WEBVTT

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 And good morning, church.

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 We're going through the book of Genesis.

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! We've been going through Genesis, Abraham's story.

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! For the last two months, we've been tracing through Abraham's story.

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!

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 And this week, we've been waiting for something.

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 We've been waiting for something the last two months.

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 And this week, we're finally here.

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 We finally made it.

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 We're finally here.

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 In Genesis chapter 12, two months ago,

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 we started hearing about Abraham's call

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 God called Abraham in Genesis 12

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 to go leave his father's house,

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 leave the land that he came from.

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 And God gave him a promise.

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 I will bless you.

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 I will make you a great nation.

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 I will give you land.

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 And we see later in Genesis 15

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 that he will have offspring.

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 He will have a son from his own flesh

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 that God will make into a great nation.

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 The problem, though, was that Abraham

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 Abraham was 75 at the time that God called him.

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 His wife, Sarah, was 65.

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 They were old.

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 They didn't have child.

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 They were barren.

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 Who has a kid at 75?

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 Who can have a kid for the first time at the age of 75?

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 But that's the promise that God gave them.

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 They're forced to wait.

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 But they grow impatient.

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 In Genesis 16, 10 years afterwards,

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 they're tired of waiting.

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 And we heard how Abraham and Sarah,

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 they take matters into their own hands.

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 They do it themselves.

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 Sarah gives Hagar to Abraham.

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 And they have a son, Ishmael.

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 They have a son.

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 So did their plan work?

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 Did Abraham's plan to take God's promise for himself work?

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 It looks like it.

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 They had the son they wanted, Ishmael.

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 But we read 13 years later in Genesis 17,

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 God says, no, it's not through Ishmael

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 that this promise will come.

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 Ishmael is not the son that was promised.

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 The promise will come through Sarah's son.

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 And you will name him Isaac.

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 And we've spent two months going through the story.

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 We've been waiting two months,

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 exploring this theme of waiting in faith for two months.

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 It was two months for us,

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 but it was 25 years for Abraham and Sarah.

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 25 years of waiting.

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 25 years of disappointment.

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 And when you wait for something so long,

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 there's expectations that come with it.

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 There's anticipation, excitement builds, hype builds.

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 So actually myself,

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 I'll be flying off to Toronto tonight for a few weeks.

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 Toronto is where I'm from.

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 I'm going back to visit home.

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 Which reminds me of actually when Jollibee's opened in Toronto

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 for the first time in 2018.

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 You guys know what Jollibee's is?

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 Fried chicken chain from the Philippines.

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 And when it opened,

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 the hype around it was crazy.

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 It was insane.

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 I heard the first,

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 I didn't go because I'm not Filipino,

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 but the first guy in line at Jollibee's,

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 he waited,

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 he set up a tent in the freezing cold,

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 literally sub-zero temperatures,

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 waited there for 17 hours.

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 17 hours for some fried chicken.

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 Not just him.

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 Thousands of others waited in line.

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 Not just on the first day,

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 grand opening day,

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 but for weeks,

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 literally weeks,

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 you'd have to wait a few hours in line

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 to get some fried chicken.

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 Why is that?

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 Why?

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 It's because in the Philippines,

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 Jollibee's,

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 it's not just chicken.

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 It's not just fried chicken.

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 JP knows.

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 It's pride.

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 It's identity.

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 It's a national treasure, right?

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 Are you really Filipino

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 if you don't defend chicken joy with your life?

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 And so,

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 the guy in line who was interviewed,

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 one person in line was interviewed,

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 and he said,

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 they asked him,

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 why are you waiting?

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 Why are you waiting so long here?

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 And he said,

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 it's because he's been away

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 for the Philippines for years.

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 He was from the Philippines.

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 He moved to Canada.

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 He's been away for years.

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 And finally,

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 he's able to have a taste of home.

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 At last,

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 years later,

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 he can finally have a taste of home.

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 And that makes that 10-hour wait worth it

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 for a taste of home.

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 And that's the kind of anticipation

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 we've been building.

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 There's this wait,

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 years of waiting,

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 leading up to Genesis 21.

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 And finally,

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 the wait is over.

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 It's time for Isaac to be born.

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 It's time.

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 The promise is here.

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 But will it live up to the hype?

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 Will it live up to the expectation,

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 anticipation that's been building?

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 Let's see.

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 And I'll,

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 we'll,

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 let's stand together

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 as we read from Genesis chapter 21.

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 I'll invite Annabelle and Teresa

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 to come up to read for us, please.

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 We'll be reading the whole of chapter 21,

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 when Isaac is born.

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 Genesis chapter 21.

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 The Lord visited Sarah as he had said,

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 and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.

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 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son

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 in his old age at the time of which

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 God had spoken to him.

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 Abraham called the name of his son

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 who was born to him,

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 whom Sarah bore him,

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 Isaac.

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 And Abraham circumcised his son,

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 Isaac,

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 when he was eight days old,

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 as God had commanded him.

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 Abraham was a hundred years old

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 when his son Isaac was born to him.

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 And Sarah said,

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 God has made laughter for me.

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 Everyone who hears will laugh over me.

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 And she said,

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 who would have said to Abraham

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 that Sarah would nurse children?

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 Yet I have born him a son in his old age.

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 And the child grew and was weaned.

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 And Abraham made a great feast

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 on the day that Isaac was weaned.

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 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar,

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 the Egyptian,

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 whom she had born to Abraham laughing.

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 So she said to Abraham,

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 cast out this slave woman with her son,

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 for the son of this slave woman

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 shall not be heir with my son Isaac.

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 And the thing was very displeasing

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 to Abraham on account of his son.

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 But God said to Abraham,

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 be not displeased because of the boy

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 and because of your slave woman.

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 Whatever Sarah says to you,

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 do as she tells you.

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 For through Isaac shall,

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 for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

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 And I will make a nation of the son

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 of the slave woman also,

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 because he is your offspring.

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 So Abraham rose early in the morning

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 and took bread and a skin of water

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 and gave it to Hagar,

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 putting it on her shoulder,

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 along with the child,

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 and sent her away.

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 And she departed and wandered

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 in the wilderness of Beersheba.

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 When the water and the skin was gone,

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 she put the child under one of the bushes.

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 Then she went and sat down

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 opposite him a good way off,

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 about the distance of a bow shot.

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 For she said,

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 let me not look on the death of the child.

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 And as she sat opposite him,

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 she lifted up her voice and wept.

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 And God heard the voice of the boy.

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 And the angel of God called to Hagar

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 from heaven and said to her,

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 what troubles you, Hagar?

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 Fear not,

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 for God has heard the voice of the boy

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 where he is.

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 Up, lift up the boy

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 and hold him fast with your hand,

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 for I will make him into a great nation.

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 Then God opened her eyes

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 and she saw a well of water.

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 And she went and filled the skin with water

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 and gave the boy a drink.

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 And God was with the boy

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 and he grew up.

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 He lived in the wilderness

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 and became an expert with the bow.

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 He lived in the wilderness of Paran

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 and his mother took a wife for him

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 from the land of Egypt.

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 A treaty with Abimelech.

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 At that time,

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 Abimelech and Phicol,

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 the commander of his army,

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 said to Abraham,

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 God is with you

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 in all that you do.

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 Now therefore,

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 swear to me here by God

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 that you will not deal falsely with me

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 or with my descendants

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 or with my posterity.

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 But as I have dealt kindly with you,

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 so you will deal with me

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 and with the land

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 where you have sojourned.

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 And Abraham said,

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 I will swear.

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 When Abraham reproved Abimelech

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 about a well of water

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 that Abimelech's servants had seized,

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 Abimelech said,

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 I do not know who has done this thing.

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 You did not tell me

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 and I have not heard of it until today.

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 So Abraham took sheep and oxen

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 and gave them to Abimelech

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 and the two men made a covenant.

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 Abraham set seven ewe lambs

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 of the flock apart.

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 And Abimelech said to Abraham,

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 what is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs

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 that you have set apart?

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 He said,

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 these seven ewe lambs

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 you will take from my hand

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 that this may be a witness for me

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 that I dug this well.

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 Therefore,

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 that place was called Beersheba

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 because there both of them

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 swore an oath.

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 So they made a covenant at Beersheba.

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 Then Abimelech and Phicol,

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 the commander of his army,

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 rose up and returned

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 to the land of the Philistines.

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 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree

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 in Beersheba

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 and called there on the name of the Lord,

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 the everlasting God.

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 And Abraham sojourned many days

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 in the land of the Philistines.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Please take a seat.

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 So again, Abraham and Sarah,

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 we've been waiting 25 years.

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 They've been waiting 25 years for Isaac.

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 And it's been a wild ride.

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 We've been going through

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 the last 10 chapters or so.

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 It's been quite a wild ride.

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 They laughed.

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 They cried.

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 They lied.

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 They fought a war to save Lot.

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 And it's all building up.

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 It's all building up to Isaac's birth.

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 And if this were a movie,

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 you would expect like drama,

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 detail, music, fireworks, anything,

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 because this is what it's been building up to.

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 But when it comes to the actual event,

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 when Isaac is born,

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 the description we have,

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 all we get is this.

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 The Lord visited Sarah as he had said,

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 and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.

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 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age

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 at the time of which God had spoken to him.

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 There's no drama.

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 There's no description.

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 It's like,

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 this thing just happened.

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 We've been building up to it,

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 and then it just happened.

00:10:27.980 --> 00:10:28.379
 He's born.

00:10:28.460 --> 00:10:29.160
 Let's move on.

00:10:29.460 --> 00:10:32.480
 It's not quite what you'd expect from the climax

00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:33.740
 if this were a movie.

00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:37.120
 It's like what we're getting is this EDM song that builds,

00:10:37.560 --> 00:10:38.700
 but then there's no drop.

00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:41.580
 Or it's like when LeBron James,

00:10:41.620 --> 00:10:43.379
 he hyped up this TV special,

00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:44.279
 The Decision,

00:10:44.379 --> 00:10:45.300
 and then he just slipped in.

00:10:45.980 --> 00:10:47.960
 I'm going to take my talents to South Beach.

00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:49.160
 There's all this anticipation,

00:10:49.779 --> 00:10:50.620
 and it's a letdown.

00:10:51.720 --> 00:10:53.000
 Or our very own dear,

00:10:53.100 --> 00:10:54.180
 not LeBron James,

00:10:54.519 --> 00:10:55.040
 he's, you know,

00:10:55.100 --> 00:10:56.800
 he's always talking about matcha lattes,

00:10:56.860 --> 00:10:58.180
 these strawberry matcha lattes.

00:10:58.639 --> 00:10:59.379
 So one day,

00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:00.639
 I went to try it.

00:11:00.800 --> 00:11:01.580
 I went to try it.

00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:04.560
 And this is probably the last sermon he'll let me preach,

00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:05.639
 but I'm sorry.

00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:06.040
 It was,

00:11:06.160 --> 00:11:07.519
 it wasn't that great.

00:11:08.800 --> 00:11:09.540
 It was fine.

00:11:09.580 --> 00:11:10.620
 I have nothing against strawberry.

00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:11.620
 I have nothing against matcha,

00:11:11.680 --> 00:11:12.680
 but it's not,

00:11:12.800 --> 00:11:14.080
 it wasn't worth the hype.

00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:17.000
 And that's what I feel like

00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:19.620
 when I read the description in Genesis 21.

00:11:19.620 --> 00:11:22.360
 Because after 25 years of waiting,

00:11:22.500 --> 00:11:24.019
 why is there so little detail?

00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:25.960
 We just get that Isaac is born.

00:11:26.740 --> 00:11:28.259
 Why does it feel so uneventful?

00:11:29.100 --> 00:11:30.679
 And I think reading this,

00:11:31.580 --> 00:11:32.519
 meditating on this,

00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:32.980
 it's,

00:11:33.179 --> 00:11:34.200
 I think it's because

00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:37.600
 God doesn't want to distract us

00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:39.519
 from what's important in these verses,

00:11:39.779 --> 00:11:40.539
 in this event.

00:11:40.539 --> 00:11:43.500
 He doesn't want us getting caught up in the details

00:11:43.500 --> 00:11:45.839
 because there's only one detail that matters here.

00:11:46.839 --> 00:11:47.379
 And that is,

00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:49.860
 the Lord fulfilled his promise.

00:11:51.059 --> 00:11:52.819
 God did what he said.

00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:54.860
 Notice the repetition here in these verses.

00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:56.779
 As he had said,

00:11:57.319 --> 00:11:58.539
 as he had promised,

00:11:58.860 --> 00:12:00.059
 at the appointed time,

00:12:00.379 --> 00:12:01.559
 that's when Isaac was born.

00:12:02.379 --> 00:12:03.759
 25 years of waiting,

00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:05.139
 anticipation built up.

00:12:05.379 --> 00:12:07.659
 It wasn't to Isaac's beautiful baby shower.

00:12:07.659 --> 00:12:08.980
 The flowers,

00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:09.659
 the decorations,

00:12:09.819 --> 00:12:10.360
 the cupcakes.

00:12:10.719 --> 00:12:11.699
 He looks so cute.

00:12:12.459 --> 00:12:15.039
 No, there's one point only here.

00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:18.519
 The Lord did exactly what he said he would do,

00:12:18.899 --> 00:12:20.819
 exactly when he said he would do it.

00:12:21.339 --> 00:12:22.759
 And that's all we need to know.

00:12:23.139 --> 00:12:25.000
 God fulfills his promise.

00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:27.259
 Isaac was born as God had said,

00:12:27.500 --> 00:12:28.459
 as he had promised,

00:12:28.579 --> 00:12:29.959
 at the time that he said.

00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:31.539
 That's what God does.

00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:32.799
 He says it,

00:12:32.939 --> 00:12:33.620
 and he does it.

00:12:33.860 --> 00:12:35.620
 We can take God at his word.

00:12:35.620 --> 00:12:38.320
 God fulfills his promise.

00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:40.840
 And so that's what we'll be exploring today.

00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:42.220
 We can trust God

00:12:42.220 --> 00:12:44.279
 because God is trustworthy.

00:12:44.840 --> 00:12:46.299
 We can have faith in God

00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:47.779
 because God is faithful.

00:12:48.560 --> 00:12:50.440
 And we see this in the three stories

00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:51.279
 that we have today.

00:12:51.720 --> 00:12:53.379
 We read three sections

00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:54.779
 in Genesis chapter 21.

00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:55.980
 Isaac is born.

00:12:56.120 --> 00:12:57.240
 That's what we've been waiting for.

00:12:57.759 --> 00:12:58.960
 Also, we get this,

00:12:59.179 --> 00:13:01.120
 the scene of Ishmael,

00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:02.980
 Abraham's other son,

00:13:03.500 --> 00:13:04.560
 being cast out,

00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:07.519
 kicked out of Abraham's family.

00:13:07.599 --> 00:13:08.419
 What do we make of that?

00:13:09.159 --> 00:13:10.339
 And also, Abraham,

00:13:10.479 --> 00:13:12.679
 he makes a treaty with King Abimelech

00:13:12.679 --> 00:13:13.779
 at the end of the chapter.

00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:15.199
 And in all these stories,

00:13:15.619 --> 00:13:16.319
 in all this,

00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:17.559
 we see that God is good.

00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:18.500
 He is faithful.

00:13:19.199 --> 00:13:20.119
 He can be trusted.

