ has 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:21.670 done for us, and because of everything that Jesus has done for us, there's no greater value that can be placed on my life, and therefore I get to live for his glory in this world. 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:29.920 I have purpose and meaning and worth, and God has called me on mission that I can participate for his kingdom and his glory in this world. 00:32:30.780 --> 00:32:31.780 Which leads me to this. 00:32:32.620 --> 00:32:36.520 In your seatbacks, there's a card on mission. 00:32:38.080 --> 00:32:43.200 And the only reason I want to end talking about missions today is because of the beauty of his covenant love. 00:32:44.420 --> 00:32:48.940 His covenant love as a church gives us the opportunity to live for something more. 00:32:49.060 --> 00:32:51.160 We say as a church, we don't exist for ourselves. 00:32:52.100 --> 00:32:53.440 God created his church for a mission. 00:32:53.440 --> 00:32:53.620 We. 00:32:53.700 --> 00:32:57.260 We exist for a purpose greater than ourselves, for the glory of God to the benefit of others. 00:32:58.200 --> 00:33:03.900 And in so doing, it has been a privilege to see how God has nurtured within our family a people that care. 00:33:03.900 --> 00:33:11.220 Even this past week, I walked in for our food pantry on Tuesday, and on the counter there was just all the names of people that volunteer, and 00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:15.100 I just snapped a picture of it real quick because I don't think all the names could even fit on the counter. 00:33:15.540 --> 00:33:17.460 There are so many people participating in that. 00:33:17.480 --> 00:33:20.900 And then even the church planning conference this week to watch how people volunteer. 00:33:21.040 --> 00:33:25.640 And this last year, our church gave 18% of our budget towards missions. 00:33:26.190 --> 00:33:29.900 $75,000 went out of our church to carry out this mission. 00:33:29.900 --> 00:33:33.620 Because of what Christ has done in us, we desire for God to do through us. 00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:39.040 And so as we think about this next year, and this isn't the only way to live on mission, but let me just encourage you in a few ways. 00:33:40.100 --> 00:33:42.640 Number one church, can I just encourage you to continue to pray? 00:33:44.340 --> 00:33:44.800 Yeah. 00:33:44.800 --> 00:33:46.300 Seeing what God is doing in our family. 00:33:46.340 --> 00:33:49.380 It's wonderful to pray for our church, but also beyond us. 00:33:49.980 --> 00:33:55.080 If you want to know what we're doing in the area of missions, on the back of that card you'll see a QR code or a website. 00:33:55.560 --> 00:33:58.620 It'll take you to a website that will list the areas of missions that we're supporting. 00:33:58.960 --> 00:34:06.240 I'm going to show you a picture that's not going to appear online real quick, but this picture represents a few missionaries that we have, we have taken on this year. 00:34:07.280 --> 00:34:14.980 In 2015, there were a group of 18 indigenous workers undercover in Asia that went out to do ministry. 00:34:15.620 --> 00:34:20.889 Today there's only, I think, ten of them pictured in this picture, but today there's only 12 of those guys remaining. 00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:23.980 The reason for that is because six of them have been martyred. 00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:31.900 And you as a church, we don't publicly share their names with you, but because of what God is doing in you, God is also doing things through you, and 00:34:31.900 --> 00:34:36.060 you're a part of helping things all the way around the world that you may not have even been mindful of until now. 00:34:37.120 --> 00:34:44.060 But knowing we have people that we support undercover in areas of Asia gives you an opportunity to pray for them. 