WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.259
 Tonight, we're going to finish our series in the story of Abraham in Genesis.

00:00:10.599 --> 00:00:14.640
 If you want to turn to your Bible, Genesis is the first book of the Bible, and we're

00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:16.620
 going to look at chapter 25.

00:00:17.940 --> 00:00:21.320
 The first, nope, yes, chapter 25.

00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:26.500
 So we're going to be looking at the first 11 verses of that if you want to look at there.

00:00:27.460 --> 00:00:31.399
 As we start, you know, I don't know if you've thought about this, but as we've looked through

00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:36.980
 this whole story, one of the interesting questions in studying particularly the Pentateuch is

00:00:36.980 --> 00:00:39.980
 to think through when was it written and who was it written for?

00:00:40.460 --> 00:00:44.900
 Because the Bible always tells history, and it tells true history, but it tells history

00:00:44.900 --> 00:00:48.019
 with a purpose, often with a pastoral purpose.

00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:54.920
 And I'm pretty confident that Moses wrote at least 99% of the Pentateuch.

00:00:54.920 --> 00:00:58.460
 The last part that talks about his death, he probably didn't write, although, you know,

00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:00.219
 God may have inspired him to write that too.

00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:06.820
 But if he didn't, the rest of it is all things that he wrote, which means that most likely

00:01:06.820 --> 00:01:13.500
 this book was written either as Israel was wandering through the wilderness for 40 years,

00:01:13.700 --> 00:01:19.640
 or as they're coming up to the brink of a promised land, knowing that they're entering into a land

00:01:19.640 --> 00:01:23.159
 that is full of people who probably aren't going to welcome them.

00:01:24.040 --> 00:01:28.700
 And there's a whole set of uncertainty that came with that.

00:01:28.780 --> 00:01:34.060
 And if you know the story of how the Israels handled that, they didn't handle it well.

00:01:34.460 --> 00:01:35.379
 They were afraid.

00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:37.040
 They grumbled and complained.

00:01:37.340 --> 00:01:40.319
 They fled in fear when God said, move forward in faith.

00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:47.539
 They struggled over and over again to believe that God would actually be faithful to his promises,

00:01:47.939 --> 00:01:54.179
 that God would actually take them into this promised land that he had said that he would.

00:01:55.879 --> 00:02:00.379
 They didn't see God at work necessarily in the day-to-day of their lives.

00:02:00.819 --> 00:02:04.560
 And so they wondered, will God come through for us?

00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:06.699
 Will God actually do it?

00:02:06.700 --> 00:02:09.960
 Maybe you've been there.

00:02:11.300 --> 00:02:13.080
 Maybe you're there even tonight.

00:02:13.979 --> 00:02:15.439
 Will God come through?

00:02:15.939 --> 00:02:17.500
 Will he really be faithful?

00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:19.460
 Can we really trust him?

00:02:20.480 --> 00:02:24.439
 Will he really have good things for me in this new place that I've moved to?

00:02:25.219 --> 00:02:33.620
 Will he really comfort me and carry me through seasons of sorrow and loss, depression or loneliness?

00:02:36.699 --> 00:02:40.159
 Will God really love me to the end?

00:02:41.119 --> 00:02:43.079
 Even when I'm a nobody?

00:02:45.819 --> 00:02:51.739
 Can God really wipe away my sins as bad as they really are?

00:02:54.159 --> 00:03:01.819
 Can God really give me a better life than the life that I can get by ignoring him and going after it all myself?

00:03:01.819 --> 00:03:12.019
 Will God really watch over me if I am faithful to him, regardless of the cost?

00:03:12.020 --> 00:03:19.320
 These are questions that have risen in my heart at various seasons in my life.

00:03:21.140 --> 00:03:22.860
 God, are you really going to come through?

00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:28.480
 I think as we look at this text tonight, it speaks powerfully to that.

00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:33.420
 So we're going to look at, we're going to read Genesis 25 verses 1 through 11.

00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:37.180
 We're going to read it and then I'm going to pray and then we're going to dive in and look at it.

00:03:37.180 --> 00:03:43.920
 So you can bear with me as I'm going to do my best with these names.

00:03:44.040 --> 00:03:44.340
 You ready?

00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:44.819
 Here we go.

00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:45.819
 All right.

00:03:45.980 --> 00:03:49.740
 So Abraham took another wife whose name was Keturah.

00:03:50.379 --> 00:03:57.700
 She bore him Zimram, Jokshan, Midan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shua.

00:03:58.540 --> 00:04:00.879
 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan.

00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:06.780
 The father of Dedan was Asherim, Letushim, and Leumim.

00:04:07.659 --> 00:04:16.759
 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Ephor, Hinnok, Abida, and Eldah.

00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:19.500
 All these were the children of Keturah.

00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:23.120
 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac.

00:04:23.579 --> 00:04:27.319
 But to the sons of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts.

00:04:27.319 --> 00:04:33.439
 And while he was still living, he sent them away from his son Isaac eastward to the east country.

00:04:34.459 --> 00:04:39.719
 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years.

00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:48.779
 Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man full of years, and was gathered to his people.

00:04:48.779 --> 00:05:00.079
 Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the came of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar, the Hittite, east of Mamre.

00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:03.139
 The field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites.

00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:06.459
 There Abraham was buried with Sarah, his wife.

00:05:07.399 --> 00:05:15.259
 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac, his son, and Isaac settled at Bir Lahai Roy.

00:05:15.259 --> 00:05:16.959
 Let's pray.

00:05:17.800 --> 00:05:24.879
 Lord, thank you for your word, and thank you that in its dramatic, momentous, and its more mundane parts,

00:05:25.099 --> 00:05:28.139
 Lord, you speak to us, and you reveal yourself to us.

00:05:28.420 --> 00:05:32.099
 Lord, I pray tonight as we look at this passage for a few minutes together,

00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:35.599
 that you will help us to see what kind of God you are.

00:05:36.199 --> 00:05:39.360
 Lord, and that you will strengthen us in our walk of faith through that.

00:05:39.699 --> 00:05:41.259
 We pray this in Jesus' name.

00:05:42.019 --> 00:05:42.300
 Amen.