00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:22.359
 And so we can put our faith in him.

00:13:23.099 --> 00:13:25.459
 We see that as Isaac is born.

00:13:25.619 --> 00:13:27.819
 It happens just as God has said.

00:13:27.819 --> 00:13:30.559
 It happened just as God had promised.

00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:33.619
 Even though it seemed impossible.

00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:35.119
 At this point,

00:13:35.819 --> 00:13:38.579
 Abraham was 100 years old.

00:13:39.479 --> 00:13:41.559
 Sarah was 90 years old.

00:13:42.419 --> 00:13:43.699
 And for someone to be born,

00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:45.219
 for a child to be born,

00:13:45.779 --> 00:13:46.919
 for the first time,

00:13:47.179 --> 00:13:48.019
 from parents that old,

00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:49.359
 it's simply not possible.

00:13:49.479 --> 00:13:51.000
 It's biologically not possible.

00:13:51.719 --> 00:13:52.839
 It's a miracle.

00:13:53.659 --> 00:13:54.819
 It's a work of God.

00:13:54.820 --> 00:13:56.560
 And that's why Sarah says

00:13:56.560 --> 00:13:57.879
 in verse 7 here,

00:13:58.360 --> 00:13:59.180
 she says this,

00:13:59.780 --> 00:14:01.120
 Who would have said to Abraham

00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:03.120
 that Sarah would nurse children?

00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:04.560
 Who would have thought?

00:14:04.640 --> 00:14:06.480
 Who would have imagined this possible?

00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:07.600
 Yet,

00:14:07.820 --> 00:14:09.320
 I have born him a son

00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:11.320
 in his old age.

00:14:12.260 --> 00:14:14.300
 A 90-year-old woman given birth.

00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:16.040
 That's the most ridiculous thing

00:14:16.040 --> 00:14:16.620
 I've ever heard.

00:14:16.680 --> 00:14:17.460
 Who would believe it?

00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:19.700
 And that's why Sarah laughed.

00:14:20.100 --> 00:14:21.340
 Remember in chapter 18,

00:14:21.460 --> 00:14:22.320
 in Genesis 18,

00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:25.140
 when God told Abraham and Sarah,

00:14:25.320 --> 00:14:26.480
 I will return to you

00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:27.500
 about this time next year.

00:14:27.860 --> 00:14:29.540
 And Sarah will have a son.

00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:31.600
 And when she heard it,

00:14:31.660 --> 00:14:32.240
 she laughed.

00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:33.660
 I'm old.

00:14:33.760 --> 00:14:34.720
 I'm past menopause.

00:14:34.800 --> 00:14:35.660
 It's not possible.

00:14:36.760 --> 00:14:37.520
 She laughed.

00:14:37.820 --> 00:14:39.200
 I can't have a kid.

00:14:40.560 --> 00:14:42.360
 And then we read that scene.

00:14:42.540 --> 00:14:43.320
 And then God asked her,

00:14:43.660 --> 00:14:44.920
 why did you laugh?

00:14:44.940 --> 00:14:45.440
 And she said,

00:14:45.520 --> 00:14:46.220
 no, I didn't laugh.

00:14:46.780 --> 00:14:47.160
 God said,

00:14:47.220 --> 00:14:48.140
 yes, you did laugh.

00:14:48.139 --> 00:14:51.799
 Sarah laughed a laugh

00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:52.899
 of skepticism,

00:14:53.379 --> 00:14:53.740
 bitterness,

00:14:54.179 --> 00:14:54.759
 unbelief.

00:14:55.439 --> 00:14:55.740
 Sarah,

00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:56.679
 you'll have a son?

00:14:57.379 --> 00:14:57.879
 Me?

00:14:58.080 --> 00:14:58.659
 No way.

00:14:59.199 --> 00:15:00.539
 That's what Sarah thought.

00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:02.080
 And so here,

00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:03.340
 it's funny that God

00:15:03.340 --> 00:15:04.299
 told Abraham

00:15:04.299 --> 00:15:06.879
 to name his son Isaac.

00:15:07.779 --> 00:15:09.639
 Because there's a play on words here.

00:15:09.740 --> 00:15:10.799
 You'll see a footnote

00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:11.620
 in your Bible

00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:13.340
 that the name Isaac

00:15:13.340 --> 00:15:15.240
 means he laughs

00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:16.019
 in Hebrew.

00:15:16.460 --> 00:15:16.960
 Yitzchak.

00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:18.000
 He laughs.

00:15:18.400 --> 00:15:19.139
 The name Isaac

00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:20.759
 is from the word laugh.

00:15:21.060 --> 00:15:22.180
 To laugh is to Isaac.

00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:23.340
 There's this word play here.

00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:24.280
 So as we read this,

00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:26.440
 we can replace the word laugh

00:15:26.440 --> 00:15:27.120
 with Isaac

00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:28.840
 to see what's going on here.

00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:30.519
 Like Abraham called his son Isaac.

00:15:30.840 --> 00:15:32.400
 Abraham circumcised Isaac.

00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:34.000
 He was 100 years old

00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:35.139
 when Isaac was born.

00:15:35.920 --> 00:15:36.900
 And Sarah said,

00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:38.519
 God has made Isaac for me.

00:15:38.820 --> 00:15:40.360
 He has made laughter for me.

00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:41.460
 Everyone who hears

00:15:41.460 --> 00:15:43.320
 will Isaac over me.

00:15:43.320 --> 00:15:45.280
 There's this repetition of laughter

00:15:45.280 --> 00:15:46.379
 throughout this passage.

00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:47.840
 Isaac's name

00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:49.299
 is a reminder of laughter.

00:15:49.480 --> 00:15:49.879
 But now,

00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.360
 it's a different sort of laughter.

00:15:51.639 --> 00:15:52.860
 It's a redeemed laughter.

00:15:53.939 --> 00:15:54.320
 Sarah,

00:15:54.659 --> 00:15:55.419
 in chapter 18,

00:15:55.539 --> 00:15:56.259
 that was a laughter

00:15:56.259 --> 00:15:57.039
 of bitterness,

00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:58.100
 incredulity.

00:15:59.059 --> 00:16:00.399
 Will this actually happen?

00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:01.539
 I can't believe it.

00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:03.840
 But God turned

00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:06.179
 that skeptical Isaac

00:16:06.179 --> 00:16:08.000
 into this Isaac of joy,

00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:09.360
 this laughter of joy.

00:16:09.460 --> 00:16:11.039
 God made Isaac for Sarah,

00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:12.179
 and now everyone

00:16:12.179 --> 00:16:14.379
 will Isaac enjoy it with Sarah.

00:16:14.819 --> 00:16:16.659
 He took Sarah's laughter

00:16:16.659 --> 00:16:18.139
 of discouragement and despair

00:16:18.139 --> 00:16:20.839
 and turned it into Isaac

00:16:20.839 --> 00:16:22.879
 who lives as proof

00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:24.799
 that God keeps his promise.

00:16:25.159 --> 00:16:26.279
 He is good for his word.

00:16:26.599 --> 00:16:27.860
 He does the impossible.

00:16:28.179 --> 00:16:29.120
 A hundred-year-old,

00:16:29.179 --> 00:16:30.259
 a nine-year-old woman

00:16:30.259 --> 00:16:31.379
 bearing a child.

00:16:31.459 --> 00:16:32.419
 He does the impossible

00:16:32.419 --> 00:16:33.419
 for our joy

00:16:33.419 --> 00:16:34.459
 and for his glory.

00:16:34.459 --> 00:16:35.719
 And that's what God does.

00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:37.899
 He takes what's irredeemably broken

00:16:37.899 --> 00:16:39.240
 and redeems it.

00:16:39.560 --> 00:16:40.700
 He takes our sorrows

00:16:40.700 --> 00:16:42.279
 and turns it into joy.

00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:43.500
 True joy.

00:16:43.800 --> 00:16:44.500
 Eternal joy.

00:16:45.060 --> 00:16:45.660
 Solid joy.

00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:47.899
 And I love the verse

00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:50.060
 in 2 Corinthians 4,

00:16:50.160 --> 00:16:50.779
 verse 17.

00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:51.540
 It says,

00:16:51.920 --> 00:16:52.560
 this light,

00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:54.340
 momentary affliction

00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:56.160
 is preparing for us

00:16:56.160 --> 00:16:57.920
 an eternal weight of glory

00:16:57.920 --> 00:16:59.259
 beyond all comparison.

00:17:00.700 --> 00:17:01.700
 It's not that,

00:17:02.180 --> 00:17:03.399
 and notice what that verse says.

00:17:03.500 --> 00:17:04.220
 It's not just that

00:17:04.220 --> 00:17:05.920
 the reward we have

00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:06.700
 is greater than

00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:07.500
 our suffering now.

00:17:07.620 --> 00:17:08.600
 But that verse says

00:17:08.600 --> 00:17:10.120
 that our suffering

00:17:10.120 --> 00:17:12.019
 is preparing for us.

00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:13.299
 It's working for us,

00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:14.380
 creating for us

00:17:14.380 --> 00:17:16.339
 incomparable glory.

00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:17.960
 What we're going through now

00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:20.059
 is preparing glory for us,

00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:21.400
 preparing joy for us.

00:17:22.380 --> 00:17:24.079
 Because if Sarah,

00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:25.019
 if laughter,

00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:26.440
 if Isaac was born to Sarah

00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:27.400
 at the age of 30,

00:17:28.500 --> 00:17:30.759
 she wouldn't laugh

00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:33.019
 the same way she does now

00:17:33.019 --> 00:17:34.100
 at the age of 90.

00:17:34.980 --> 00:17:36.400
 She wouldn't have

00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:37.600
 that same joy.

00:17:38.140 --> 00:17:39.039
 She wouldn't see

00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.019
 God's hand

00:17:40.019 --> 00:17:40.960
 the same way

00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:42.100
 as she does now.

00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.279
 But in the decades

00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:44.079
 of waiting,

00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:44.980
 she learned

00:17:44.980 --> 00:17:46.039
 that God keeps

00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:46.640
 his promises

00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:47.960
 and he does

00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:48.559
 the impossible.

00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:50.000
 That waiting

00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:51.200
 prepared her

00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:52.620
 to receive

00:17:52.620 --> 00:17:53.600
 her laughter,

00:17:53.740 --> 00:17:54.720
 to receive Isaac

00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:55.779
 and give glory

00:17:55.779 --> 00:17:56.620
 to God for it.

00:17:57.620 --> 00:17:58.860
 And it's true for Sarah

00:17:58.860 --> 00:17:59.940
 just as it's true

00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:00.480
 for us.

00:18:00.940 --> 00:18:01.620
 And we said before,

00:18:01.819 --> 00:18:02.799
 waiting time

00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:03.819
 isn't wasting time.

00:18:05.940 --> 00:18:07.299
 Even if we don't laugh

00:18:07.299 --> 00:18:07.980
 in this life,

00:18:08.940 --> 00:18:09.680
 in our waiting,

00:18:09.819 --> 00:18:10.519
 in our heartbreak,

00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:11.859
 we have this promise

00:18:11.859 --> 00:18:12.399
 of God

00:18:12.399 --> 00:18:13.680
 that he is preparing

00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:14.379
 for us

00:18:14.379 --> 00:18:15.899
 an eternal weight

00:18:15.899 --> 00:18:16.379
 of glory

00:18:16.379 --> 00:18:17.859
 beyond all comparison.

00:18:18.180 --> 00:18:19.039
 That's his promise

00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:20.299
 and we can take God

00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:20.980
 at his word.

00:18:22.539 --> 00:18:23.420
 God's faithful

00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:24.799
 makes us respond

00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:25.779
 both with joy

00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:26.960
 and laughter

00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:27.940
 and also

00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:28.980
 with obedience.

00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:29.980
 And that's how

00:18:29.980 --> 00:18:30.920
 Abraham responds.

00:18:31.299 --> 00:18:32.259
 Seeing God's promises

00:18:32.259 --> 00:18:32.759
 fulfilled,

00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:34.039
 he obeys

00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:35.259
 God in faith.

00:18:36.139 --> 00:18:37.139
 Look at verse 3.

00:18:37.299 --> 00:18:37.879
 In verse 3,

00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:39.039
 Abraham called

00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:40.119
 the name of his son

00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:40.899
 who was born to him,

00:18:41.139 --> 00:18:41.819
 who Sarah born

00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:42.399
 to him,

00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:43.259
 Isaac.

00:18:44.899 --> 00:18:46.139
 Abraham obeys

00:18:46.140 --> 00:18:46.900
 what God told him

00:18:46.900 --> 00:18:47.240
 to do

00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:48.160
 in chapter 17.

00:18:48.580 --> 00:18:49.440
 When God gave

00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:50.280
 Abraham the promise,

00:18:50.380 --> 00:18:50.900
 he told him,

00:18:51.020 --> 00:18:51.800
 you will have a son

00:18:51.800 --> 00:18:53.440
 and told Abraham,

00:18:53.820 --> 00:18:54.800
 you will call

00:18:54.800 --> 00:18:56.120
 his name Isaac.

00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:57.520
 And Abraham

00:18:57.520 --> 00:18:58.220
 here obeys.

00:18:59.200 --> 00:18:59.780
 Because why

00:18:59.780 --> 00:19:00.759
 wouldn't he obey God?

00:19:01.300 --> 00:19:02.080
 Why shouldn't

00:19:02.080 --> 00:19:02.740
 he obey God?

00:19:02.940 --> 00:19:04.259
 If God is a God

00:19:04.259 --> 00:19:05.560
 who turns sorrow

00:19:05.560 --> 00:19:06.580
 into joy,

00:19:07.500 --> 00:19:08.360
 then why

00:19:08.360 --> 00:19:09.420
 wouldn't Abraham

00:19:09.420 --> 00:19:10.700
 want to obey

00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:13.040
 and have a reminder

00:19:13.040 --> 00:19:14.620
 in naming his son Isaac,

00:19:14.619 --> 00:19:15.919
 that is a reminder

00:19:15.919 --> 00:19:16.839
 that God gives him

00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:19.199
 that he gave

00:19:19.199 --> 00:19:20.759
 Abraham laughter.

00:19:21.399 --> 00:19:22.179
 Why wouldn't Abraham

00:19:22.179 --> 00:19:23.039
 want to obey

00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:24.659
 and have this reminder

00:19:24.659 --> 00:19:26.359
 of God's faithfulness?

00:19:26.919 --> 00:19:28.259
 And that's the same reason

00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:29.539
 why we obey God.

00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:31.119
 Why we obey God

00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:31.459
 in faith

00:19:31.459 --> 00:19:32.799
 and pursue things,

00:19:32.879 --> 00:19:33.319
 for example,

00:19:33.479 --> 00:19:34.919
 like spiritual disciplines,

00:19:35.299 --> 00:19:36.419
 to read the word,

00:19:36.839 --> 00:19:37.500
 to pray,

00:19:37.879 --> 00:19:38.899
 to gather together

00:19:38.899 --> 00:19:39.319
 in worship

00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:40.199
 as we do today.

00:19:40.779 --> 00:19:41.959
 It's in faith

00:19:41.959 --> 00:19:42.839
 that God

00:19:42.839 --> 00:19:44.139
 brings us joy.

00:19:44.140 --> 00:19:45.160
 God is worthy.