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:52.440 So you can you can pray for the needs that we're supporting around the world, beginning with these guys, and also even for our church locally, our heart 00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:54.440 is to see a healthy church in every town in Utah. 00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:56.699 But we can pray ministry to that end. 00:34:56.940 --> 00:35:01.200 The other thing that you can do is you can give our missions goal this year. 00:35:01.200 --> 00:35:02.580 We always start off at a 10%. 00:35:03.180 --> 00:35:05.500 We want to at least raise 10% towards missions. 00:35:05.620 --> 00:35:08.740 And we have typically commonly done more than that. 00:35:09.180 --> 00:35:16.140 But this year we set the standard goal of meeting meeting the mission demands by giving 10% starting off at 10% of our budget. 00:35:16.720 --> 00:35:23.720 And on the back, you'll see that QR code will take you to a link to not only share with you the missions that we support, but also an 00:35:23.720 --> 00:35:25.620 opportunity to give towards missions. 00:35:25.700 --> 00:35:31.620 And so if the Lord leads you to give you can you can also give to support our mission work around the world. 00:35:32.660 --> 00:35:34.040 The third that you can do is go. 00:35:35.300 --> 00:35:38.460 You can go in the sense that you can act locally and declaring the gospel. 00:35:38.460 --> 00:35:40.760 Here in our valley, you can serve in our food pantry ministry. 00:35:41.180 --> 00:35:41.920 You can go for the Lord. 00:35:41.960 --> 00:35:45.340 We have we have a missions trip coming up late July early August. 00:35:45.340 --> 00:35:49.520 If you're interested in, there's a information table outside that you can speak to Kara about that. 00:35:50.100 --> 00:35:53.600 But you can go and serve and some of the areas of the world that we're a part of. 00:35:53.600 --> 00:35:57.520 And I know politically, across the world, things are getting a little tumultuous right now. 00:35:57.520 --> 00:35:58.910 So we'll have to keep an eye on that. 00:35:59.140 --> 00:36:03.160 But we're making plans end of July, beginning of August to go on another trip. 00:36:03.380 --> 00:36:05.800 But the other thing I want you to know is we're also bringing mission to you. 00:36:06.900 --> 00:36:11.720 And one of the ways that we're doing that is through a young lady named Hope. 00:36:13.920 --> 00:36:17.280 Part of the ministry that we have supported as a church has been in Uganda. 00:36:17.560 --> 00:36:19.460 And I want to ask, Is Harriet in here? 00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:21.880 Pastor Peter, you come up here for a minute. 00:36:22.380 --> 00:36:23.180 Is Harriet still in here? 00:36:23.780 --> 00:36:24.900 Harriet, if you're in here, come up. 00:36:26.710 --> 00:36:28.360 Well, somebody go grab her real quick. 00:36:29.260 --> 00:36:29.820 Out of the nursery. 00:36:31.930 --> 00:36:33.240 Here we go. 00:36:33.240 --> 00:36:34.220 Thanks, Dylan. 00:36:34.220 --> 00:36:34.780 Grab Harriet. 00:36:35.560 --> 00:36:36.090 Tell her to run. 00:36:39.860 --> 00:36:42.060 I want to bring Pastor Peter on the stage with you. 00:36:42.060 --> 00:36:45.120 Because, Pastor Peter, one of the beautiful things there are. 00:36:45.200 --> 00:36:48.490 I hear you, one of the things I love. 00:36:49.080 --> 00:36:49.200 Pastor. 00:36:49.320 --> 00:36:52.920 Three years ago, I did not know Pastor Peter, but the Lord had some divine circumstances. 00:36:53.280 --> 00:36:55.060 Allow our families to meet and. 00:36:55.440 --> 00:36:56.120 And you as a church. 00:36:56.140 --> 00:36:57.700 I know some of you have gotten to know Pastor Peter. 00:36:58.240 --> 00:37:00.820 He started a church in Uganda. 00:37:00.840 --> 00:37:02.540 He's from Uganda, started a church in Uganda. 00:37:02.540 --> 00:37:09.320 The same year we started ABC and he started the church in the capital of witchcraft in Uganda. 00:37:10.400 --> 00:37:15.580 And when he started the church there, he began to see how children had suffered from child sacrifice. 