00:05:42.300 --> 00:05:42.460
 Amen.

00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:48.879
 Okay, so you might have thought after that grand introduction that we were going to get a grand passage,

00:05:49.100 --> 00:05:50.699
 and we don't, do we?

00:05:50.819 --> 00:05:54.199
 We have a very mundane passage here, don't we?

00:05:54.400 --> 00:05:59.259
 It's a little bit about this, and a little bit about that, and there are no grand pronouncements.

00:05:59.259 --> 00:06:11.860
 And yet there are, in the midst of it, little clues where the writer is tying up threads that have woven through the story.

00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:20.259
 And in tying up those threads, he's answering the question that any story reader would have thought,

00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:24.560
 if you're reading this for the first time, well, Abraham has died.

00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:26.839
 What's going to happen now?

00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:31.519
 This was, you know, there were promises to him, like, how is this going to go forward?

00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:36.720
 And in the midst of it, the writer is reminding us about who God is.

00:06:36.780 --> 00:06:43.139
 In fact, I think that the writer is reminding us about the things that Abraham had learned about God.

00:06:43.139 --> 00:06:50.319
 That God would be a faithful God, worthy of faith and trust to the very end.

00:06:50.599 --> 00:06:56.159
 So let's look at the signs of God's faithfulness in this text as we remember God's story together.

00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:01.719
 So first, the first thing we see, and we see this in verses 1 through 6,

00:07:01.819 --> 00:07:10.740
 is that God fulfilled his promise to Abraham to make him the father of many nations and to be a blessing.

00:07:10.740 --> 00:07:11.300
 Okay?

00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:16.660
 So, we look through this, and there's this whole thing.

00:07:16.780 --> 00:07:19.600
 Do you remember, first, let's go back and just remember the promises.

00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:21.759
 Chapter 12, verse 2.

00:07:22.060 --> 00:07:23.480
 This is what God said to Abraham.

00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:29.840
 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great so that you will be a blessing.

00:07:30.340 --> 00:07:34.560
 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you, I will curse you.

00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:37.939
 And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

00:07:37.939 --> 00:07:43.339
 And then again, later in chapter 17, verses 4 and 5, he picked up and he said,

00:07:43.500 --> 00:07:49.899
 And God said to him, Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.

00:07:50.220 --> 00:07:53.939
 No longer shall you be called Abram, but your name shall be called Abraham.

00:07:54.800 --> 00:07:59.019
 For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

00:08:00.379 --> 00:08:00.860
 Okay?

00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:04.040
 So, when we look at verses 1 through 6, what do we get?

00:08:04.300 --> 00:08:13.220
 Basically, we get an account of here to, previously up to now, never heard of, oh, by the way, there was another woman.

00:08:13.960 --> 00:08:16.080
 Oh, and who was she, and what the heck?

00:08:16.340 --> 00:08:17.560
 So, here's the thing I want you to say.

00:08:17.620 --> 00:08:19.139
 Don't get distracted by that.

00:08:19.660 --> 00:08:19.840
 Right?

00:08:20.020 --> 00:08:22.259
 Verse 1 says she was a wife.

00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:24.360
 Verse, which one?

00:08:24.460 --> 00:08:26.259
 Verse 5, 6.

00:08:26.259 --> 00:08:30.319
 Verse 5 seems to be referring to her actually as a concubine.

00:08:30.500 --> 00:08:35.960
 It is clear from the story that Abraham must have known her for a long time.

00:08:36.039 --> 00:08:37.879
 She was a part of the household for a long time.

00:08:37.939 --> 00:08:42.120
 Because do you remember when God came to Abraham when he was 100 and said,

00:08:42.419 --> 00:08:43.360
 I'm going to give you a son?

00:08:43.439 --> 00:08:44.539
 And what did Abraham say?

00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:46.779
 Uh-uh, that doesn't happen anymore.

00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:48.840
 The plumbing doesn't work.

00:08:48.899 --> 00:08:50.059
 I can't do that.

00:08:50.539 --> 00:08:50.879
 Right?

00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:54.080
 You're going to have to do a miracle for that to happen.

00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:59.620
 Which means that Keturah was on the scene even before then.

00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:01.820
 We don't know anything else about her.

00:09:02.139 --> 00:09:07.200
 We don't know a lot about God's intent.

00:09:07.800 --> 00:09:14.080
 We need to recognize that God in the Old Testament is often descriptive and not prescriptive.

00:09:14.160 --> 00:09:19.379
 So, this isn't license for us to go out and get a second wife when we are struggling with fertility.

00:09:19.940 --> 00:09:21.500
 Just to sort of throw it out there.

00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:34.080
 Like, this is, this is, so, what it is though is it's saying that God in his grace would use someone even like Abraham with all of his faults.

00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:35.379
 And we've seen his faults.

00:09:35.820 --> 00:09:39.399
 He already tried to produce an heir through Hagar.

00:09:39.820 --> 00:09:42.539
 Here we see another, what I would say is a fault.

00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:46.159
 But again, the Bible, he's, the writer here isn't dwelling on it.

00:09:46.179 --> 00:09:50.179
 He's just being factual about, hey, by the way, this was also true about Abraham.

00:09:50.179 --> 00:09:52.479
 So, why does he say it?

00:09:53.059 --> 00:09:55.939
 If it's not a moral story about do this or don't do this.

00:09:56.139 --> 00:10:02.299
 He says it because he wants to, he wants to show you that at the very end of Abraham's life,

00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:05.759
 God had fulfilled his promises to Abraham.

00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:08.099
 Suddenly, he had all these children.

00:10:08.639 --> 00:10:11.979
 Oh, by the way, there, it wasn't just Isaac and Ishmael anymore.

00:10:12.099 --> 00:10:14.079
 There were all, there were other children as well.

00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:20.980
 And likely, Midian was the father of the Midianites, who were people who lived on the Arabian Peninsula.

00:10:22.740 --> 00:10:26.120
 We don't know what happened with the rest of these descendants.

00:10:26.620 --> 00:10:28.379
 But what do we see in this text?

00:10:28.500 --> 00:10:29.360
 Look with me again.