00:19:45.660 --> 00:19:46.420
 He's worthy

00:19:46.420 --> 00:19:47.580
 of our trust.

00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:48.180
 He's worthy

00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:48.980
 of our worship.

00:19:49.220 --> 00:19:49.900
 Abraham wasn't like,

00:19:50.080 --> 00:19:50.480
 oh man,

00:19:50.600 --> 00:19:51.680
 I have to name him Isaac.

00:19:51.860 --> 00:19:52.020
 Man,

00:19:52.080 --> 00:19:53.000
 he's forcing me

00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:54.560
 to name my son something.

00:19:55.300 --> 00:19:55.540
 No,

00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:56.820
 Abraham's attitude is,

00:19:57.120 --> 00:19:59.259
 God has given me laughter

00:19:59.259 --> 00:20:00.220
 and I will hold

00:20:00.220 --> 00:20:01.020
 onto that joy

00:20:01.020 --> 00:20:02.120
 and obey.

00:20:03.420 --> 00:20:04.780
 Abraham also obeys

00:20:04.780 --> 00:20:05.420
 in verse 4.

00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:06.180
 It says,

00:20:06.340 --> 00:20:07.600
 Abraham circumcised

00:20:07.600 --> 00:20:08.520
 his son Isaac

00:20:08.520 --> 00:20:09.360
 when he was

00:20:09.360 --> 00:20:10.259
 eight days old

00:20:10.259 --> 00:20:11.540
 as God

00:20:11.540 --> 00:20:12.520
 has commanded him.

00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:14.259
 Do you notice that?

00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:15.700
 As God has commanded him.

00:20:15.740 --> 00:20:16.279
 That sounds like

00:20:16.279 --> 00:20:17.180
 something we read before.

00:20:17.879 --> 00:20:18.619
 Abraham did

00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:19.859
 as God has commanded him.

00:20:20.119 --> 00:20:20.920
 It's flipped around

00:20:20.920 --> 00:20:21.700
 of what God did.

00:20:22.359 --> 00:20:22.599
 You see,

00:20:22.700 --> 00:20:23.000
 God,

00:20:23.379 --> 00:20:23.960
 the Lord,

00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:25.599
 did as he had said.

00:20:26.599 --> 00:20:27.119
 And if God

00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:28.279
 does as he has said,

00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:29.759
 then we also

00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:30.339
 can do

00:20:30.339 --> 00:20:31.460
 as he had said.

00:20:32.019 --> 00:20:33.139
 If God acts

00:20:33.139 --> 00:20:34.279
 as he has promised,

00:20:34.779 --> 00:20:35.960
 then we can also

00:20:35.960 --> 00:20:36.379
 obey

00:20:36.379 --> 00:20:37.639
 as he has commanded.

00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:38.720
 That's what Abraham did.

00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:40.900
 God can be trusted.

00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:42.539
 He keeps his word

00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:43.600
 and so we can keep

00:20:43.600 --> 00:20:44.380
 his word.

00:20:44.600 --> 00:20:45.700
 That is our good.

00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:47.299
 We can trust God

00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:48.019
 and obey.

00:20:49.120 --> 00:20:49.759
 And so,

00:20:49.860 --> 00:20:51.120
 that's Isaac's birth.

00:20:51.740 --> 00:20:53.400
 That's the long-anticipated,

00:20:53.640 --> 00:20:54.440
 awaited birth.

00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:56.740
 It's been built up

00:20:56.740 --> 00:20:58.339
 to show us

00:20:58.339 --> 00:20:59.980
 that God fulfills

00:20:59.980 --> 00:21:00.980
 his promise.

00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:02.640
 He's good for his word.

00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:04.420
 And so we can rejoice

00:21:04.420 --> 00:21:06.079
 and obey him.

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:08.119
 God took Sarah's

00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:08.720
 bitter laughter

00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:10.659
 and turned it into

00:21:10.659 --> 00:21:12.019
 joyful laughter

00:21:12.019 --> 00:21:12.480
 of Isaac.

00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:13.699
 He fulfilled his promise.

00:21:14.619 --> 00:21:14.819
 But,

00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:16.759
 when God brings joy

00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:17.339
 to our life,

00:21:18.099 --> 00:21:18.619
 sometimes

00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:20.139
 our past mistakes,

00:21:20.419 --> 00:21:21.220
 they can come back

00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:21.899
 and challenge it.

00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:23.500
 And we'll soon see here

00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:24.879
 a different sort of laughter

00:21:24.879 --> 00:21:26.740
 from the results

00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:28.279
 of what Abraham and Sarah

00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:29.759
 did in chapter 16.

00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:31.099
 Let's read in verse 8.

00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:32.579
 Isaac grew

00:21:32.579 --> 00:21:33.819
 and was weaned.

00:21:33.819 --> 00:21:35.939
 And Abraham made a great feast

00:21:35.939 --> 00:21:36.899
 on the day that Isaac

00:21:36.899 --> 00:21:37.579
 was weaned.

00:21:38.159 --> 00:21:38.720
 So weaning,

00:21:38.859 --> 00:21:39.460
 we like to throw

00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:40.819
 100-day parties

00:21:40.819 --> 00:21:43.019
 when you have a baby.

00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:43.859
 In Hong Kong,

00:21:43.919 --> 00:21:44.439
 we like to throw

00:21:44.439 --> 00:21:45.299
 100-day parties.

00:21:45.679 --> 00:21:46.779
 Well, Abraham threw a party

00:21:46.779 --> 00:21:48.579
 when Isaac was weaned.

00:21:48.659 --> 00:21:49.519
 That's when babies

00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:51.279
 start eating solid food

00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:52.519
 instead of drinking milk.

00:21:52.579 --> 00:21:53.200
 That's what it means

00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:53.839
 to be weaned.

00:21:54.200 --> 00:21:55.079
 And they did that

00:21:55.079 --> 00:21:55.939
 a bit later

00:21:55.939 --> 00:21:56.679
 when babies were

00:21:56.679 --> 00:21:57.539
 a bit older back then,

00:21:57.599 --> 00:21:58.200
 about when Isaac

00:21:58.200 --> 00:21:59.759
 was two or three years old.

00:22:00.099 --> 00:22:00.819
 So Isaac's about

00:22:00.819 --> 00:22:01.819
 two or three years old

00:22:01.819 --> 00:22:02.299
 at this point.

00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:03.779
 And that's when we see

00:22:03.779 --> 00:22:04.940
 another sort of laughter

00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:05.779
 in verse 9.

00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:06.700
 It says,

00:22:07.220 --> 00:22:08.339
 Sarah saw the son

00:22:08.339 --> 00:22:09.659
 of Hagar the Egyptian

00:22:09.659 --> 00:22:11.019
 whom she had borne

00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:12.659
 to Abraham laughing.

00:22:14.119 --> 00:22:15.339
 The son of Hagar

00:22:15.339 --> 00:22:16.680
 was laughing.

00:22:17.419 --> 00:22:18.319
 So that's Ishmael,

00:22:18.579 --> 00:22:19.299
 the son of Hagar.

00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:20.659
 He laughs.

00:22:21.639 --> 00:22:22.579
 And what is this laughter?

00:22:22.919 --> 00:22:23.220
 He is,

00:22:23.399 --> 00:22:24.960
 it's not an innocent laughter.

00:22:25.480 --> 00:22:26.919
 It's not a happy laughter,

00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.899
 a joyful laughter.

00:22:28.339 --> 00:22:30.259
 He's making fun of Isaac.

00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:32.000
 He is laughing at Isaac.

00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:33.759
 He's laughing in mockery

00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:34.900
 as the footnote

00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:35.859
 in your Bible says.

00:22:36.900 --> 00:22:38.680
 He's laughing in mockery.

00:22:39.539 --> 00:22:41.140
 We know Ishmael's up to no good.

00:22:41.880 --> 00:22:43.200
 It's not a good laugh

00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.960
 because in the New Testament

00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:45.940
 in Galatians 4,

00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.000
 verse 29,

00:22:47.339 --> 00:22:49.019
 it clarifies that Ishmael,

00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:51.859
 born according to the flesh,

00:22:52.380 --> 00:22:53.279
 was persecuting,

00:22:53.420 --> 00:22:54.460
 attacking Isaac,

00:22:54.779 --> 00:22:55.539
 who was born

00:22:55.539 --> 00:22:56.920
 according to the spirit.

00:22:57.240 --> 00:22:58.240
 So there's this competition

00:22:58.240 --> 00:22:58.980
 that happens.

00:22:58.980 --> 00:23:01.740
 We saw this earlier

00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:02.559
 in chapter 16.

00:23:02.700 --> 00:23:04.120
 There's this conflict,

00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:06.240
 competition between Sarah

00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:06.819
 and Hagar.

00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:07.779
 And we see this again

00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:09.960
 between the son of Hagar now

00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:10.680
 and the son of Sarah,

00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:12.180
 between Ishmael and Isaac.

00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:13.920
 And so Sarah is furious.

00:23:14.420 --> 00:23:14.940
 She's upset.

00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:16.940
 And she sees what Ishmael

00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:18.240
 is doing to Isaac,

00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:19.720
 that laughter.

00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:21.539
 And so she says to Abraham

00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:22.500
 in verse 10 here,

00:23:22.500 --> 00:23:23.420
 she says,

00:23:23.859 --> 00:23:25.519
 cast out the slave woman

00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:26.240
 with her son,

00:23:26.680 --> 00:23:28.519
 for the son of the slave woman

00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:29.700
 shall not be heir

00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:30.960
 with my son Isaac.

00:23:32.140 --> 00:23:34.420
 Now, this isn't the first time

00:23:34.420 --> 00:23:36.819
 that Sarah got mad at Hagar.

00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:39.400
 It happened in chapter 16.

00:23:40.220 --> 00:23:40.759
 And remember,

00:23:40.900 --> 00:23:41.960
 this is after Sarah

00:23:41.960 --> 00:23:43.119
 had this bright idea.

00:23:43.299 --> 00:23:44.099
 It was Sarah's idea

00:23:44.099 --> 00:23:44.720
 in the first place.

00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:45.599
 Hey, Abraham,

00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:48.619
 you go sleep with my servant Hagar

00:23:48.619 --> 00:23:50.240
 to have a son.

00:23:50.339 --> 00:23:51.380
 We're going to do it ourselves.

00:23:51.380 --> 00:23:52.600
 We're going to do it our way

00:23:52.600 --> 00:23:54.720
 to take hold of God's promises

00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:55.660
 for ourselves.

00:23:56.800 --> 00:23:57.920
 They did it their way.

00:23:58.000 --> 00:23:59.820
 And that led to conflict back then.

00:23:59.820 --> 00:24:00.900
 And it's coming back

00:24:00.900 --> 00:24:02.480
 to bite them again now.

00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:06.320
 And so Sarah says to Abraham,

00:24:06.500 --> 00:24:08.220
 get rid of Hagar and Ishmael.

00:24:08.900 --> 00:24:10.180
 But in verse 11,

00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:13.500
 this was very displeasing to Abraham.

00:24:14.180 --> 00:24:15.780
 It was very displeasing to Abraham.

00:24:16.020 --> 00:24:17.160
 I mean, of course it was

00:24:17.160 --> 00:24:21.140
 because Ishmael was Abraham's son.

00:24:21.840 --> 00:24:22.900
 He wasn't Sarah's son,

00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:24.860
 but he's Abraham's son.

00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:28.480
 And Sarah is asking Abraham,

00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:29.480
 get rid of your son.

00:24:29.600 --> 00:24:30.740
 Kick your own son,

00:24:30.820 --> 00:24:31.820
 your firstborn son,

00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:33.060
 out of your house.

00:24:33.280 --> 00:24:34.020
 So obviously,

00:24:34.260 --> 00:24:35.260
 Abraham is displeased.

00:24:35.320 --> 00:24:36.240
 He doesn't like that idea.

00:24:36.780 --> 00:24:37.900
 But surprisingly,

00:24:38.820 --> 00:24:40.720
 God tells Abraham

00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:41.980
 to listen to Sarah

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:43.200
 in verse 12.

00:24:43.280 --> 00:24:44.360
 He says to him,

00:24:44.840 --> 00:24:46.100
 be not displeased

00:24:46.100 --> 00:24:46.920
 because of the boy

00:24:46.920 --> 00:24:48.180
 and because of your slave woman.

00:24:48.600 --> 00:24:50.180
 Whatever Sarah says to you,

00:24:50.380 --> 00:24:51.600
 do as she tells you.

00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:53.720
 Do as she tells you.

00:24:54.080 --> 00:24:55.380
 Now think of what God

00:24:55.380 --> 00:24:56.980
 is asking Abraham to do.

00:24:57.600 --> 00:24:58.840
 He's asking Abraham,

00:24:59.640 --> 00:25:01.000
 send your firstborn son,

00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:02.960
 not just kick him out of the house.

00:25:03.320 --> 00:25:03.640
 Like here,

00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:04.680
 if you're kicked out of the house,

00:25:04.940 --> 00:25:06.220
 I'll maybe rent a hotel.

00:25:06.340 --> 00:25:07.180
 I'll go to a friend's place.

00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:08.900
 But they were in the wilderness.

00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:09.960
 They were in the desert.

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:13.620
 To kick Ishmael out of the house

00:25:13.620 --> 00:25:15.440
 is to send him into the wilderness,

00:25:15.580 --> 00:25:16.160
 into the desert,

00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:17.060
 where he's going to have

00:25:17.060 --> 00:25:18.240
 to fend for himself,

00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:19.799
 where he'll be in danger,

00:25:20.180 --> 00:25:21.259
 where who knows

00:25:21.259 --> 00:25:22.660
 what's going to happen to him.

00:25:23.580 --> 00:25:24.799
 It's a dangerous thing.

00:25:25.460 --> 00:25:27.340
 But we see that God

00:25:27.340 --> 00:25:28.759
 has three good reasons

00:25:28.759 --> 00:25:30.259
 to ask this of Abraham.

00:25:30.900 --> 00:25:32.220
 It seems harsh.

00:25:32.320 --> 00:25:34.240
 It seems maybe even cruel,

00:25:34.320 --> 00:25:35.320
 even when we hear about this.

00:25:35.319 --> 00:25:37.259
 Think of what Ishmael and Hagar

00:25:37.259 --> 00:25:37.879
 will go through.

00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:39.480
 But we see,

00:25:39.779 --> 00:25:41.059
 even in this event,

00:25:41.159 --> 00:25:43.019
 God is faithful to them all.

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:45.480
 And God has few good reasons

00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:46.939
 to ask Abraham to do this.

00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:48.159
 Which, in a way,

00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:49.740
 all relate to actually

00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:51.119
 what we'll be reading next week

00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:52.279
 in the next chapter.

00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:54.220
 Because we talked about

00:25:54.220 --> 00:25:55.339
 how Isaac's birth

00:25:55.339 --> 00:25:56.740
 was hyped up and anticipated.

00:25:56.939 --> 00:25:58.679
 We've been waiting 25 years for it.

00:25:59.079 --> 00:26:00.480
 But when we read through

00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:01.480
 a bit further,

00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:03.599
 we see that Isaac's birth

00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:04.619
 isn't actually

00:26:04.619 --> 00:26:05.739
 the climax,

00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:06.419
 the peak

00:26:06.419 --> 00:26:08.539
 of Abraham's story.