00:37:15.580 --> 00:37:17.540 And some children were survivors of that. 00:37:18.420 --> 00:37:23.520 And the first child that the church took on to then build a rehabilitation center was a little girl named Hope. 00:37:24.740 --> 00:37:25.440 And Hope. 00:37:25.660 --> 00:37:28.100 Hope's story has become more than just about hope. 00:37:28.100 --> 00:37:31.000 She has become a symbol for change in her own country. 00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:34.790 In fact, there's events that are done in Uganda to end child sacrifice. 00:37:34.840 --> 00:37:36.860 It was outlawed finally two years ago. 00:37:37.360 --> 00:37:38.130 It's still practiced. 00:37:38.300 --> 00:37:41.420 In fact, it's spreading beyond Uganda now to other countries. 00:37:41.860 --> 00:37:49.020 And a hope has become a symbol of ending that movement and the gatherings they have to honor the end of that movement 00:37:49.020 --> 00:37:50.170 are often called hope. 00:37:50.200 --> 00:37:51.560 Whatever hope events, hope galas. 00:37:51.880 --> 00:37:53.710 And so hope has become that symbol. 00:37:53.900 --> 00:38:00.920 And a few months ago, I got a phone call and I was taking Harriet somewhere to 00:38:00.920 --> 00:38:01.380 her from. 00:38:01.700 --> 00:38:03.380 She doesn't like it when I share this story, but I'm going to share it. 00:38:04.600 --> 00:38:11.760 Harriet is over the rehabilitation center in Uganda, so she cares for somewhere between 00:38:11.760 --> 00:38:15.500 up to 100 kids at one time in the rehabilitation center that the church runs. 00:38:16.440 --> 00:38:22.200 And one day I got a phone call and they're telling me hopes, hope situation has severely deteriorated. 00:38:22.860 --> 00:38:25.270 She was kidnapped as a young girl at 18 months. 00:38:25.740 --> 00:38:27.380 She was missing for over a year. 00:38:27.460 --> 00:38:30.550 She had been held in a shrine and tortured every really every day. 00:38:31.300 --> 00:38:35.860 And because of the injuries that she suffered, she's quadriplegic and she's 16 years old now. 00:38:35.960 --> 00:38:40.160 And because of that, her body, it's taken a toll on her body. 00:38:40.160 --> 00:38:42.120 And she needs some emergency medical help. 00:38:42.860 --> 00:38:44.740 And I'm on the phone with someone in Uganda. 00:38:44.740 --> 00:38:49.250 I can't remember if I was talking to you or not, Pastor Peter, but it was a dire situation talking about the needs urgently. 00:38:50.060 --> 00:38:52.860 And I'm just I'm just being very blunt and frank back and forth about this. 00:38:52.860 --> 00:38:55.520 As a pastor, sometimes you get from one thing to the next and trying to move on. 00:38:55.880 --> 00:39:02.980 And I forgot, Harriet is sitting right beside me and I hang up the phone and I look at her and tears are 00:39:02.980 --> 00:39:04.080 just running down her face. 00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:12.560 And it just was a reminder to me that while I'm just talking about this practically situation, that these are children that she has loved and helped cared for 00:39:12.560 --> 00:39:15.520 a number of years and hope special to her heart. 00:39:15.880 --> 00:39:22.900 And Harriet is here because she's going to UVU now, getting a master's degree in social work to better serve the kids in Uganda and her 00:39:22.900 --> 00:39:23.660 people. 00:39:23.700 --> 00:39:27.030 And so I'm very thankful for both of them and what they represent. 00:39:27.320 --> 00:39:33.250 And how bold and brave they are in the gospel and the care for their country and for these children. 00:39:33.820 --> 00:39:39.960 But one of the things that they need, we've Pastor Peter, this has been a part of your hope for a while. 00:39:39.960 --> 00:39:41.840 That hope would be able to get the help she needs. 00:39:42.540 --> 00:39:43.560 And we did not know. 00:39:43.560 --> 00:39:46.660 We've been praying for, well, you longer than me, but for the last three years. 