00:10:29.960 --> 00:10:31.379
 What did Abraham do for them?

00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:34.600
 First of all, he blessed them.

00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:36.840
 He gave them gifts.

00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:40.259
 He, out of the bounty of what God had given him.

00:10:40.259 --> 00:10:42.299
 Remember, Abraham seemed to be a pretty wealthy guy.

00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:45.480
 He gave them good gifts and blessed them.

00:10:46.100 --> 00:10:48.399
 And the second thing he did is he sent them away.

00:10:48.980 --> 00:10:52.059
 And we'll pick this up in point three, so I'm not going to dwell on it now.

00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:57.399
 But he sent them back to his homeland, back east, to where he came from originally,

00:10:58.120 --> 00:11:03.399
 so that they would live in a good land where he knew they would be well provided for,

00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:11.639
 yet not dwelling in the very land of promise that would be a greater fulfillment of other parts of God's promises to them.

00:11:14.120 --> 00:11:20.439
 So we see the fulfillment of him being a blessing and a father of many nations.

00:11:21.899 --> 00:11:26.399
 And do you see God's character in being overflowing in this?

00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:30.720
 God isn't saying, hey, I've got a very strict plan and all these other things.

00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:34.000
 Oh, I'm sorry, you, Ishmael, you're not a part of it.

00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:36.379
 These children of Keturah, no, I'm sorry, you're not part of it.

00:11:36.440 --> 00:11:38.019
 So you get thrown in the trash heap.

00:11:38.220 --> 00:11:41.580
 That's how we would think God would work, is that he'd just throw those people off.

00:11:41.740 --> 00:11:42.820
 But it's not true.

00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:49.680
 Instead, God in his abundant riches blesses Abraham and makes him a blessing to all of these children,

00:11:49.920 --> 00:11:54.680
 even the ones that aren't the ones through whom God is going to work his great work in the world.

00:11:54.679 --> 00:12:00.419
 And this is the character of the God that Abraham had faith in.

00:12:02.899 --> 00:12:08.419
 So that's the first thing we see, that God was faithful to that promise.

00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:11.579
 Secondly, look with me in verses 7 through 10.

00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:20.659
 Verses 7 through 10, we see that God gave Abraham a greater sense of a down payment

00:12:20.659 --> 00:12:23.959
 on the land that he had promised him.

00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:29.800
 Do you remember back in chapter 12, again, God comes and this is the promise he gave.

00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:35.139
 God led Abraham to Canaan and it says this in 12.5.

00:12:35.660 --> 00:12:41.420
 When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem,

00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:43.440
 to the oak of Morah.

00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:46.180
 At that time, the Canaanites were in the land.

00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:51.519
 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said to your offspring, I will give this land.

00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:54.939
 Now look, here's the thing.

00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:59.860
 At the end of Abraham's life, they had not gotten the land, right?

00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:04.500
 Even the audience, the Israelites having gone to Egypt, been delivered and brought back,

00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:07.779
 they hadn't received the fullness of this promise.

00:13:07.980 --> 00:13:11.460
 And yet, the author wants you to know,

00:13:11.460 --> 00:13:15.580
 oh no, but God has been, God has shown that he will be faithful because,

00:13:16.280 --> 00:13:18.080
 do you remember the story in chapter 23?

00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:19.840
 Greg preached it in a couple weeks ago.

00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:24.639
 But the writer makes sure we know exactly where Abraham was buried.

00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:26.060
 He was buried with Sarah.

00:13:26.340 --> 00:13:30.200
 He was buried in a plot of land that did not belong to anyone else.

00:13:31.580 --> 00:13:33.460
 Again, go back and read 23 and you'll see,

00:13:33.460 --> 00:13:38.580
 Abraham insisted that he buy it and purchase it and own it as his very own.

00:13:39.019 --> 00:13:41.820
 And God gave him favor to be able to do that.

00:13:42.259 --> 00:13:46.500
 And that little plot of land with a grave, with a cave,

00:13:47.019 --> 00:13:49.700
 in which Abraham and Sarah were buried,

00:13:50.060 --> 00:13:52.080
 was God's down payment saying,

00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:54.560
 I will give you this land one day.

00:13:54.980 --> 00:13:56.840
 I have not forgotten my promise.

00:13:56.980 --> 00:13:59.000
 And even though you can't see it yet,

00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:03.080
 this is the foretaste of what I'm doing.

00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:10.279
 It reminds us of what the writer of Hebrews says in chapter 11,

00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:12.539
 that great chapter about the hall of faith,

00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:14.980
 about Abraham and others like him.

00:14:16.299 --> 00:14:18.000
 These all died in faith,

00:14:18.460 --> 00:14:20.620
 not having received the things promised,

00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:24.120
 but having seen them and greeted them from afar,

00:14:24.379 --> 00:14:28.279
 and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:32.419
 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:35.679
 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out,

00:14:36.079 --> 00:14:38.059
 they would have had an opportunity to return.

00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:39.559
 But as it is,

00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:41.759
 they desire a better country,

00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:43.220
 that is a heavenly one.

00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:43.899
 Therefore,

00:14:44.100 --> 00:14:46.839
 God is not ashamed to be called their God,

00:14:46.939 --> 00:14:49.120
 for he has prepared for them a city.

00:14:50.019 --> 00:14:51.939
 What the writer of the Hebrews does

00:14:51.939 --> 00:14:54.079
 is take this little promise of a plan,

00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:55.539
 of land,

00:14:55.539 --> 00:14:58.939
 of a physical place where God's people will dwell.

00:14:59.240 --> 00:15:00.919
 And he blows it open to say,

00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:01.500
 look,

00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:08.240
 those who know God on this earth know that no place on this earth is actually their final home.

00:15:09.079 --> 00:15:12.459
 There are strangers and exiles on this earth as long as they live,

00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:14.259
 because they're looking forward,

00:15:14.339 --> 00:15:17.860
 because they know that the homeland that their hearts are longing for

00:15:17.860 --> 00:15:21.440
 is so much greater than anything that they've seen on this earth

00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:23.560
 that is in fact heaven.

00:15:24.019 --> 00:15:25.740
 And that's where they have set their hope.