00:26:09.079 --> 00:26:10.019
 That comes

00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:11.359
 in the next chapter,

00:26:11.559 --> 00:26:12.439
 in chapter 22.

00:26:13.079 --> 00:26:14.179
 What we call

00:26:14.179 --> 00:26:15.199
 the binding of Isaac

00:26:15.199 --> 00:26:16.519
 when Abraham

00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:18.279
 is asked by God

00:26:18.279 --> 00:26:19.399
 to sacrifice

00:26:19.399 --> 00:26:20.739
 his son Isaac

00:26:20.739 --> 00:26:22.379
 as a burnt offering

00:26:22.379 --> 00:26:23.359
 on the altar.

00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:24.559
 I mean,

00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:25.299
 there's a lot to that.

00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:26.119
 We'll unpack that more

00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:26.639
 next week.

00:26:27.699 --> 00:26:28.759
 God actually

00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:30.099
 eventually stops Abraham

00:26:30.099 --> 00:26:31.239
 from going through with it.

00:26:31.240 --> 00:26:32.420
 But what we see,

00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:33.779
 what we can keep in mind today

00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:34.259
 is that

00:26:34.259 --> 00:26:35.880
 God has in store

00:26:35.880 --> 00:26:36.559
 for Abraham

00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:38.559
 an even greater

00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:39.819
 test of faith

00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:40.880
 than he's going through

00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:41.880
 today in this story.

00:26:42.200 --> 00:26:42.900
 And in preparation

00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:43.720
 for that,

00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:45.240
 first,

00:26:45.620 --> 00:26:46.900
 God removes

00:26:46.900 --> 00:26:48.700
 any backup plans

00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:50.000
 in Abraham's mind.

00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:52.480
 He gets rid of

00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:53.579
 any plan B's,

00:26:53.660 --> 00:26:54.440
 any safety nets,

00:26:54.579 --> 00:26:55.400
 any backup plans

00:26:55.400 --> 00:26:56.160
 in Abraham's mind.

00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:58.680
 God tells Abraham,

00:26:59.000 --> 00:26:59.580
 the promise

00:26:59.580 --> 00:27:01.100
 will come through Isaac,

00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:02.019
 not Ishmael.

00:27:02.100 --> 00:27:02.700
 That's what he says

00:27:02.700 --> 00:27:03.900
 in verse 13.

00:27:03.980 --> 00:27:04.440
 Whatever Sarah

00:27:04.440 --> 00:27:05.160
 tells you to do,

00:27:05.320 --> 00:27:06.360
 do as she tells you

00:27:06.360 --> 00:27:07.920
 for through Isaac,

00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:09.180
 it is through Isaac

00:27:09.180 --> 00:27:10.640
 that your offspring

00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:11.759
 will be named.

00:27:12.420 --> 00:27:13.200
 It's through Isaac

00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:14.660
 that's the son of promise.

00:27:15.460 --> 00:27:16.040
 And because remember,

00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:17.300
 after Ishmael was born,

00:27:18.320 --> 00:27:19.540
 it was only another

00:27:19.540 --> 00:27:20.400
 13 years

00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:22.000
 before God

00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:23.000
 appeared to Abraham

00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:24.360
 in chapter 17

00:27:24.360 --> 00:27:25.360
 and told him

00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:25.899
 that Sarah

00:27:25.899 --> 00:27:26.979
 would have

00:27:26.979 --> 00:27:28.259
 a son of her own,

00:27:28.399 --> 00:27:29.399
 Sarah would bear Isaac.

00:27:29.779 --> 00:27:30.419
 So possibly

00:27:30.419 --> 00:27:31.399
 for 13 years,

00:27:31.740 --> 00:27:32.799
 Abraham operated

00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:33.799
 under this assumption

00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:34.979
 that the promise

00:27:34.979 --> 00:27:35.639
 was for Isaac.

00:27:35.719 --> 00:27:36.439
 He could have thought that.

00:27:36.479 --> 00:27:37.079
 He could have thought

00:27:37.079 --> 00:27:38.079
 that his own efforts

00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:39.119
 to do it himself,

00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:40.159
 it actually worked.

00:27:40.899 --> 00:27:41.519
 He actually got

00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:42.079
 what he wanted.

00:27:42.179 --> 00:27:42.819
 He had the son.

00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:44.479
 Ishmael was born

00:27:44.479 --> 00:27:45.819
 and they made it

00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:46.719
 happen themselves.

00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:48.059
 But God tells,

00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:49.459
 he makes clear

00:27:49.459 --> 00:27:50.259
 to Abraham now,

00:27:50.719 --> 00:27:51.819
 it's not Ishmael

00:27:51.819 --> 00:27:52.939
 but Isaac.

00:27:53.579 --> 00:27:54.779
 My blessings

00:27:54.779 --> 00:27:55.579
 to you will come

00:27:55.579 --> 00:27:57.379
 not by your own efforts,

00:27:57.500 --> 00:27:58.399
 not by any works

00:27:58.399 --> 00:27:58.940
 of the flesh,

00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:00.759
 but by my promise

00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:02.500
 and my power alone.

00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:03.799
 And so,

00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:04.879
 in chapter 22,

00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:06.440
 when God tests him,

00:28:06.980 --> 00:28:08.339
 Abraham can't rely

00:28:08.339 --> 00:28:09.480
 on the son born

00:28:09.480 --> 00:28:10.599
 from his human efforts.

00:28:11.099 --> 00:28:12.039
 All he can do

00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:13.440
 is trust God

00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:14.279
 at his word,

00:28:14.460 --> 00:28:15.279
 trust God's promise.

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:16.079
 With Ishmael

00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:16.660
 out of the picture,

00:28:16.839 --> 00:28:17.619
 there's no plan B.

00:28:17.700 --> 00:28:18.339
 It's do or die

00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:19.339
 for Isaac.

00:28:19.799 --> 00:28:21.339
 Abraham can't rely

00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:22.319
 on his works

00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:24.159
 and only can rely

00:28:24.159 --> 00:28:25.200
 on faith in God.

00:28:26.740 --> 00:28:27.639
 God takes that

00:28:27.639 --> 00:28:28.579
 plan B

00:28:28.579 --> 00:28:29.299
 out of the picture.

00:28:30.159 --> 00:28:30.500
 Second,

00:28:31.240 --> 00:28:32.419
 God gives Abraham

00:28:32.419 --> 00:28:33.539
 here practice

00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:34.779
 in obeying him.

00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:37.740
 It's not easy

00:28:37.740 --> 00:28:38.899
 always for us

00:28:38.899 --> 00:28:40.480
 when God commands us.

00:28:40.679 --> 00:28:41.460
 God calls us

00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:42.700
 to trust and obey.

00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:43.539
 Abraham's something

00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.179
 difficult to do.

00:28:44.259 --> 00:28:45.119
 He had to send off

00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:46.000
 his firstborn son.

00:28:46.439 --> 00:28:47.179
 He didn't want to do it.

00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:47.899
 It was difficult

00:28:47.899 --> 00:28:48.399
 for Abraham.

00:28:48.539 --> 00:28:49.460
 It was even more difficult

00:28:49.460 --> 00:28:50.980
 for Hagar and Ishmael.

00:28:51.420 --> 00:28:52.140
 Abraham knew that.

00:28:52.200 --> 00:28:52.799
 That's why it was hard

00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:53.160
 for him.

00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:54.380
 But yet,

00:28:54.579 --> 00:28:56.019
 Abraham obeys.

00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:57.819
 In verse 14,

00:28:58.480 --> 00:28:59.840
 rising up early

00:28:59.840 --> 00:29:00.840
 the next morning.

00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:01.900
 In verse 14,

00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:02.860
 he rose up early

00:29:02.860 --> 00:29:03.420
 the next morning

00:29:03.420 --> 00:29:04.180
 as soon as God

00:29:04.180 --> 00:29:04.579
 told him

00:29:04.579 --> 00:29:05.600
 to do what God

00:29:05.600 --> 00:29:06.360
 told him to do.

00:29:07.100 --> 00:29:07.620
 Next week,

00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:08.120
 when we read

00:29:08.120 --> 00:29:09.200
 chapter 22,

00:29:09.340 --> 00:29:10.100
 you'll see that phrase

00:29:10.100 --> 00:29:10.400
 again,

00:29:11.019 --> 00:29:11.700
 that Abraham,

00:29:12.100 --> 00:29:13.319
 when God called him,

00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:14.640
 commanded him

00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:16.100
 to go with Isaac,

00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:18.039
 he rose up early

00:29:18.039 --> 00:29:18.660
 the next morning.

00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:20.440
 when God called him

00:29:20.440 --> 00:29:20.819
 to act.

00:29:21.380 --> 00:29:22.180
 This is practice.

00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:23.100
 This is preparation

00:29:23.100 --> 00:29:24.460
 for what he'll do next.

00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:26.079
 And so Abraham obeys

00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:27.240
 and sends Hagar

00:29:27.240 --> 00:29:27.940
 and Ishmael

00:29:27.940 --> 00:29:28.980
 off into the wilderness

00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:30.799
 with just a little bit

00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:31.140
 of bread

00:29:31.140 --> 00:29:32.420
 and a bottle of water,

00:29:32.539 --> 00:29:33.279
 a skin of water.

00:29:33.980 --> 00:29:35.340
 And they go around

00:29:35.340 --> 00:29:36.180
 and wander

00:29:36.180 --> 00:29:36.900
 in the wilderness.

00:29:37.579 --> 00:29:38.460
 And soon enough,

00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:39.960
 we hear that the water

00:29:39.960 --> 00:29:40.799
 they took with them,

00:29:41.299 --> 00:29:42.360
 it runs out.

00:29:42.980 --> 00:29:43.620
 They only had

00:29:43.620 --> 00:29:44.720
 a skin of water,

00:29:44.779 --> 00:29:45.480
 a little bit of water.

00:29:45.840 --> 00:29:46.860
 And soon enough,

00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:47.480
 it runs out.

00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:49.980
 And here,

00:29:50.059 --> 00:29:50.660
 we might not think

00:29:50.660 --> 00:29:51.460
 that much about water

00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:52.279
 because we can always,

00:29:52.420 --> 00:29:53.500
 we can turn on the tap,

00:29:53.880 --> 00:29:54.799
 you can go to the store,

00:29:54.900 --> 00:29:55.839
 buy a bottle of water,

00:29:55.900 --> 00:29:56.779
 but they're in the desert.

00:29:57.380 --> 00:29:58.319
 There's no faucets

00:29:58.319 --> 00:29:58.819
 in the wilderness.

00:29:59.319 --> 00:30:00.160
 There's no 7-Eleven.

00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:01.500
 And without water,

00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:02.480
 in the heat,

00:30:02.599 --> 00:30:02.980
 you die.

00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:04.360
 And now here,

00:30:04.420 --> 00:30:05.180
 they've all run out.

00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:07.000
 So what are they going to do?

00:30:07.579 --> 00:30:08.720
 What can they do?

00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:10.039
 Slowly,

00:30:10.259 --> 00:30:11.799
 they lose their strength.

00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:13.380
 They're getting thirstier.

00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:14.200
 They're thirstier.

00:30:14.259 --> 00:30:14.860
 They're getting weaker.

00:30:15.940 --> 00:30:17.980
 And there is really no hope.

00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:19.220
 There's no option.

00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:20.519
 They can't do anything.

00:30:20.600 --> 00:30:21.220
 They're going to die.

00:30:21.940 --> 00:30:22.660
 They have no water.

00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:24.840
 And they're going to die.

00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:25.700
 And so Hagar,

00:30:26.120 --> 00:30:26.799
 they're in despair.

00:30:26.920 --> 00:30:27.180
 Hagar,

00:30:27.340 --> 00:30:28.460
 in verse 15,

00:30:29.380 --> 00:30:31.000
 she thinks it's the end for him.

00:30:31.840 --> 00:30:33.279
 She puts Ishmael down

00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:33.940
 by the bushes.

00:30:34.900 --> 00:30:35.400
 Reason is,

00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:36.460
 she can't bear

00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:37.259
 to watch him die.

00:30:37.259 --> 00:30:38.600
 As a mother,

00:30:39.240 --> 00:30:40.360
 she can't bear

00:30:40.359 --> 00:30:42.759
 to watch her son

00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:44.539
 take his last breath.

00:30:44.679 --> 00:30:46.099
 And so she goes off.

00:30:46.159 --> 00:30:46.459
 She says,

00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:47.439
 let me not look

00:30:47.439 --> 00:30:48.759
 on the death of my child.

00:30:49.419 --> 00:30:50.219
 She sets in the bushes

00:30:50.219 --> 00:30:51.259
 and she walks off.

00:30:51.339 --> 00:30:52.179
 But not too far,

00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:53.559
 only the distance of a bow shot.

00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:54.839
 Because on one hand,

00:30:54.899 --> 00:30:56.119
 she loves him too much

00:30:56.119 --> 00:30:56.779
 to watch him die.

00:30:56.919 --> 00:30:57.799
 But on the other hand,

00:30:58.159 --> 00:30:59.139
 she loves him too much

00:30:59.139 --> 00:31:00.079
 to just leave him there

00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:00.899
 alone and die.

00:31:00.959 --> 00:31:02.240
 So she goes off

00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:03.319
 into a short distance.

00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:04.199
 They're in despair.

00:31:05.099 --> 00:31:05.919
 She cries out

00:31:05.919 --> 00:31:06.699
 and wept.

00:31:06.819 --> 00:31:07.639
 And they wept.

00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:09.940
 And once again,

00:31:10.100 --> 00:31:12.259
 we see that God

00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:13.560
 is good for his word.

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:14.440
 We see that God

00:31:14.440 --> 00:31:15.640
 is faithful.

00:31:15.800 --> 00:31:17.120
 He is good to us.

00:31:18.220 --> 00:31:19.700
 Verse 17 says,

00:31:20.360 --> 00:31:21.759
 God heard the voice

00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:22.340
 of the boy.

00:31:22.580 --> 00:31:23.960
 In their moment of despair

00:31:23.960 --> 00:31:25.080
 when they had nothing to do,

00:31:25.240 --> 00:31:27.000
 Isaac and Hagar,

00:31:27.080 --> 00:31:28.240
 they cried out to God.

00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:29.940
 And it says,

00:31:30.040 --> 00:31:31.940
 God heard the voice

00:31:31.940 --> 00:31:32.440
 of the boy.

00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:34.000
 And there's also

00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:35.400
 some wordplay here too

00:31:35.400 --> 00:31:36.700
 because if you remember

00:31:36.700 --> 00:31:37.660
 Ishmael's name,

00:31:38.500 --> 00:31:39.259
 Ishmael's name

00:31:39.259 --> 00:31:40.600
 means God hears.

00:31:41.340 --> 00:31:43.059
 It means God hears.

00:31:43.819 --> 00:31:44.580
 And we don't see

00:31:44.580 --> 00:31:45.080
 Ishmael's name

00:31:45.080 --> 00:31:45.660
 mentioned here,

00:31:45.740 --> 00:31:46.319
 but we see

00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:47.819
 that God heard

00:31:47.819 --> 00:31:48.819
 the voice of the boy.

00:31:49.860 --> 00:31:51.019
 Ishmael happened

00:31:51.019 --> 00:31:51.600
 to Ishmael.

00:31:51.740 --> 00:31:52.039
 That's what,

00:31:52.100 --> 00:31:52.700
 that's what happened.