00:39:47.080 --> 00:39:50.520 And finally, we've seen some answers to that. 00:39:50.520 --> 00:39:52.180 And some funds have been raised for her surgery. 00:39:53.460 --> 00:39:58.140 But when she comes here, she's going to come with a few social workers or a few helpers that are going to be with her during that time. 00:39:58.840 --> 00:40:02.360 And we as a church are going to get the privilege of being able to care for her personal needs. 00:40:03.300 --> 00:40:10.440 And so we're going to have opportunity to run them to rehabilitation centers, doctors appointments, even take the caregivers out for respite, to enjoy their time while they're 00:40:10.440 --> 00:40:10.780 here. 00:40:10.840 --> 00:40:13.200 So they're not every day having to do the same things. 00:40:13.640 --> 00:40:16.220 But we also have an opportunity to raise some funding for that. 00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:19.660 And so we're going to as a church, we may need to raise a little more than this. 00:40:19.660 --> 00:40:24.740 We're going to start off shooting to raise $12,000 to help the hope, but not just hope. 00:40:24.880 --> 00:40:26.860 Hope the symbol that hope represents. 00:40:26.880 --> 00:40:30.410 Because when hope gets help, she's a symbol of hope for other children in Uganda. 00:40:31.320 --> 00:40:34.020 And so we want to help hope during that time and her caregivers that are here. 00:40:34.040 --> 00:40:34.800 So we're going to raise $12,000. 00:40:35.340 --> 00:40:41.940 And we had a generous donor come forward and say, hey, if your church hits that mark, I'm going to throw in another 6000 on top of that. 00:40:42.640 --> 00:40:49.720 And so if you want to give towards hope, who will be here in a few weeks on the back of that card will also take you to that website where there is a link in order 00:40:49.720 --> 00:40:52.160 to give to the needs that hope has. 00:40:52.220 --> 00:40:58.880 If you want to help with transportation, with hope or respite care, with hope or anything related to that, we have a packet for that. 00:40:58.880 --> 00:41:01.880 And you can talk to Carol at the at the missions table when you leave. 00:41:02.360 --> 00:41:05.460 But, Pastor Peter, is there anything that you would like to add or share with the church? 00:41:05.600 --> 00:41:08.500 Before we let me grab this mic in case you can. 00:41:09.880 --> 00:41:10.460 Or Harriet. 00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:11.140 Harriet. 00:41:11.220 --> 00:41:12.050 You guys know Harriet? 00:41:12.200 --> 00:41:14.360 If you know Harry, you know Harry is painfully shy. 00:41:14.460 --> 00:41:15.100 All right. 00:41:15.240 --> 00:41:19.140 But I'll let Pastor Peter speak for you if there is something you want to say here. 00:41:19.440 --> 00:41:20.580 Okay. 00:41:21.060 --> 00:41:22.120 I don't know how shy. 00:41:25.150 --> 00:41:26.800 I just want to say thank you. 00:41:26.800 --> 00:41:32.990 When I was here, I remember Pastor Nathaniel asked me to say anything I could do for you. 00:41:33.780 --> 00:41:37.670 And the nature of our ministry is there endless needs? 00:41:39.360 --> 00:41:42.360 You know, feeding 1000 children every day and. 00:41:43.100 --> 00:41:43.900 And others. 00:41:43.900 --> 00:41:44.220 So. 00:41:44.780 --> 00:41:50.120 But the Lord brought my focus on hope. 00:41:51.380 --> 00:41:52.780 And because she's worth fighting for. 00:41:54.480 --> 00:41:59.880 And of course, it was a big ask. 00:42:01.900 --> 00:42:08.940 And we prayed, and it's been a pleasant joy for my soul to see how God 00:42:08.940 --> 00:42:13.340 has worked miracles that hope will be here. 00:42:13.340 --> 00:42:14.000 And I'm. 00:42:15.640 --> 00:42:20.060 I have a lot of peace and joy that she's coming with you because you're going to be blessed by her. 00:42:20.700 --> 00:42:21.890 She's blessed our soul. 00:42:22.200 --> 00:42:23.360 She's inspired us. 00:42:23.360 --> 00:42:25.200 We fight because she's fighting. 00:42:26.060 --> 00:42:27.550 So I just want to say thank you.