00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:28.879
 And that's where they have set their desire.

00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:29.800
 And so,

00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:31.379
 as they live here,

00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:35.439
 they have these little foretastes

00:15:35.439 --> 00:15:37.200
 of what is to come.

00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:42.000
 I wonder if you've experienced a foretaste of heaven

00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:43.320
 in your life.

00:15:44.580 --> 00:15:47.139
 I think it can take all sorts of different forms.

00:15:50.580 --> 00:15:53.379
 Stand at the base of the Rocky Mountains

00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:56.840
 and look up at the majesty and grandeur of God's creation

00:15:56.840 --> 00:16:01.600
 and know it's just a taste of how glorious the world was

00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:03.700
 before the fall came in.

00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:08.820
 Maybe it's sitting around with some good friends

00:16:08.820 --> 00:16:12.580
 after supper with a fire in the fireplace

00:16:12.580 --> 00:16:14.240
 on a cold winter evening

00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:16.759
 talking and sharing,

00:16:17.100 --> 00:16:20.120
 deeply connecting with each other and with the Lord,

00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:24.759
 talking about significant and life things together.

00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:27.860
 And the sweetness of that connection with friends

00:16:27.860 --> 00:16:29.799
 and fellowship with God

00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:31.580
 is a foretaste.

00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:35.460
 Maybe it's sitting in the symphony hall

00:16:35.460 --> 00:16:39.039
 listening to Beethoven's Ninth

00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:43.559
 swell and move and stir your soul.

00:16:45.299 --> 00:16:46.819
 A foretaste.

00:16:47.179 --> 00:16:49.700
 There are so many different ways and different places

00:16:49.700 --> 00:16:52.299
 where we experience foretastes of heaven.

00:16:52.299 --> 00:16:57.219
 We experience it when we've sinned against our friend

00:16:57.219 --> 00:16:58.599
 and we go to them and say,

00:16:58.859 --> 00:17:01.159
 I'm sorry, it was wrong.

00:17:01.379 --> 00:17:02.419
 Will you forgive me?

00:17:03.079 --> 00:17:04.279
 And they look at you

00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:06.659
 with tears in their eyes

00:17:06.659 --> 00:17:07.720
 and they say, I do.

00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:09.159
 I forgive you.

00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:12.720
 This is a foretaste of heaven.

00:17:13.639 --> 00:17:15.440
 This is what it will be like

00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:17.220
 forever

00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:18.859
 in all of it.

00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:21.519
 C.S. Lewis in The Weight of Glory writes this,

00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:23.299
 the books or the music

00:17:23.299 --> 00:17:24.440
 in which we thought

00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:27.180
 the beauty was located in

00:17:27.180 --> 00:17:28.619
 will betray us

00:17:28.619 --> 00:17:30.339
 if we trust to them.

00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:31.099
 He's writing about

00:17:31.099 --> 00:17:32.859
 these kind of foretastes

00:17:32.859 --> 00:17:33.799
 and these experiences.

00:17:34.539 --> 00:17:36.480
 It was not in them,

00:17:36.539 --> 00:17:38.099
 it only came through them.

00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:39.639
 And what came through them

00:17:39.639 --> 00:17:40.379
 was longing.

00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:41.599
 These things,

00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:42.099
 beauty,

00:17:42.299 --> 00:17:43.559
 the memory of our own past,

00:17:43.639 --> 00:17:44.519
 are good images

00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:46.379
 of what we really desire.

00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:48.840
 But if they are mistaken

00:17:48.840 --> 00:17:50.140
 for the thing itself,

00:17:50.280 --> 00:17:52.080
 they turn into dumb idols,

00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.700
 breaking the hearts

00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:54.720
 of their worshipers.

00:17:54.980 --> 00:17:55.780
 Do you see what he's saying?

00:17:55.840 --> 00:17:56.200
 He's saying,

00:17:56.580 --> 00:17:57.440
 if you long

00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:58.660
 for these things,

00:17:58.740 --> 00:17:59.340
 for friends

00:17:59.340 --> 00:18:00.160
 or for music

00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:01.560
 or for nature

00:18:01.560 --> 00:18:03.440
 to bear the weight of heaven,

00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:05.060
 if you try to ask them

00:18:05.060 --> 00:18:05.480
 to do that,

00:18:05.520 --> 00:18:06.460
 they can't do it.

00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:08.000
 He says this,

00:18:08.080 --> 00:18:08.980
 for they are not

00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:10.360
 the thing itself.

00:18:10.420 --> 00:18:11.200
 That is that thing

00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:12.300
 that we most desire

00:18:12.300 --> 00:18:12.940
 in our hearts.

00:18:13.660 --> 00:18:14.720
 They are only a scent

00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:15.420
 of a flower

00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:16.980
 we have not found,

00:18:17.339 --> 00:18:18.880
 the echo of a tune

00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:20.180
 we have not heard,

00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:22.279
 news from a country

00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:24.940
 we have never yet visited.

00:18:29.140 --> 00:18:33.839
 God gave Abraham

00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:36.160
 and those Israelites

00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:37.539
 reading this account

00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:38.900
 a taste,

00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:40.200
 a foretaste

00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:41.019
 of the fulfillment

00:18:41.019 --> 00:18:41.920
 of his promises

00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:43.880
 by giving him this land

00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:44.440
 and saying,

00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:45.820
 I will give you this land,

00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:48.500
 this land that points us ahead

00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:50.100
 to heaven

00:18:50.100 --> 00:18:51.740
 and being with God forever.

00:18:53.360 --> 00:18:55.299
 So we see God's faithfulness

00:18:55.299 --> 00:18:57.200
 in making Abraham

00:18:57.200 --> 00:18:58.720
 a father of many nations

00:18:58.720 --> 00:18:59.720
 and a blessing to them.

00:18:59.820 --> 00:19:00.519
 We see secondly,

00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:01.500
 God's faithfulness

00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:02.820
 in the down payment

00:19:02.820 --> 00:19:03.620
 of a land

00:19:03.620 --> 00:19:04.460
 for his offspring

00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:05.140
 to live

00:19:05.140 --> 00:19:06.380
 and to display

00:19:06.380 --> 00:19:07.680
 God's glorious grace.