00:31:52.940 --> 00:31:54.420
 God heard Ishmael.

00:31:55.059 --> 00:31:56.000
 And so in,

00:31:56.080 --> 00:31:57.400
 in verse 17,

00:31:57.559 --> 00:31:59.340
 God opened her eyes.

00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:00.600
 God opened Hagar's eyes

00:32:00.600 --> 00:32:01.380
 and she saw

00:32:01.380 --> 00:32:02.420
 a well of water.

00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:03.480
 That was a miracle.

00:32:03.620 --> 00:32:03.740
 They,

00:32:03.860 --> 00:32:04.539
 they're in the desert.

00:32:04.740 --> 00:32:05.299
 There's no water

00:32:05.299 --> 00:32:07.059
 and suddenly they looked up

00:32:07.059 --> 00:32:08.299
 and there is a well

00:32:08.299 --> 00:32:09.059
 there the whole time.

00:32:10.019 --> 00:32:10.659
 And she,

00:32:10.700 --> 00:32:11.659
 she filled the skin.

00:32:12.399 --> 00:32:13.440
 She filled the bottle

00:32:13.440 --> 00:32:13.839
 of water,

00:32:14.019 --> 00:32:15.139
 gave the boy to drink.

00:32:16.220 --> 00:32:17.359
 God was with the boy,

00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:17.740
 it says,

00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:18.839
 and he grew up.

00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:21.279
 So when we look at this,

00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:23.919
 do we see God's grace here?

00:32:24.980 --> 00:32:25.859
 See God's grace

00:32:25.859 --> 00:32:26.399
 to them here.

00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:28.980
 And there's,

00:32:29.139 --> 00:32:29.980
 there's something here

00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:31.019
 because Ishmael

00:32:31.019 --> 00:32:32.700
 wasn't the child

00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:33.220
 of promise.

00:32:33.539 --> 00:32:34.339
 Ishmael was the one

00:32:34.339 --> 00:32:35.880
 that God asked even

00:32:35.880 --> 00:32:37.920
 to cast out of the house,

00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:39.259
 send Ishmael away.

00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:41.599
 He was the kid

00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:42.460
 that,

00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:43.039
 who,

00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:43.819
 who mocked,

00:32:44.279 --> 00:32:45.799
 despised Isaac,

00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:46.640
 the chosen son.

00:32:47.539 --> 00:32:48.480
 But still,

00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:50.500
 even still for Ishmael,

00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:52.460
 God shows grace to him

00:32:52.460 --> 00:32:53.220
 and saves him.

00:32:53.740 --> 00:32:54.819
 And not only that,

00:32:54.920 --> 00:32:56.200
 but he fulfills that promise

00:32:56.200 --> 00:32:57.079
 as he promised

00:32:57.079 --> 00:32:57.920
 in verse 13,

00:32:57.920 --> 00:32:59.800
 I will make a nation

00:32:59.800 --> 00:33:01.240
 of the son of the slave woman

00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:02.440
 also because he is

00:33:02.440 --> 00:33:02.960
 your offspring.

00:33:03.380 --> 00:33:04.320
 Even to the one

00:33:04.320 --> 00:33:05.220
 who was cast off

00:33:05.220 --> 00:33:06.519
 out of Abraham's house,

00:33:06.960 --> 00:33:07.700
 God was good to.

00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:08.640
 And,

00:33:08.720 --> 00:33:09.300
 and this is what

00:33:09.300 --> 00:33:10.140
 we're meant to see here.

00:33:10.640 --> 00:33:11.800
 That if God

00:33:11.800 --> 00:33:13.759
 was gracious to Ishmael,

00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:15.160
 who was outside

00:33:15.160 --> 00:33:15.759
 of the covenant,

00:33:16.539 --> 00:33:18.519
 who was kicked out

00:33:18.519 --> 00:33:19.560
 of Abraham's house,

00:33:20.120 --> 00:33:21.759
 if he was good to Ishmael,

00:33:22.180 --> 00:33:23.720
 then how much more

00:33:23.720 --> 00:33:25.300
 will he be gracious?

00:33:25.840 --> 00:33:27.460
 Will he be good to Isaac?

00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:28.920
 Who is the child

00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:29.560
 of promise?

00:33:31.560 --> 00:33:33.160
 If God provided

00:33:33.160 --> 00:33:33.920
 for Ishmael,

00:33:34.620 --> 00:33:35.500
 then how much more

00:33:35.500 --> 00:33:36.720
 will God bless Isaac

00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:37.580
 through whom

00:33:37.580 --> 00:33:38.360
 the promises

00:33:38.360 --> 00:33:39.220
 to Abraham will come,

00:33:39.300 --> 00:33:39.840
 through whom all

00:33:39.840 --> 00:33:40.480
 the families

00:33:40.480 --> 00:33:41.240
 of the earth

00:33:41.240 --> 00:33:41.779
 will be blessed?

00:33:42.620 --> 00:33:43.180
 And so later,

00:33:43.360 --> 00:33:44.140
 when Abraham,

00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:45.960
 he can look back

00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:46.800
 on this example

00:33:46.800 --> 00:33:48.019
 of God's faithfulness,

00:33:48.279 --> 00:33:48.960
 that if God

00:33:48.960 --> 00:33:50.279
 would protect Ishmael,

00:33:50.779 --> 00:33:51.600
 if God was good

00:33:51.600 --> 00:33:52.180
 to Ishmael,

00:33:52.300 --> 00:33:53.340
 excluded from the covenant,

00:33:53.480 --> 00:33:54.360
 how much more

00:33:54.360 --> 00:33:55.860
 will he protect Isaac

00:33:55.859 --> 00:33:57.319
 when God calls him

00:33:57.319 --> 00:33:57.959
 to give him up?

00:33:59.659 --> 00:34:01.179
 God didn't abandon Ishmael.

00:34:02.459 --> 00:34:02.979
 And yeah,

00:34:03.059 --> 00:34:04.299
 he opened Hagar's eyes

00:34:04.299 --> 00:34:05.979
 to see this well of water.

00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:07.359
 And this leads us

00:34:07.359 --> 00:34:08.980
 to the final scene

00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:10.099
 here.

00:34:10.779 --> 00:34:11.739
 Hagar needed water,

00:34:12.420 --> 00:34:13.619
 but also Abraham

00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:14.599
 needs water

00:34:14.599 --> 00:34:15.139
 to survive

00:34:15.139 --> 00:34:15.739
 in the wilderness,

00:34:15.980 --> 00:34:16.480
 in the desert.

00:34:16.880 --> 00:34:18.259
 And here in this final scene,

00:34:18.319 --> 00:34:19.259
 he'll have to negotiate

00:34:19.260 --> 00:34:21.160
 with King Abimelech

00:34:21.160 --> 00:34:23.140
 and fight over a well

00:34:23.140 --> 00:34:24.520
 that he had dug up.

00:34:25.420 --> 00:34:26.580
 Look at verse 22.

00:34:26.860 --> 00:34:27.060
 It says,

00:34:27.240 --> 00:34:28.200
 At that time,

00:34:28.540 --> 00:34:29.860
 Abimelech and Fickle,

00:34:29.980 --> 00:34:31.160
 the commander of his army,

00:34:31.280 --> 00:34:31.820
 said to Abraham,

00:34:31.960 --> 00:34:32.900
 God is with you

00:34:32.900 --> 00:34:34.220
 in all that you do.

00:34:34.300 --> 00:34:35.480
 So Abimelech and Fickle,

00:34:35.540 --> 00:34:36.460
 they come to Abraham

00:34:36.460 --> 00:34:38.060
 and they notice this.

00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:39.680
 God is with you, Abraham,

00:34:39.900 --> 00:34:40.860
 in all that you do.

00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:42.140
 Now,

00:34:42.660 --> 00:34:43.660
 think back

00:34:43.660 --> 00:34:44.860
 to last week

00:34:44.860 --> 00:34:46.240
 in chapter 20.

00:34:47.240 --> 00:34:48.400
 Remember that name,

00:34:48.480 --> 00:34:48.940
 Abimelech.

00:34:48.940 --> 00:34:49.880
 Who is Abimelech?

00:34:50.880 --> 00:34:52.579
 Abimelech was the king

00:34:52.579 --> 00:34:53.860
 that Abraham

00:34:53.860 --> 00:34:55.220
 had lied to.

00:34:55.860 --> 00:34:56.820
 Last chapter,

00:34:57.220 --> 00:34:58.380
 we talked about the cycles.

00:34:58.599 --> 00:34:59.659
 Abraham fell into

00:34:59.659 --> 00:35:00.659
 the same sin

00:35:00.659 --> 00:35:01.920
 that he committed

00:35:01.920 --> 00:35:02.559
 in Egypt

00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:04.059
 in chapter 12.

00:35:04.460 --> 00:35:05.460
 Did the same thing again.

00:35:05.780 --> 00:35:06.679
 He was afraid.

00:35:07.119 --> 00:35:07.880
 He was fearful

00:35:07.880 --> 00:35:09.119
 of what Abimelech would do.

00:35:09.559 --> 00:35:11.039
 And he thought

00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:11.720
 that Abimelech

00:35:11.720 --> 00:35:12.579
 would think Sarah

00:35:12.579 --> 00:35:13.420
 was very beautiful

00:35:13.420 --> 00:35:14.519
 and take him as his wife.

00:35:14.760 --> 00:35:15.639
 And so he lied.

00:35:16.079 --> 00:35:17.099
 He said this half-truth

00:35:17.099 --> 00:35:17.500
 and said,

00:35:17.840 --> 00:35:18.920
 Sarah is my son.

00:35:18.920 --> 00:35:19.420
 My sister.

00:35:20.360 --> 00:35:21.280
 And so that brought

00:35:21.280 --> 00:35:22.119
 God's judgment

00:35:22.119 --> 00:35:23.180
 upon Abimelech

00:35:23.180 --> 00:35:24.720
 and on his whole kingdom.

00:35:25.460 --> 00:35:26.559
 That's what we read

00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:27.619
 last week in chapter 20.

00:35:27.740 --> 00:35:28.220
 But yet,

00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:30.000
 Abimelech comes back

00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:31.360
 and says to Abraham,

00:35:31.900 --> 00:35:33.139
 God is with you

00:35:33.139 --> 00:35:35.000
 in all you do.

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:36.559
 And yeah,

00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:37.340
 we talked about

00:35:37.340 --> 00:35:37.940
 the cycles

00:35:37.940 --> 00:35:39.340
 in our spiritual life

00:35:39.340 --> 00:35:40.280
 of the highs and lows

00:35:40.280 --> 00:35:41.539
 in our lives.

00:35:41.619 --> 00:35:42.240
 We see ourselves

00:35:42.240 --> 00:35:43.579
 slipping into the same sins

00:35:43.579 --> 00:35:44.220
 again.

00:35:44.980 --> 00:35:45.879
 Abraham was a coward

00:35:45.879 --> 00:35:47.239
 who sold his wife out.

00:35:47.980 --> 00:35:48.419
 But yet,

00:35:48.579 --> 00:35:49.819
 God was with him.

00:35:50.859 --> 00:35:51.159
 Yet,

00:35:51.279 --> 00:35:52.239
 God was with him.

00:35:52.779 --> 00:35:53.500
 And that shows us

00:35:53.500 --> 00:35:54.359
 it's not by

00:35:54.359 --> 00:35:55.500
 our efforts.

00:35:55.639 --> 00:35:56.679
 It's not the strength

00:35:56.679 --> 00:35:57.319
 of our

00:35:57.319 --> 00:35:58.759
 walk with God.

00:35:58.859 --> 00:36:00.000
 By our efforts.

00:36:00.199 --> 00:36:01.099
 That's not why

00:36:01.099 --> 00:36:01.579
 Abraham,

00:36:02.199 --> 00:36:03.439
 God was with Abraham there.

00:36:03.699 --> 00:36:03.799
 No,

00:36:03.879 --> 00:36:04.719
 Abraham sinned.

00:36:05.379 --> 00:36:06.119
 He was fearful.

00:36:06.439 --> 00:36:06.839
 He was afraid.

00:36:06.899 --> 00:36:07.659
 He didn't look to God.

00:36:08.539 --> 00:36:09.039
 But,

00:36:09.619 --> 00:36:11.379
 God was still with him.

00:36:11.800 --> 00:36:12.559
 That's the promise.

00:36:12.660 --> 00:36:14.220
 That God shows us grace

00:36:14.220 --> 00:36:15.059
 despite our sins.

00:36:15.119 --> 00:36:15.920
 That's the good news.

00:36:16.360 --> 00:36:17.200
 That's what Abraham

00:36:17.200 --> 00:36:17.860
 was met with.

00:36:18.280 --> 00:36:18.420
 Yet,

00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:18.860
 God's grace

00:36:18.860 --> 00:36:19.920
 doesn't just forgive us.

00:36:20.840 --> 00:36:23.019
 It transforms us also.

00:36:23.860 --> 00:36:24.780
 God meets us

00:36:24.780 --> 00:36:25.400
 in our sin,

00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:26.579
 but he doesn't

00:36:26.579 --> 00:36:27.280
 leave us there.

00:36:28.160 --> 00:36:28.940
 Abraham lied

00:36:28.940 --> 00:36:29.460
 to Abimelech

00:36:29.460 --> 00:36:30.180
 in chapter 20.

00:36:30.920 --> 00:36:31.480
 But now,

00:36:32.800 --> 00:36:33.300
 Abraham,

00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:34.880
 Abimelech comes to Abraham

00:36:34.880 --> 00:36:36.099
 to make a treaty with him.

00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:37.460
 He's looking to Abraham

00:36:37.460 --> 00:36:38.559
 to keep his word now

00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:39.360
 right after Abraham

00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:39.940
 lied to him.

00:36:40.579 --> 00:36:41.960
 Abraham's becoming someone

00:36:41.960 --> 00:36:43.240
 who can be trusted.

00:36:43.599 --> 00:36:44.579
 God's faithfulness

00:36:44.579 --> 00:36:45.940
 to us

00:36:45.940 --> 00:36:47.159
 produces faithfulness

00:36:47.159 --> 00:36:48.099
 in us also.

00:36:48.860 --> 00:36:49.099
 And,

00:36:49.179 --> 00:36:50.380
 before they make

00:36:50.380 --> 00:36:50.940
 their treaty,

00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:52.820
 Abraham takes

00:36:52.820 --> 00:36:53.480
 this opportunity

00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:54.599
 to hash out

00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:55.720
 this dispute

00:36:55.720 --> 00:36:56.599
 with Abimelech

00:36:56.599 --> 00:36:57.820
 about water.

00:36:58.360 --> 00:36:59.260
 Water's important

00:36:59.260 --> 00:36:59.840
 because they're

00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:00.480
 in the wilderness.

00:37:00.940 --> 00:37:01.820
 And just as Ishmael

00:37:01.820 --> 00:37:02.900
 ran out of water

00:37:02.900 --> 00:37:04.559
 without a well,

00:37:04.740 --> 00:37:05.159
 Abraham

00:37:05.159 --> 00:37:06.840
 will also run out

00:37:06.840 --> 00:37:07.360
 of water.