00:19:07.900 --> 00:19:08.460
 And finally,

00:19:08.600 --> 00:19:09.420
 in verse 11,

00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:11.580
 we see God's

00:19:11.580 --> 00:19:12.779
 sovereign providing

00:19:12.779 --> 00:19:15.259
 for the line of promise

00:19:15.259 --> 00:19:16.500
 through which the fulfillment

00:19:16.500 --> 00:19:17.519
 of all

00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:19.139
 that God has promised

00:19:19.139 --> 00:19:19.859
 will come.

00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:21.039
 Right?

00:19:21.399 --> 00:19:22.740
 Now we mentioned it earlier

00:19:22.740 --> 00:19:24.039
 in verses 5 and 6,

00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:25.180
 there's a little foretaste

00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:25.680
 of this.

00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:26.440
 Right?

00:19:27.779 --> 00:19:29.119
 The writer

00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:29.700
 is writing

00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:30.480
 about this

00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:31.500
 wife

00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:32.319
 that we never knew

00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:32.920
 anything about

00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:33.740
 and listing all

00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:34.879
 of his descendants.

00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:36.279
 And then in verse

00:19:36.279 --> 00:19:37.480
 4,

00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:37.799
 right?

00:19:38.339 --> 00:19:38.680
 Nope.

00:19:40.139 --> 00:19:41.079
 Verse 5,

00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:42.379
 you would think

00:19:42.379 --> 00:19:43.160
 he would say something

00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:43.399
 about,

00:19:43.500 --> 00:19:44.000
 and this is how

00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:45.000
 he provided for them.

00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:45.680
 But no,

00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:46.399
 the writer takes

00:19:46.399 --> 00:19:47.519
 a complete left turn

00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:47.859
 and says,

00:19:47.960 --> 00:19:48.079
 oh,

00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:48.839
 by the way,

00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:50.480
 Abraham didn't give

00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:51.639
 these people

00:19:51.639 --> 00:19:53.220
 what he had.

00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:54.180
 He gave that

00:19:54.180 --> 00:19:55.079
 to Isaac.

00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:56.639
 There was a priority.

00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:58.000
 And you remember,

00:19:58.160 --> 00:19:58.960
 if you've been here

00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:00.279
 listening through the story,

00:20:00.660 --> 00:20:01.700
 the promise in 12

00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:03.139
 was you will be

00:20:03.139 --> 00:20:03.519
 a father

00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:05.259
 of great nation.

00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:06.539
 Abraham didn't have

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:07.700
 any kids at that point.

00:20:07.980 --> 00:20:08.720
 We get all the way

00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:09.759
 up to chapter 16

00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:11.460
 and it's years later

00:20:11.460 --> 00:20:12.599
 and he still doesn't

00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:13.559
 have any children.

00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:14.740
 And they try to

00:20:14.740 --> 00:20:15.879
 manufacture a child

00:20:15.879 --> 00:20:17.200
 by using Hagar,

00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:19.359
 a maidservant.

00:20:19.700 --> 00:20:20.400
 And God says,

00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:20.680
 no,

00:20:20.779 --> 00:20:21.859
 this is not the way.

00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:23.099
 Even though a child,

00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:24.559
 a male heir is produced,

00:20:24.740 --> 00:20:26.680
 he is still not the one

00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:28.200
 who is the child of promise.

00:20:28.779 --> 00:20:29.379
 And so again,

00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:30.559
 then they wait again

00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:31.720
 for a long time.

00:20:32.099 --> 00:20:34.339
 And then God finally gives

00:20:34.339 --> 00:20:36.419
 Abraham and Sarah

00:20:36.419 --> 00:20:37.859
 a child.

00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:39.220
 Miraculously,

00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:40.740
 Isaac is born

00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:42.019
 beyond the age

00:20:42.019 --> 00:20:43.359
 when it seemed like

00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:44.419
 that would happen.

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:47.339
 And then God says,

00:20:47.439 --> 00:20:48.179
 oh, by the way,

00:20:48.399 --> 00:20:49.639
 when Isaac is 11,

00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:50.720
 God tells Abraham,

00:20:50.859 --> 00:20:51.919
 go up on the mountain

00:20:51.919 --> 00:20:52.619
 and sacrifice

00:20:52.619 --> 00:20:53.720
 this son,

00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:54.839
 the son of the promise.

00:20:56.439 --> 00:20:57.119
 And Abraham,

00:20:57.259 --> 00:20:57.799
 by that point,

00:20:57.839 --> 00:20:58.399
 had learned

00:20:58.399 --> 00:21:00.259
 how faithful God was.

00:21:00.679 --> 00:21:01.759
 And so he obeyed,

00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:03.539
 even though he didn't understand.

00:21:03.980 --> 00:21:05.160
 And even though he couldn't see

00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:06.099
 how this would ever

00:21:06.099 --> 00:21:07.039
 make any sense.

00:21:08.460 --> 00:21:09.440
 Hebrews tells us

00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:10.519
 that he believed

00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:11.359
 that God could even

00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:12.259
 raise the dead

00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:13.839
 if that's what it would take.

00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:15.240
 But that God would

00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:16.500
 continue to provide,

00:21:17.339 --> 00:21:18.440
 to protect

00:21:18.440 --> 00:21:19.819
 for this promise

00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:21.099
 of this son

00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:21.740
 who would be

00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:23.339
 in the line of promise.

00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:25.779
 When we get to verse 11,

00:21:25.900 --> 00:21:26.839
 look with me at it.

00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:29.039
 The writer is

00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:30.359
 very intentional here.

00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:31.679
 There are places

00:21:31.679 --> 00:21:32.959
 in the scripture

00:21:32.959 --> 00:21:34.259
 and even in this story,

00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:35.659
 you'll see Isaac will do it.

00:21:35.979 --> 00:21:36.679
 Isaac will want

00:21:36.679 --> 00:21:37.799
 to give his blessing

00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:38.639
 to his son.

00:21:38.959 --> 00:21:39.899
 We see the same thing

00:21:39.899 --> 00:21:40.399
 with Jacob.

00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:41.379
 Jacob wants to give

00:21:41.379 --> 00:21:42.099
 his blessing

00:21:42.099 --> 00:21:43.219
 to his sons.

00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:44.199
 There is this

00:21:44.199 --> 00:21:47.159
 paternal blessing

00:21:47.159 --> 00:21:47.699
 that's meant

00:21:47.699 --> 00:21:48.719
 to be passed down

00:21:48.719 --> 00:21:50.339
 that can be a great help.

00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:51.299
 But that's not

00:21:51.299 --> 00:21:52.339
 what this is.

00:21:53.379 --> 00:21:54.500
 Because what you see

00:21:54.500 --> 00:21:55.439
 is very intentionally

00:21:55.439 --> 00:21:56.179
 in verse 11,

00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:57.799
 it was after

00:21:57.799 --> 00:21:59.079
 Abraham

00:21:59.079 --> 00:22:00.159
 had died.

00:22:01.199 --> 00:22:02.019
 The blessing

00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:03.059
 came on Isaac.

00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:04.980
 And who did it come from?

00:22:05.220 --> 00:22:06.079
 It came from

00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:06.919
 God himself.

00:22:08.980 --> 00:22:09.699
 You see,

00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:10.439
 it wasn't

00:22:10.439 --> 00:22:12.500
 Abraham's faithfulness

00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:14.379
 that meant

00:22:14.379 --> 00:22:14.899
 that God

00:22:14.899 --> 00:22:15.779
 could move ahead

00:22:15.779 --> 00:22:16.579
 with his plans.

00:22:16.679 --> 00:22:17.319
 It wasn't

00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:19.099
 Abraham's righteousness

00:22:19.099 --> 00:22:20.559
 that allowed God

00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:21.339
 to move ahead

00:22:21.339 --> 00:22:22.159
 with his plans

00:22:22.159 --> 00:22:23.000
 for the world.

00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:24.960
 but it was

00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:25.839
 God himself

00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:26.900
 who was doing this.

00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:28.200
 And just as God

00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:29.160
 who had been faithful

00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:29.799
 to Abraham

00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:31.460
 through his faithfulness

00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:32.779
 and his faithlessness,

00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:35.160
 through his failures

00:22:35.160 --> 00:22:36.480
 and his successes,

00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:39.599
 God who had shown himself

00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:40.279
 to be faithful

00:22:40.279 --> 00:22:41.099
 to his promises

00:22:41.099 --> 00:22:42.500
 to Abraham

00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:45.339
 now blesses Isaac

00:22:45.339 --> 00:22:45.880
 and says,

00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:46.619
 and I'm going to do

00:22:46.619 --> 00:22:47.799
 the same thing for you.

00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:49.019
 I will be the same

00:22:49.019 --> 00:22:50.940
 God for you.

00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:51.940
 I will be the same

00:22:51.940 --> 00:22:52.940
 God for you.

00:22:57.940 --> 00:22:58.779
 Think about how

00:22:58.779 --> 00:22:59.340
 the Israelites

00:22:59.340 --> 00:22:59.960
 might have heard

00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:00.620
 this story.

00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:02.180
 Do you think

00:23:02.180 --> 00:23:02.960
 they would have heard it

00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:03.900
 the way I think

00:23:03.900 --> 00:23:05.019
 the writer wants us to?

00:23:07.559 --> 00:23:08.680
 Because the writer,

00:23:08.900 --> 00:23:09.500
 the Israelites

00:23:09.500 --> 00:23:10.680
 wandering in the wilderness

00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:11.440
 or on the brink

00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:12.320
 of the promised land,

00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:13.160
 what are they thinking?

00:23:13.420 --> 00:23:14.480
 Will God be faithful?

00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:15.740
 And God is saying,

00:23:16.120 --> 00:23:16.940
 am I not the God

00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:17.600
 of Abraham

00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:18.879
 and Isaac

00:23:18.879 --> 00:23:19.819
 and Jacob

00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:20.959
 and Joseph?

00:23:21.299 --> 00:23:22.659
 Am I not the God

00:23:22.659 --> 00:23:25.059
 who delivered you

00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:26.740
 from slavery in Egypt

00:23:26.740 --> 00:23:28.339
 with a mighty hand

00:23:28.339 --> 00:23:29.439
 and with great works?

00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:30.419
 I delivered you

00:23:30.419 --> 00:23:31.419
 from one of the most

00:23:31.419 --> 00:23:32.399
 powerful nations

00:23:32.399 --> 00:23:34.179
 on the face of the earth

00:23:34.179 --> 00:23:36.699
 and I've made you

00:23:36.699 --> 00:23:37.419
 a great nation

00:23:37.419 --> 00:23:38.359
 and I've allowed you

00:23:38.359 --> 00:23:39.500
 to walk through wilderness

00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:40.379
 for years

00:23:40.379 --> 00:23:41.879
 providing for you

00:23:41.879 --> 00:23:42.939
 supernaturally

00:23:42.939 --> 00:23:44.099
 when there was no way

00:23:44.099 --> 00:23:44.759
 that you could have

00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:45.939
 provided for yourself?

00:23:45.940 --> 00:23:49.660
 Have I not been

00:23:49.660 --> 00:23:50.580
 that kind of God

00:23:50.580 --> 00:23:51.100
 for you?

00:23:53.580 --> 00:23:54.759
 Do you not believe

00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:55.900
 that I will bless you

00:23:55.900 --> 00:23:57.880
 as you go forward

00:23:57.880 --> 00:23:58.900
 in faith?

00:24:04.440 --> 00:24:05.680
 We struggle with this,

00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:06.120
 don't we?

00:24:07.120 --> 00:24:08.740
 We struggle to believe

00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:11.420
 that God's past results

00:24:11.420 --> 00:24:13.220
 are indicators

00:24:13.220 --> 00:24:15.160
 of his future performance

00:24:15.160 --> 00:24:16.840
 you know that disclaimer

00:24:16.840 --> 00:24:17.580
 past results

00:24:17.580 --> 00:24:18.860
 don't always give

00:24:18.860 --> 00:24:19.320
 right?