00:37:07.619 --> 00:37:08.300
 He won't be able

00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:09.620
 to stay in that area

00:37:09.620 --> 00:37:10.380
 without a well

00:37:10.380 --> 00:37:11.560
 and he'll have to

00:37:11.560 --> 00:37:12.660
 move out of that land

00:37:12.660 --> 00:37:13.280
 somewhere else.

00:37:13.900 --> 00:37:15.019
 He can't stay there

00:37:15.019 --> 00:37:15.780
 without a well,

00:37:15.840 --> 00:37:16.960
 without water to access.

00:37:17.900 --> 00:37:18.580
 And it says that

00:37:18.580 --> 00:37:19.680
 Abraham had earlier

00:37:19.680 --> 00:37:20.820
 dug a well

00:37:20.820 --> 00:37:21.700
 in that area,

00:37:21.840 --> 00:37:22.820
 but Abimelech's servant

00:37:22.820 --> 00:37:23.320
 took it.

00:37:23.660 --> 00:37:24.220
 And so Abraham

00:37:24.220 --> 00:37:25.740
 confronts Abimelech

00:37:25.740 --> 00:37:26.180
 about it.

00:37:26.240 --> 00:37:26.880
 And they come to

00:37:26.880 --> 00:37:27.740
 an agreement.

00:37:29.680 --> 00:37:30.580
 Abimelech agrees

00:37:30.580 --> 00:37:31.260
 that he will

00:37:31.260 --> 00:37:32.560
 recognize that the well

00:37:32.560 --> 00:37:33.300
 is Abraham's.

00:37:33.500 --> 00:37:34.280
 They deal kindly

00:37:34.280 --> 00:37:35.140
 with one another.

00:37:35.480 --> 00:37:36.100
 And as a witness

00:37:36.100 --> 00:37:36.700
 to this,

00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:37.680
 Abraham offers

00:37:37.680 --> 00:37:39.040
 seven eulams

00:37:39.040 --> 00:37:39.860
 to Abimelech.

00:37:40.660 --> 00:37:41.240
 In verse 30,

00:37:41.320 --> 00:37:41.460
 it says,

00:37:41.560 --> 00:37:42.440
 these seven eulams

00:37:42.440 --> 00:37:43.100
 you will take

00:37:43.100 --> 00:37:43.780
 from my hand

00:37:43.780 --> 00:37:44.640
 that they will

00:37:44.640 --> 00:37:45.140
 be a witness

00:37:45.140 --> 00:37:45.519
 for me

00:37:45.519 --> 00:37:46.100
 that I dug

00:37:46.100 --> 00:37:46.640
 this well.

00:37:47.060 --> 00:37:47.720
 And therefore,

00:37:47.940 --> 00:37:48.480
 that place

00:37:48.480 --> 00:37:48.960
 was called

00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:49.460
 Beersheba

00:37:49.460 --> 00:37:50.700
 because they,

00:37:50.900 --> 00:37:51.500
 they're both

00:37:51.500 --> 00:37:51.780
 of them

00:37:51.780 --> 00:37:52.480
 swore an oath.

00:37:53.180 --> 00:37:53.800
 And there's,

00:37:53.860 --> 00:37:54.200
 there's a bit

00:37:54.200 --> 00:37:54.720
 more wordplay

00:37:54.720 --> 00:37:55.240
 here also.

00:37:55.680 --> 00:37:56.120
 Beersheba

00:37:56.120 --> 00:37:57.120
 means well

00:37:57.120 --> 00:37:57.820
 of seven.

00:37:58.200 --> 00:37:59.180
 So Sheva

00:37:59.180 --> 00:38:00.600
 is seven,

00:38:01.160 --> 00:38:01.680
 but it can

00:38:01.680 --> 00:38:02.260
 also mean

00:38:02.260 --> 00:38:02.680
 oath.

00:38:02.679 --> 00:38:04.500
 So they settled

00:38:04.500 --> 00:38:05.079
 this oath

00:38:05.079 --> 00:38:06.500
 with seven eulams

00:38:06.500 --> 00:38:07.139
 and say,

00:38:07.219 --> 00:38:07.679
 they call this

00:38:07.679 --> 00:38:08.480
 Beersheba,

00:38:08.659 --> 00:38:09.279
 well of seven,

00:38:09.559 --> 00:38:10.159
 well of oath

00:38:10.159 --> 00:38:11.159
 as a witness

00:38:11.159 --> 00:38:11.679
 that the oath

00:38:11.679 --> 00:38:12.019
 was made

00:38:12.019 --> 00:38:12.519
 between them.

00:38:13.219 --> 00:38:14.039
 Now that name

00:38:14.039 --> 00:38:15.239
 Beersheba

00:38:15.239 --> 00:38:16.480
 also tells us

00:38:16.480 --> 00:38:17.480
 something important

00:38:17.480 --> 00:38:18.440
 about where

00:38:18.440 --> 00:38:19.940
 Abraham is

00:38:19.940 --> 00:38:20.519
 at the moment.

00:38:21.079 --> 00:38:21.440
 Beersheba

00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:21.960
 is a name

00:38:21.960 --> 00:38:22.699
 that comes up

00:38:22.699 --> 00:38:24.039
 later in the Bible.

00:38:24.859 --> 00:38:25.739
 It marks

00:38:25.739 --> 00:38:26.519
 the southern

00:38:26.519 --> 00:38:27.460
 border

00:38:27.460 --> 00:38:28.859
 of the promised

00:38:28.859 --> 00:38:29.279
 land.

00:38:29.879 --> 00:38:30.199
 Later,

00:38:30.319 --> 00:38:30.679
 for example,

00:38:30.779 --> 00:38:31.119
 in Samuel

00:38:31.119 --> 00:38:31.679
 chapter three,

00:38:31.759 --> 00:38:32.219
 verse 20,

00:38:32.679 --> 00:38:33.299
 it talks about

00:38:33.299 --> 00:38:33.980
 how all of

00:38:33.980 --> 00:38:34.339
 Israel

00:38:34.339 --> 00:38:35.619
 from Dan

00:38:35.619 --> 00:38:37.000
 to Beersheba,

00:38:37.399 --> 00:38:38.460
 all of Israel

00:38:38.460 --> 00:38:39.099
 from Dan

00:38:39.099 --> 00:38:40.159
 to Beersheba

00:38:40.159 --> 00:38:41.500
 in Samuel

00:38:41.500 --> 00:38:41.739
 three.

00:38:42.399 --> 00:38:43.000
 It's kind of

00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:43.359
 like saying,

00:38:43.659 --> 00:38:44.039
 if I say

00:38:44.039 --> 00:38:44.639
 all of Hong

00:38:44.639 --> 00:38:44.879
 Kong

00:38:44.879 --> 00:38:46.279
 from Saikong

00:38:46.279 --> 00:38:47.839
 to Lantau,

00:38:48.539 --> 00:38:48.719
 right,

00:38:48.819 --> 00:38:49.559
 Lantau on the

00:38:49.559 --> 00:38:49.779
 west,

00:38:49.879 --> 00:38:50.440
 Saikong to the

00:38:50.440 --> 00:38:50.699
 east.

00:38:51.059 --> 00:38:51.579
 Beersheba

00:38:51.579 --> 00:38:52.879
 is on the

00:38:52.879 --> 00:38:53.279
 edge of the

00:38:53.279 --> 00:38:53.859
 promised land

00:38:53.859 --> 00:38:54.399
 in the south.

00:38:54.699 --> 00:38:55.199
 And that's

00:38:55.199 --> 00:38:55.679
 where we find

00:38:55.679 --> 00:38:56.519
 Abraham here,

00:38:57.039 --> 00:38:58.039
 on the edge

00:38:58.039 --> 00:38:58.619
 of the promised

00:38:58.619 --> 00:38:58.899
 land.

00:38:58.900 --> 00:39:00.039
 Now,

00:39:00.119 --> 00:39:01.099
 remember God's

00:39:01.099 --> 00:39:01.639
 promise to

00:39:01.639 --> 00:39:01.980
 Abraham.

00:39:02.340 --> 00:39:02.860
 He promised

00:39:02.860 --> 00:39:03.220
 to give

00:39:03.220 --> 00:39:04.039
 Abraham a

00:39:04.039 --> 00:39:04.320
 son,

00:39:04.900 --> 00:39:05.559
 to make him

00:39:05.559 --> 00:39:06.039
 into a great

00:39:06.039 --> 00:39:06.420
 nation.

00:39:07.420 --> 00:39:07.820
 There's a

00:39:07.820 --> 00:39:08.380
 promise of a

00:39:08.380 --> 00:39:08.599
 son,

00:39:08.940 --> 00:39:09.400
 and there's

00:39:09.400 --> 00:39:10.000
 also this

00:39:10.000 --> 00:39:11.059
 promise of

00:39:11.059 --> 00:39:11.480
 land.

00:39:12.539 --> 00:39:13.039
 There's also

00:39:13.039 --> 00:39:13.660
 the promise

00:39:13.660 --> 00:39:14.139
 that he will

00:39:14.139 --> 00:39:14.639
 have land.

00:39:14.900 --> 00:39:15.000
 So,

00:39:15.220 --> 00:39:15.940
 in the 25

00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:16.500
 years of

00:39:16.500 --> 00:39:16.760
 waiting,

00:39:16.880 --> 00:39:17.559
 in the 25

00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:18.059
 years,

00:39:18.660 --> 00:39:19.280
 we see

00:39:19.280 --> 00:39:20.160
 part of

00:39:20.160 --> 00:39:20.800
 God's promise

00:39:20.800 --> 00:39:21.180
 fulfilled.

00:39:21.720 --> 00:39:22.160
 We see

00:39:22.160 --> 00:39:22.860
 it's fulfilled

00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:23.440
 in part,

00:39:23.780 --> 00:39:24.280
 that Abraham

00:39:24.280 --> 00:39:25.139
 now has the

00:39:25.139 --> 00:39:25.880
 promised child.

00:39:26.160 --> 00:39:27.079
 He has Isaac.

00:39:27.539 --> 00:39:28.139
 God gave

00:39:28.139 --> 00:39:28.679
 him Isaac,

00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:29.840
 just as he

00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:30.400
 had promised,

00:39:30.519 --> 00:39:31.059
 as he had

00:39:31.059 --> 00:39:31.519
 said at the

00:39:31.519 --> 00:39:32.000
 time that he

00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:32.340
 had said,

00:39:32.819 --> 00:39:33.360
 but yet,

00:39:33.500 --> 00:39:34.099
 we see the

00:39:34.099 --> 00:39:34.759
 other part of

00:39:34.759 --> 00:39:35.239
 the promise

00:39:35.239 --> 00:39:36.579
 is not yet

00:39:36.579 --> 00:39:36.840
 there.

00:39:37.219 --> 00:39:38.039
 Abraham still

00:39:38.039 --> 00:39:38.699
 doesn't have

00:39:38.699 --> 00:39:39.460
 the land.

00:39:39.559 --> 00:39:39.940
 He still

00:39:39.940 --> 00:39:40.360
 doesn't have

00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:40.779
 the promised

00:39:40.779 --> 00:39:41.019
 land.

00:39:41.759 --> 00:39:42.139
 Abraham,

00:39:42.360 --> 00:39:42.860
 he has his

00:39:42.860 --> 00:39:43.400
 well in

00:39:43.400 --> 00:39:43.840
 Beersheba,

00:39:44.079 --> 00:39:44.619
 but he's

00:39:44.619 --> 00:39:45.099
 still a

00:39:45.099 --> 00:39:45.420
 foreigner.

00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:46.119
 He's still

00:39:46.119 --> 00:39:46.659
 this foreigner

00:39:46.659 --> 00:39:47.139
 who has to

00:39:47.139 --> 00:39:48.759
 negotiate with

00:39:48.759 --> 00:39:49.299
 this foreign

00:39:49.299 --> 00:39:50.119
 king for

00:39:50.119 --> 00:39:50.460
 water.

00:39:51.299 --> 00:39:51.799
 The promise

00:39:51.799 --> 00:39:52.460
 is fulfilled

00:39:52.460 --> 00:39:53.400
 already on

00:39:53.400 --> 00:39:53.880
 one hand,

00:39:54.199 --> 00:39:55.139
 but on the

00:39:55.139 --> 00:39:55.639
 other part,

00:39:55.759 --> 00:39:56.199
 not yet.

00:39:57.079 --> 00:39:57.579
 The promised

00:39:57.579 --> 00:39:57.960
 child,

00:39:58.199 --> 00:39:58.500
 but not

00:39:58.500 --> 00:39:58.940
 the promised

00:39:58.940 --> 00:39:59.299
 land.

00:40:00.199 --> 00:40:00.819
 But yet,

00:40:01.019 --> 00:40:01.759
 let's see what

00:40:01.759 --> 00:40:02.500
 Abraham does.

00:40:02.519 --> 00:40:02.960
 Let's see what

00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:03.519
 Abraham does

00:40:03.519 --> 00:40:04.299
 in verse 33.

00:40:05.059 --> 00:40:05.400
 It says,

00:40:05.719 --> 00:40:07.139
 Abraham planted

00:40:07.139 --> 00:40:08.460
 a tamarisk tree

00:40:08.460 --> 00:40:09.279
 in Beersheba

00:40:09.279 --> 00:40:10.219
 and called

00:40:10.219 --> 00:40:11.059
 there on

00:40:11.059 --> 00:40:11.400
 the name

00:40:11.400 --> 00:40:11.719
 of the

00:40:11.719 --> 00:40:11.940
 Lord,

00:40:12.139 --> 00:40:12.880
 the everlasting

00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:13.340
 God.

00:40:14.719 --> 00:40:15.340
 Planted a

00:40:15.340 --> 00:40:15.900
 tree in

00:40:15.900 --> 00:40:16.299
 Beersheba

00:40:16.299 --> 00:40:16.860
 and called

00:40:16.860 --> 00:40:17.139
 on the

00:40:17.139 --> 00:40:17.420
 name of

00:40:17.420 --> 00:40:17.739
 the Lord.

00:40:18.699 --> 00:40:19.279
 So he

00:40:19.279 --> 00:40:19.840
 planted a

00:40:19.840 --> 00:40:19.980
 tree.

00:40:20.139 --> 00:40:20.699
 Why a

00:40:20.699 --> 00:40:20.900
 tree?

00:40:21.759 --> 00:40:22.799
 I have a few

00:40:22.799 --> 00:40:23.480
 plants at home

00:40:23.480 --> 00:40:24.519
 and I'm not

00:40:24.519 --> 00:40:25.219
 an expert at

00:40:25.219 --> 00:40:25.579
 plants.

00:40:25.719 --> 00:40:26.019
 I actually

00:40:26.019 --> 00:40:26.599
 forgot to water

00:40:26.599 --> 00:40:26.960
 them this

00:40:26.960 --> 00:40:27.159
 week.

00:40:27.699 --> 00:40:28.739
 But you

00:40:28.739 --> 00:40:29.159
 don't have

00:40:29.159 --> 00:40:29.880
 to be a

00:40:29.880 --> 00:40:31.079
 gardener to

00:40:31.079 --> 00:40:31.659
 know that it

00:40:31.659 --> 00:40:32.739
 takes time for

00:40:32.739 --> 00:40:33.239
 plants to go.

00:40:33.500 --> 00:40:34.319
 It takes years,

00:40:35.000 --> 00:40:35.460
 decades.

00:40:35.839 --> 00:40:36.239
 Trees don't

00:40:36.239 --> 00:40:36.920
 grow overnight.

00:40:37.519 --> 00:40:37.860
 Trees take

00:40:37.860 --> 00:40:38.519
 time to grow.

00:40:38.940 --> 00:40:39.339
 And once they

00:40:39.339 --> 00:40:39.779
 grow, they

00:40:39.779 --> 00:40:40.440
 could last for

00:40:40.440 --> 00:40:41.039
 50 years,

00:40:41.119 --> 00:40:41.759
 100 years.

00:40:43.519 --> 00:40:44.239
 There's something

00:40:44.239 --> 00:40:45.039
 future looking,

00:40:45.199 --> 00:40:45.799
 forward looking,

00:40:46.039 --> 00:40:46.960
 from this act of

00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:47.659
 planting a tree.

00:40:48.139 --> 00:40:49.019
 It will be years,

00:40:49.219 --> 00:40:50.000
 decades before he

00:40:50.000 --> 00:40:50.579
 can sit under

00:40:50.579 --> 00:40:51.299
 the full shade

00:40:51.299 --> 00:40:52.159
 of the tree.

00:40:52.460 --> 00:40:53.199
 And this tree

00:40:53.199 --> 00:40:54.360
 will provide,

00:40:54.360 --> 00:40:55.160
 it will be good

00:40:55.160 --> 00:40:56.539
 for future

00:40:56.539 --> 00:40:57.200
 generations,

00:40:57.519 --> 00:40:58.220
 for decades,

00:40:58.539 --> 00:40:59.019
 for years.

00:40:59.940 --> 00:41:00.620
 And that's why

00:41:00.620 --> 00:41:01.160
 he plants it.

00:41:01.220 --> 00:41:01.900
 Why does he do

00:41:01.900 --> 00:41:02.180
 it though?

00:41:02.620 --> 00:41:03.460
 It's because he's

00:41:03.460 --> 00:41:04.420
 planting it in

00:41:04.420 --> 00:41:04.740
 faith.

00:41:05.200 --> 00:41:05.860
 He's planting it.

00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:06.740
 Even though he's a

00:41:06.740 --> 00:41:07.340
 foreigner, even

00:41:07.340 --> 00:41:08.000
 though he doesn't

00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:08.720
 own this land,

00:41:08.820 --> 00:41:09.400
 even though he's

00:41:09.400 --> 00:41:10.539
 just a sojourner,

00:41:11.220 --> 00:41:12.200
 he has to negotiate

00:41:12.200 --> 00:41:12.780
 with a foreign

00:41:12.780 --> 00:41:13.059
 king.

00:41:13.320 --> 00:41:14.340
 He trusts that

00:41:14.340 --> 00:41:15.539
 God will fulfill

00:41:15.539 --> 00:41:16.380
 his promise.

00:41:16.539 --> 00:41:17.400
 God will give me

00:41:17.400 --> 00:41:17.860
 the land.

00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:18.620
 He will be good

00:41:18.620 --> 00:41:19.260
 for his promise.

00:41:19.260 --> 00:41:20.180
 And not only

00:41:20.180 --> 00:41:20.640
 did he plant

00:41:20.640 --> 00:41:20.940
 the tree,

00:41:21.040 --> 00:41:21.700
 he worships

00:41:21.700 --> 00:41:22.920
 there and calls

00:41:22.920 --> 00:41:23.480
 on the name

00:41:23.480 --> 00:41:25.280
 of the Lord

00:41:25.280 --> 00:41:25.860
 there, the

00:41:25.860 --> 00:41:26.720
 everlasting God,

00:41:27.000 --> 00:41:27.660
 El Olam,

00:41:27.960 --> 00:41:28.500
 the everlasting

00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:28.900
 God.

00:41:29.060 --> 00:41:29.860
 That is also

00:41:29.860 --> 00:41:30.420
 an act of

00:41:30.420 --> 00:41:31.680
 faith, trusting

00:41:31.680 --> 00:41:32.380
 that God in

00:41:32.380 --> 00:41:32.980
 the future

00:41:32.980 --> 00:41:33.660
 will do what

00:41:33.660 --> 00:41:34.180
 he promised.

00:41:35.020 --> 00:41:35.740
 The everlasting

00:41:35.740 --> 00:41:36.940
 God can fulfill

00:41:36.940 --> 00:41:38.020
 everlasting promises.

00:41:38.860 --> 00:41:39.720
 Even if this

00:41:39.720 --> 00:41:40.400
 tree takes time

00:41:40.400 --> 00:41:41.340
 to grow and

00:41:41.340 --> 00:41:42.860
 Abraham doesn't

00:41:42.860 --> 00:41:43.500
 fully see it,

00:41:43.560 --> 00:41:44.040
 even if this

00:41:44.040 --> 00:41:44.660
 tree outlives

00:41:44.660 --> 00:41:45.500
 him, God's

00:41:45.500 --> 00:41:46.520
 promises will

00:41:46.520 --> 00:41:47.400
 outlast his

00:41:47.400 --> 00:41:47.840
 lifetime.

00:41:47.840 --> 00:41:48.760
 He planted this

00:41:48.760 --> 00:41:49.460
 tree in faith.

00:41:49.720 --> 00:41:50.280
 He was sitting

00:41:50.280 --> 00:41:51.100
 on the edge

00:41:51.100 --> 00:41:51.700
 of the promised

00:41:51.700 --> 00:41:52.660
 land, holding

00:41:52.660 --> 00:41:53.620
 the child of

00:41:53.620 --> 00:41:54.620
 promise, but

00:41:54.620 --> 00:41:55.460
 still foreigners

00:41:55.460 --> 00:41:56.300
 living in

00:41:56.300 --> 00:41:56.580
 tents.

00:41:57.900 --> 00:41:58.580
 He had the

00:41:58.580 --> 00:41:59.300
 promised child,

00:41:59.560 --> 00:41:59.980
 but he was

00:41:59.980 --> 00:42:00.780
 waiting for the

00:42:00.780 --> 00:42:01.660
 promised land.

00:42:02.020 --> 00:42:03.520
 And that is

00:42:03.520 --> 00:42:04.860
 exactly where we

00:42:04.860 --> 00:42:05.600
 are today, too.

00:42:06.340 --> 00:42:07.080
 That's our

00:42:07.080 --> 00:42:07.920
 situation here

00:42:07.920 --> 00:42:08.260
 today.

00:42:08.840 --> 00:42:09.340
 Because if

00:42:09.340 --> 00:42:10.620
 waiting 25 years

00:42:10.620 --> 00:42:11.400
 for Isaac seemed

00:42:11.400 --> 00:42:11.960
 a long time,

00:42:12.780 --> 00:42:13.560
 the world, we

00:42:13.560 --> 00:42:14.380
 waited thousands

00:42:14.380 --> 00:42:15.940
 of years for

00:42:15.940 --> 00:42:16.940
 the true child

00:42:16.940 --> 00:42:17.480
 of promise,

00:42:17.480 --> 00:42:18.760
 for Jesus to

00:42:18.760 --> 00:42:19.659
 come into the

00:42:19.659 --> 00:42:19.940
 picture.

00:42:20.639 --> 00:42:21.179
 And we see that

00:42:21.179 --> 00:42:22.139
 Jesus has already

00:42:22.139 --> 00:42:22.400
 come.

00:42:22.500 --> 00:42:24.340
 He came 2,000

00:42:24.340 --> 00:42:24.760
 years ago.

00:42:24.860 --> 00:42:25.880
 We have this

00:42:25.880 --> 00:42:26.679
 promise on one

00:42:26.679 --> 00:42:26.900
 hand.

00:42:27.159 --> 00:42:28.159
 Jesus came in

00:42:28.159 --> 00:42:28.559
 the flesh.

00:42:28.820 --> 00:42:29.539
 He died on the

00:42:29.539 --> 00:42:30.240
 cross for our

00:42:30.240 --> 00:42:31.280
 sins, just as

00:42:31.280 --> 00:42:32.019
 God has said.

00:42:32.219 --> 00:42:33.079
 And he rose on

00:42:33.079 --> 00:42:33.659
 the third day,

00:42:33.740 --> 00:42:34.740
 just as God had

00:42:34.740 --> 00:42:35.099
 promised.

00:42:35.639 --> 00:42:36.360
 And all the

00:42:36.360 --> 00:42:37.559
 promises of God

00:42:37.559 --> 00:42:38.800
 are yes and

00:42:38.800 --> 00:42:40.079
 amen in Christ.

00:42:40.179 --> 00:42:40.940
 We have this

00:42:40.940 --> 00:42:42.159
 already because the

00:42:42.159 --> 00:42:43.360
 promised child has

00:42:43.360 --> 00:42:43.639
 come.

00:42:43.639 --> 00:42:47.420
 God's promise

00:42:47.420 --> 00:42:48.059
 of the

00:42:48.059 --> 00:42:49.839
 already and the

00:42:49.839 --> 00:42:50.259
 not yet.

00:42:50.480 --> 00:42:51.139
 We have God's

00:42:51.139 --> 00:42:52.000
 promise already,

00:42:52.460 --> 00:42:53.440
 but also not

00:42:53.440 --> 00:42:53.699
 yet.

00:42:54.019 --> 00:42:54.799
 The kingdom of

00:42:54.799 --> 00:42:55.639
 God is here

00:42:55.639 --> 00:42:56.579
 already, but we

00:42:56.579 --> 00:42:57.639
 don't see it fully

00:42:57.639 --> 00:42:58.519
 in its entirety.

00:42:59.039 --> 00:42:59.980
 We know we have

00:42:59.980 --> 00:43:00.699
 the Holy Spirit.

00:43:00.799 --> 00:43:01.239
 We have this

00:43:01.239 --> 00:43:02.519
 guarantee of our

00:43:02.519 --> 00:43:03.000
 inheritance.

00:43:03.259 --> 00:43:04.659
 We have access to

00:43:04.659 --> 00:43:05.599
 God through faith in

00:43:05.599 --> 00:43:05.900
 Jesus.

00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:07.039
 But we know just

00:43:07.039 --> 00:43:08.559
 like after Isaac is

00:43:08.559 --> 00:43:09.159
 born, there's still

00:43:09.159 --> 00:43:09.739
 conflict.

00:43:10.099 --> 00:43:10.559
 There's still

00:43:10.559 --> 00:43:11.460
 brokenness in this

00:43:11.460 --> 00:43:11.619
 world.

00:43:11.619 --> 00:43:12.819
 We still live in

00:43:12.819 --> 00:43:13.679
 that cycle of sin.

00:43:13.779 --> 00:43:14.659
 We still live

00:43:14.659 --> 00:43:15.839
 thinking, why do I

00:43:15.839 --> 00:43:17.119
 still do the same

00:43:17.119 --> 00:43:19.000
 thing that I've

00:43:19.000 --> 00:43:19.579
 been doing for

00:43:19.579 --> 00:43:19.960
 decades?

00:43:20.199 --> 00:43:22.239
 Why is there still

00:43:22.239 --> 00:43:23.099
 brokenness in my

00:43:23.099 --> 00:43:23.420
 life?

00:43:24.199 --> 00:43:25.099
 And it's because

00:43:25.099 --> 00:43:26.239
 we're living in

00:43:26.239 --> 00:43:27.400
 foreigners, as

00:43:27.400 --> 00:43:28.339
 foreigners in the

00:43:28.339 --> 00:43:29.079
 promised land.

00:43:29.319 --> 00:43:30.619
 This world is not

00:43:30.619 --> 00:43:31.239
 our home.

00:43:32.059 --> 00:43:33.099
 We desire a

00:43:33.099 --> 00:43:34.319
 better country, a

00:43:34.319 --> 00:43:35.500
 heavenly one, the

00:43:35.500 --> 00:43:35.920
 city with

00:43:35.920 --> 00:43:37.319
 foundations, whose

00:43:37.319 --> 00:43:38.219
 designer and

00:43:38.219 --> 00:43:39.380
 builders is God.

00:43:39.559 --> 00:43:40.259
 We see in this

00:43:40.259 --> 00:43:40.639
 world the

00:43:40.639 --> 00:43:41.219
 brokenness, and

00:43:41.219 --> 00:43:41.899
 that's a

00:43:41.899 --> 00:43:42.939
 reminder that

00:43:42.939 --> 00:43:44.719
 this isn't our

00:43:44.719 --> 00:43:45.059
 home.

00:43:45.279 --> 00:43:46.259
 We're longing for

00:43:46.259 --> 00:43:46.739
 a taste of

00:43:46.739 --> 00:43:46.939
 home.

00:43:47.719 --> 00:43:48.579
 Just like

00:43:48.579 --> 00:43:49.659
 Abraham planting

00:43:49.659 --> 00:43:50.839
 a tree in

00:43:50.839 --> 00:43:51.279
 Beersheba.

00:43:52.159 --> 00:43:53.099
 We live now

00:43:53.099 --> 00:43:53.839
 between the

00:43:53.839 --> 00:43:54.619
 ready and not

00:43:54.619 --> 00:43:54.839
 yet.

00:43:55.139 --> 00:43:56.139
 How do we do

00:43:56.139 --> 00:43:56.399
 that?

00:43:57.000 --> 00:43:58.399
 How do we live

00:43:58.399 --> 00:43:58.919
 in that tension?

00:43:59.980 --> 00:44:00.879
 We can follow

00:44:00.879 --> 00:44:01.779
 Abraham's faith.

00:44:02.279 --> 00:44:02.719
 We can follow

00:44:02.719 --> 00:44:03.519
 Abraham's faith.

00:44:03.859 --> 00:44:05.480
 First, remember.

00:44:06.599 --> 00:44:06.959
 That's what

00:44:06.959 --> 00:44:07.480
 Abraham does.

00:44:07.559 --> 00:44:07.980
 Remember.

00:44:07.980 --> 00:44:10.599
 Look back and

00:44:10.599 --> 00:44:11.740
 remember God's

00:44:11.740 --> 00:44:12.460
 faithfulness.

00:44:13.000 --> 00:44:13.679
 How did

00:44:13.679 --> 00:44:14.400
 Abraham had

00:44:14.400 --> 00:44:15.820
 faith to plant

00:44:15.820 --> 00:44:16.679
 this tree and

00:44:16.679 --> 00:44:17.019
 worship?

00:44:18.420 --> 00:44:19.219
 You can look

00:44:19.219 --> 00:44:19.740
 back to the

00:44:19.740 --> 00:44:20.240
 beginning of the

00:44:20.240 --> 00:44:20.559
 chapter.

00:44:21.679 --> 00:44:22.619
 Isaac was born

00:44:22.619 --> 00:44:23.900
 just as God

00:44:23.900 --> 00:44:25.579
 had said, just

00:44:25.579 --> 00:44:26.240
 as God has

00:44:26.240 --> 00:44:26.539
 promised.

00:44:27.000 --> 00:44:27.559
 And so we can

00:44:27.559 --> 00:44:29.139
 look forward and

00:44:29.139 --> 00:44:30.240
 trust that he

00:44:30.240 --> 00:44:31.099
 will inherit the

00:44:31.099 --> 00:44:31.619
 land in the

00:44:31.619 --> 00:44:33.460
 future, just as

00:44:33.460 --> 00:44:33.860
 God has

00:44:33.860 --> 00:44:34.159
 promised.