00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:20.160
 That's not true

00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:20.800
 with God

00:24:20.800 --> 00:24:21.900
 for God

00:24:21.900 --> 00:24:22.840
 his past results

00:24:22.840 --> 00:24:24.240
 are always a guarantee

00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:25.900
 of his future

00:24:25.900 --> 00:24:27.120
 performance

00:24:27.120 --> 00:24:32.420
 which leads us

00:24:32.420 --> 00:24:33.040
 to today

00:24:33.040 --> 00:24:34.860
 what about us?

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:36.779
 Friends,

00:24:36.860 --> 00:24:37.220
 I wonder

00:24:37.220 --> 00:24:37.820
 what are some

00:24:37.820 --> 00:24:38.519
 of the promises

00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:39.779
 that God has given

00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:41.480
 to his people

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:43.620
 that you struggle

00:24:43.620 --> 00:24:44.560
 to believe in?

00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:48.600
 just read a few

00:24:48.600 --> 00:24:49.500
 of them to you

00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:51.860
 Philippians 1-7

00:24:51.860 --> 00:24:52.660
 he who began

00:24:52.660 --> 00:24:53.660
 a good work in you

00:24:53.660 --> 00:24:54.880
 will bring it

00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:55.540
 to completion

00:24:55.540 --> 00:24:56.160
 in the day

00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:57.120
 of Christ Jesus

00:24:57.120 --> 00:24:59.519
 John 10-10

00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:00.259
 I have come

00:25:00.259 --> 00:25:01.600
 they may have life

00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:03.779
 and have it abundantly

00:25:03.779 --> 00:25:08.040
 2 Corinthians 12-9

00:25:08.040 --> 00:25:08.779
 my grace

00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:09.500
 is sufficient

00:25:09.500 --> 00:25:10.200
 for you

00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:11.500
 my power

00:25:11.500 --> 00:25:12.680
 is made perfect

00:25:12.680 --> 00:25:13.519
 in weakness

00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:15.960
 2 Corinthians 4

00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:17.519
 verse 14

00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:18.360
 he who raised

00:25:18.360 --> 00:25:19.140
 the Lord Jesus

00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:20.100
 will also

00:25:20.100 --> 00:25:21.340
 raise us

00:25:21.340 --> 00:25:22.259
 will raise us

00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:23.240
 also with Jesus

00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:23.940
 and bring us

00:25:23.940 --> 00:25:24.519
 with you

00:25:24.519 --> 00:25:25.700
 into his presence

00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:29.519
 John 6-37

00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:31.160
 all that the Father

00:25:31.160 --> 00:25:31.820
 gives me

00:25:31.820 --> 00:25:32.840
 will come to me

00:25:32.840 --> 00:25:33.480
 and whoever

00:25:33.480 --> 00:25:34.259
 comes to me

00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.259
 I will never

00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:36.259
 cast out

00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:38.960
 John 10-28

00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:41.019
 I give them

00:25:41.019 --> 00:25:41.819
 eternal life

00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:42.299
 and they will

00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:43.299
 never perish

00:25:43.299 --> 00:25:44.819
 and no one

00:25:44.819 --> 00:25:45.759
 will snatch them

00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:47.519
 out of my hands

00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:51.460
 friends

00:25:51.460 --> 00:25:52.400
 these are the promises

00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:53.759
 that God has given us

00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:55.299
 greater promises

00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:55.799
 yes

00:25:55.799 --> 00:25:56.680
 than even what

00:25:56.680 --> 00:25:57.740
 he gave to Abraham

00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:59.440
 we are in some ways

00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.160
 the fulfillment

00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:01.660
 of God's

00:26:01.660 --> 00:26:03.440
 promise to Abraham

00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:04.380
 and yet God

00:26:04.380 --> 00:26:05.759
 has these greater promises

00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:06.859
 for us

00:26:06.859 --> 00:26:09.460
 how do we know

00:26:09.460 --> 00:26:10.599
 that God

00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:11.339
 will be faithful

00:26:11.339 --> 00:26:12.059
 to us

00:26:12.059 --> 00:26:13.579
 the way he was

00:26:13.579 --> 00:26:14.160
 in the past

00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:15.000
 the way he was

00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:15.759
 to Abraham

00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:17.819
 well friends

00:26:17.819 --> 00:26:18.900
 we go back

00:26:18.900 --> 00:26:19.900
 to the very center

00:26:19.900 --> 00:26:21.000
 of the Christian faith

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:22.000
 we go back

00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:23.079
 to the very center

00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:24.740
 of all that it means

00:26:24.740 --> 00:26:25.680
 to know and believe

00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:26.160
 God

00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:26.960
 and the God

00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:27.819
 of this Bible

00:26:27.819 --> 00:26:30.720
 it's about Jesus Christ

00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:31.700
 and about his life

00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:32.440
 and his death

00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:33.640
 and his resurrection

00:26:33.640 --> 00:26:35.460
 we look to the cross

00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:37.000
 and the empty tomb

00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:39.620
 and we see

00:26:39.620 --> 00:26:40.799
 God has been faithful

00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:41.840
 to do all

00:26:41.840 --> 00:26:42.559
 that was needed

00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:43.620
 to fulfill

00:26:43.620 --> 00:26:45.079
 all of those promises

00:26:45.079 --> 00:26:45.900
 for us

00:26:45.900 --> 00:26:48.840
 when we look

00:26:48.840 --> 00:26:49.779
 to those things

00:26:49.779 --> 00:26:50.900
 we are certain

00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:51.980
 of his love

00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:53.000
 because he came

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:54.279
 and offered his life

00:26:54.279 --> 00:26:56.319
 for our salvation

00:26:56.319 --> 00:26:59.700
 we look

00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:00.500
 and we see

00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:02.240
 that his death

00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:02.819
 for us

00:27:02.819 --> 00:27:03.579
 because of his

00:27:03.579 --> 00:27:04.720
 perfect sinlessness

00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:05.819
 and because of his

00:27:05.819 --> 00:27:06.920
 willing sacrifice

00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:08.539
 was perfectly

00:27:08.539 --> 00:27:09.740
 sufficient for us

00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:10.860
 that there's nothing