00:44:34.460 --> 00:44:35.000
 He did it

00:44:35.000 --> 00:44:36.340
 before and

00:44:36.340 --> 00:44:36.780
 he'll do it

00:44:36.780 --> 00:44:37.039
 again.

00:44:38.179 --> 00:44:38.539
 When we look

00:44:38.539 --> 00:44:39.159
 at our lives,

00:44:39.800 --> 00:44:40.159
 what's a

00:44:40.159 --> 00:44:41.420
 promise, what's

00:44:41.420 --> 00:44:42.179
 a problem that

00:44:42.179 --> 00:44:42.780
 we have now?

00:44:43.039 --> 00:44:43.619
 What's something

00:44:43.619 --> 00:44:45.079
 that is making

00:44:45.079 --> 00:44:45.920
 us anxious now?

00:44:46.719 --> 00:44:47.159
 Maybe it's

00:44:47.159 --> 00:44:48.460
 finances, where

00:44:48.460 --> 00:44:49.960
 to live, conflict

00:44:49.960 --> 00:44:50.739
 with someone, or

00:44:50.739 --> 00:44:51.579
 that cycle of

00:44:51.579 --> 00:44:52.300
 sin that we

00:44:52.300 --> 00:44:52.880
 still live in.

00:44:53.639 --> 00:44:54.559
 When we see

00:44:54.559 --> 00:44:55.119
 that in our

00:44:55.119 --> 00:44:56.019
 lives, let's

00:44:56.019 --> 00:44:56.500
 face it with

00:44:56.500 --> 00:44:57.480
 faith, like

00:44:57.480 --> 00:44:57.880
 Abraham.

00:44:58.420 --> 00:44:59.519
 Look back at

00:44:59.519 --> 00:45:00.219
 our lives.

00:45:01.079 --> 00:45:01.699
 Remembered when

00:45:01.699 --> 00:45:02.559
 we prayed for

00:45:02.559 --> 00:45:03.599
 something, when

00:45:03.599 --> 00:45:04.139
 we waited.

00:45:05.000 --> 00:45:06.480
 maybe 25

00:45:06.480 --> 00:45:07.420
 years like

00:45:07.420 --> 00:45:07.760
 Isaac.

00:45:08.519 --> 00:45:09.139
 And God

00:45:09.139 --> 00:45:09.760
 answered, and

00:45:09.760 --> 00:45:10.659
 we said, at

00:45:10.659 --> 00:45:11.760
 last, at

00:45:11.760 --> 00:45:12.219
 last this

00:45:12.219 --> 00:45:12.480
 came.

00:45:13.300 --> 00:45:13.940
 If he was

00:45:13.940 --> 00:45:15.739
 faithful then, he

00:45:15.739 --> 00:45:16.280
 will be faithful

00:45:16.280 --> 00:45:16.619
 now.

00:45:17.920 --> 00:45:19.099
 And the

00:45:19.099 --> 00:45:19.800
 thing that we

00:45:19.800 --> 00:45:20.440
 can look back

00:45:20.440 --> 00:45:21.000
 to the most, the

00:45:21.000 --> 00:45:21.739
 solid hope that

00:45:21.739 --> 00:45:22.619
 we have, is we

00:45:22.619 --> 00:45:23.099
 can look back

00:45:23.099 --> 00:45:24.719
 2,000 years to

00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:25.360
 what Jesus did

00:45:25.360 --> 00:45:26.320
 on the cross, and

00:45:26.320 --> 00:45:26.800
 know that if

00:45:26.800 --> 00:45:27.820
 God gave us

00:45:27.820 --> 00:45:28.500
 his son, if

00:45:28.500 --> 00:45:28.980
 he was willing

00:45:28.980 --> 00:45:29.900
 to do that, if

00:45:29.900 --> 00:45:30.880
 he was willing to

00:45:30.880 --> 00:45:32.260
 send his son to

00:45:32.260 --> 00:45:32.960
 die for us and

00:45:32.960 --> 00:45:33.460
 rise from the

00:45:33.460 --> 00:45:34.599
 dead, if I can

00:45:34.599 --> 00:45:35.259
 trust God with

00:45:35.259 --> 00:45:36.440
 my soul, and

00:45:36.440 --> 00:45:37.239
 I can trust him

00:45:37.239 --> 00:45:37.719
 with anything

00:45:37.719 --> 00:45:38.099
 else.

00:45:38.699 --> 00:45:39.360
 If God went

00:45:39.360 --> 00:45:39.940
 through all this

00:45:39.940 --> 00:45:40.599
 pain and effort

00:45:40.599 --> 00:45:41.900
 to save me, then

00:45:41.900 --> 00:45:42.799
 he will surely

00:45:42.799 --> 00:45:43.819
 take me home.

00:45:43.900 --> 00:45:44.579
 He won't waste

00:45:44.579 --> 00:45:44.819
 that.

00:45:45.659 --> 00:45:46.400
 He will finish

00:45:46.400 --> 00:45:47.239
 the good work he

00:45:47.239 --> 00:45:48.219
 began in me and

00:45:48.219 --> 00:45:48.759
 take me home.

00:45:48.839 --> 00:45:49.679
 We can hold on to

00:45:49.679 --> 00:45:50.239
 that promise.

00:45:51.259 --> 00:45:52.079
 We remember, and

00:45:52.079 --> 00:45:52.719
 also we can

00:45:52.719 --> 00:45:53.159
 rejoice.

00:45:53.960 --> 00:45:54.679
 We can rejoice.

00:45:55.119 --> 00:45:55.900
 When we remember,

00:45:56.259 --> 00:45:57.960
 that should move us

00:45:57.960 --> 00:45:58.400
 to worship.

00:45:58.759 --> 00:46:00.039
 Like Abraham, when

00:46:00.039 --> 00:46:01.279
 he saw God's

00:46:01.279 --> 00:46:02.179
 promise fulfilled,

00:46:02.179 --> 00:46:03.399
 Isaac came,

00:46:03.559 --> 00:46:04.339
 something that was

00:46:04.339 --> 00:46:05.699
 impossible, he

00:46:05.699 --> 00:46:06.980
 laughed, and he

00:46:06.980 --> 00:46:08.039
 called on the name

00:46:08.039 --> 00:46:08.779
 of the Lord, El

00:46:08.779 --> 00:46:09.519
 Olam, and

00:46:09.519 --> 00:46:10.359
 worshipped the

00:46:10.359 --> 00:46:11.059
 everlasting God

00:46:11.059 --> 00:46:11.480
 with joy.

00:46:12.480 --> 00:46:13.539
 And we also, when

00:46:13.539 --> 00:46:14.079
 we see God's

00:46:14.079 --> 00:46:14.639
 promise fulfilled,

00:46:15.079 --> 00:46:16.419
 we can rejoice with

00:46:16.419 --> 00:46:17.419
 joy that is

00:46:17.419 --> 00:46:18.839
 inexpressible and

00:46:18.839 --> 00:46:19.619
 filled with glory.

00:46:20.219 --> 00:46:21.059
 God's faithfulness

00:46:21.059 --> 00:46:21.919
 moves us to

00:46:21.919 --> 00:46:22.619
 worship with joy.

00:46:23.699 --> 00:46:24.819
 And also, we

00:46:24.819 --> 00:46:25.519
 respond.

00:46:25.719 --> 00:46:27.319
 We respond in

00:46:27.319 --> 00:46:27.779
 obedience.

00:46:27.780 --> 00:46:30.860
 Abraham obeyed,

00:46:31.720 --> 00:46:33.360
 named his son

00:46:33.360 --> 00:46:34.760
 Isaac, circumcised

00:46:34.760 --> 00:46:36.360
 his son Isaac, and

00:46:36.360 --> 00:46:39.240
 he obeyed, and

00:46:39.240 --> 00:46:40.400
 he responded by

00:46:40.400 --> 00:46:41.400
 worshipping and

00:46:41.400 --> 00:46:42.140
 planting this tree.

00:46:42.960 --> 00:46:43.700
 What are we

00:46:43.700 --> 00:46:45.019
 relying on to

00:46:45.019 --> 00:46:45.660
 build our home

00:46:45.660 --> 00:46:45.900
 here?

00:46:46.960 --> 00:46:48.000
 God told Abraham,

00:46:48.180 --> 00:46:48.880
 it's not through,

00:46:49.240 --> 00:46:50.000
 your future won't

00:46:50.000 --> 00:46:50.880
 be through Ishmael,

00:46:51.000 --> 00:46:51.680
 not through your

00:46:51.680 --> 00:46:53.080
 efforts, but only

00:46:53.080 --> 00:46:54.480
 through my grace

00:46:54.480 --> 00:46:55.500
 and promises.

00:46:55.500 --> 00:46:57.239
 Where are we

00:46:57.239 --> 00:46:57.559
 trying to

00:46:57.559 --> 00:46:58.380
 manufacture our

00:46:58.380 --> 00:46:58.840
 security?

00:46:59.519 --> 00:47:00.079
 What are our

00:47:00.079 --> 00:47:00.719
 backup plans?

00:47:01.760 --> 00:47:02.840
 And we trust

00:47:02.840 --> 00:47:04.139
 Jesus will come

00:47:04.139 --> 00:47:04.460
 again.

00:47:05.219 --> 00:47:06.059
 The call today

00:47:06.059 --> 00:47:08.739
 is don't be

00:47:08.739 --> 00:47:09.719
 satisfied with

00:47:09.719 --> 00:47:10.599
 what's here and

00:47:10.599 --> 00:47:10.860
 now.

00:47:12.460 --> 00:47:13.440
 Don't be like

00:47:13.440 --> 00:47:14.400
 Lot's wife, who

00:47:14.400 --> 00:47:15.679
 turned back, whose

00:47:15.679 --> 00:47:16.920
 hearts were tied

00:47:16.920 --> 00:47:17.780
 up with this world

00:47:17.780 --> 00:47:18.579
 that's going up in

00:47:18.579 --> 00:47:18.900
 flames.

00:47:20.039 --> 00:47:20.519
 But to look

00:47:20.519 --> 00:47:21.920
 forward to the

00:47:21.920 --> 00:47:22.539
 city to come.

00:47:23.420 --> 00:47:23.920
 And when our

00:47:23.920 --> 00:47:24.739
 eyes are set on

00:47:24.739 --> 00:47:25.460
 heaven, that

00:47:25.460 --> 00:47:26.579
 moves us to

00:47:26.579 --> 00:47:26.860
 obey.

00:47:27.159 --> 00:47:27.539
 Are we

00:47:27.539 --> 00:47:28.300
 investing all

00:47:28.300 --> 00:47:29.360
 our energy into

00:47:29.360 --> 00:47:30.500
 temporary homes,

00:47:31.340 --> 00:47:31.980
 into tents?

00:47:32.760 --> 00:47:33.980
 Or are we

00:47:33.980 --> 00:47:35.480
 planting seeds in

00:47:35.480 --> 00:47:36.599
 the kingdom of

00:47:36.599 --> 00:47:37.460
 heaven, planting

00:47:37.460 --> 00:47:38.320
 trees like

00:47:38.320 --> 00:47:38.780
 Abraham?

00:47:39.079 --> 00:47:39.820
 That might look

00:47:39.820 --> 00:47:40.800
 like discipling the

00:47:40.800 --> 00:47:41.519
 next generation

00:47:41.519 --> 00:47:43.880
 in Kidswell at

00:47:43.880 --> 00:47:45.619
 GU, knowing that

00:47:45.619 --> 00:47:46.380
 it might take years

00:47:46.380 --> 00:47:47.039
 to bear fruit,

00:47:47.960 --> 00:47:48.480
 could be giving

00:47:48.480 --> 00:47:50.019
 sacrificially to

00:47:50.019 --> 00:47:51.159
 support people,

00:47:51.260 --> 00:47:51.740
 spreading the

00:47:51.740 --> 00:47:53.500
 gospel to people

00:47:53.500 --> 00:47:54.179
 we will never see

00:47:54.179 --> 00:47:54.659
 in our lives,

00:47:55.199 --> 00:47:55.960
 in places that

00:47:55.960 --> 00:47:56.419
 we will never

00:47:56.419 --> 00:47:58.059
 visit, but that

00:47:58.059 --> 00:47:58.899
 we will see in

00:47:58.899 --> 00:47:59.239
 eternity.

00:47:59.480 --> 00:48:00.119
 What will we

00:48:00.119 --> 00:48:01.199
 sow in light of

00:48:01.199 --> 00:48:01.539
 eternity?

00:48:02.719 --> 00:48:03.879
 And that wait

00:48:03.879 --> 00:48:04.619
 might feel long

00:48:04.619 --> 00:48:04.839
 now.

00:48:05.359 --> 00:48:06.719
 It was 25 years

00:48:06.719 --> 00:48:07.299
 for Isaac.

00:48:08.239 --> 00:48:09.059
 It was a thousand

00:48:09.059 --> 00:48:10.279
 years for Christ.

00:48:10.379 --> 00:48:11.219
 And we're still

00:48:11.219 --> 00:48:12.319
 waiting.

00:48:12.480 --> 00:48:13.500
 We're waiting for

00:48:13.500 --> 00:48:14.359
 Christ to return

00:48:14.359 --> 00:48:15.519
 a second time.

00:48:15.639 --> 00:48:16.039
 But we know

00:48:16.039 --> 00:48:16.579
 there's one thing

00:48:16.579 --> 00:48:18.159
 for sure, that

00:48:18.159 --> 00:48:19.299
 Christ has come

00:48:19.300 --> 00:48:20.740
 and he will come

00:48:20.740 --> 00:48:21.019
 again.

00:48:21.620 --> 00:48:22.580
 One day, this

00:48:22.580 --> 00:48:23.519
 wait will finally

00:48:23.519 --> 00:48:24.940
 be over and it

00:48:24.940 --> 00:48:25.780
 will be worth it.

00:48:26.760 --> 00:48:27.320
 It will be better

00:48:27.320 --> 00:48:28.060
 than a bite of

00:48:28.060 --> 00:48:30.180
 Jollibee's, better

00:48:30.180 --> 00:48:31.060
 than a matcha

00:48:31.060 --> 00:48:32.420
 latte because we

00:48:32.420 --> 00:48:33.660
 won't just get a

00:48:33.660 --> 00:48:34.620
 taste of home.

00:48:35.300 --> 00:48:36.120
 It won't just be a

00:48:36.120 --> 00:48:36.660
 taste of home.

00:48:36.720 --> 00:48:38.000
 We will finally be

00:48:38.000 --> 00:48:38.360
 home.

00:48:38.519 --> 00:48:39.140
 We will see him

00:48:39.140 --> 00:48:41.000
 face to face in his

00:48:41.000 --> 00:48:41.940
 presence with

00:48:41.940 --> 00:48:42.820
 fullness of joy.

00:48:43.920 --> 00:48:45.100
 God has promised

00:48:45.100 --> 00:48:47.080
 and we can take him

00:48:47.079 --> 00:48:48.079
 at his word.

00:48:48.759 --> 00:48:49.460
 So let's follow

00:48:49.460 --> 00:48:50.279
 the footsteps of

00:48:50.279 --> 00:48:51.099
 Abraham and faith

00:48:51.099 --> 00:48:52.119
 between the two

00:48:52.119 --> 00:48:55.559
 promises and trust

00:48:55.559 --> 00:48:57.579
 and live with faith.

00:48:58.259 --> 00:48:58.900
 Let's pray.