00:27:10.860 --> 00:27:11.779
 else that we need

00:27:11.779 --> 00:27:12.339
 to do

00:27:12.339 --> 00:27:13.660
 for our sins

00:27:13.660 --> 00:27:14.500
 to be forgiven

00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:16.960
 we look at the

00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:17.640
 empty tomb

00:27:17.640 --> 00:27:18.220
 and we know

00:27:18.220 --> 00:27:18.839
 that today

00:27:18.839 --> 00:27:19.539
 we worship

00:27:19.539 --> 00:27:20.360
 a savior

00:27:20.360 --> 00:27:21.220
 who is not

00:27:21.220 --> 00:27:21.980
 an idea

00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:23.000
 or a character

00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:23.600
 in a book

00:27:23.600 --> 00:27:24.920
 but who is a living

00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:25.640
 God

00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:26.759
 who today

00:27:26.759 --> 00:27:27.680
 is active

00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:29.240
 seeking us out

00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:30.579
 calling us to him

00:27:30.579 --> 00:27:32.380
 fellowshipping with him

00:27:32.380 --> 00:27:36.140
 when we look

00:27:36.140 --> 00:27:36.720
 at the cross

00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:37.360
 and the resurrection

00:27:37.360 --> 00:27:38.120
 we know

00:27:38.120 --> 00:27:39.140
 that sin

00:27:39.140 --> 00:27:40.280
 and death

00:27:40.280 --> 00:27:41.480
 and sorrow

00:27:41.480 --> 00:27:42.660
 and evil

00:27:42.660 --> 00:27:43.940
 do not have

00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:44.780
 the last word

00:27:44.780 --> 00:27:46.400
 in our lives

00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.680
 or in the world

00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:49.300
 because Jesus

00:27:49.300 --> 00:27:50.400
 has conquered them

00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:53.600
 we look

00:27:53.600 --> 00:27:54.320
 at the cross

00:27:54.320 --> 00:27:55.500
 and we know

00:27:55.500 --> 00:27:55.920
 that God

00:27:55.920 --> 00:27:56.580
 has the power

00:27:56.580 --> 00:27:57.760
 to deliver us

00:27:57.760 --> 00:27:59.480
 at any time

00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:01.599
 we know

00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:02.620
 that God's love

00:28:02.620 --> 00:28:03.680
 has never been

00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:04.259
 dependent on

00:28:04.259 --> 00:28:04.920
 our goodness

00:28:04.920 --> 00:28:06.120
 but on his

00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:07.380
 merciful initiation

00:28:07.380 --> 00:28:08.860
 to us

00:28:08.860 --> 00:28:11.079
 friends

00:28:11.079 --> 00:28:12.039
 we look at the cross

00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:12.660
 and we look at

00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:13.400
 the empty tomb

00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:14.400
 and we see

00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:15.000
 that Jesus

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:15.779
 is enough

00:28:15.779 --> 00:28:17.839
 Jesus is enough

00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:18.599
 for our lives

00:28:18.599 --> 00:28:19.660
 today and tonight

00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:22.140
 and whatever it is

00:28:22.140 --> 00:28:22.920
 that is causing

00:28:22.920 --> 00:28:24.099
 doubt for you

00:28:24.099 --> 00:28:25.220
 that God

00:28:25.220 --> 00:28:26.059
 will come through

00:28:26.059 --> 00:28:27.180
 that God

00:28:27.180 --> 00:28:27.980
 will be faithful

00:28:27.980 --> 00:28:29.039
 that he

00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:30.240
 will be with you

00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:31.299
 and the promises

00:28:31.299 --> 00:28:32.140
 that he has given

00:28:32.140 --> 00:28:32.819
 to you

00:28:32.819 --> 00:28:34.140
 that he will

00:28:34.140 --> 00:28:35.220
 carry them through

00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:36.539
 perfectly

00:28:36.539 --> 00:28:38.120
 without fail

00:28:38.120 --> 00:28:41.660
 this is what

00:28:41.660 --> 00:28:42.700
 Genesis 25

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.500
 1 through 11

00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:45.120
 wants us to remember

00:28:45.120 --> 00:28:46.940
 that is not

00:28:46.940 --> 00:28:48.000
 the walk of faith

00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:48.819
 is not because

00:28:48.819 --> 00:28:49.660
 our faith

00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:50.620
 is so great

00:28:50.620 --> 00:28:52.059
 but it is because

00:28:52.059 --> 00:28:53.059
 the faithfulness

00:28:53.059 --> 00:28:53.559
 of God

00:28:53.559 --> 00:28:54.519
 is so

00:28:54.519 --> 00:28:56.460
 unbelievably

00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:57.400
 secure

00:28:57.400 --> 00:28:58.820
 that we

00:28:58.820 --> 00:29:00.160
 then are drawn

00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:01.400
 to give our faith

00:29:01.400 --> 00:29:02.000
 and our trust

00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:02.620
 to him

00:29:02.620 --> 00:29:03.640
 and to walk

00:29:03.640 --> 00:29:04.280
 in the footsteps

00:29:04.280 --> 00:29:04.920
 of Abraham

00:29:04.920 --> 00:29:05.780
 and to walk

00:29:05.780 --> 00:29:06.519
 a walk of faith

00:29:06.519 --> 00:29:07.660
 not because

00:29:07.660 --> 00:29:09.160
 we think

00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:09.780
 we can

00:29:09.780 --> 00:29:10.800
 get to where

00:29:10.800 --> 00:29:11.460
 we need to go

00:29:11.460 --> 00:29:12.019
 but because

00:29:12.019 --> 00:29:12.620
 we are putting

00:29:12.620 --> 00:29:13.180
 ourselves

00:29:13.180 --> 00:29:14.340
 in the hands

00:29:14.340 --> 00:29:14.940
 of one

00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:15.880
 who has shown

00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:16.280
 himself

00:29:16.280 --> 00:29:16.780
 to be

00:29:16.780 --> 00:29:17.340
 perfectly

00:29:17.340 --> 00:29:18.540
 faithful

00:29:18.539 --> 00:29:26.000
 so friends

00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:27.299
 this is where

00:29:27.299 --> 00:29:28.460
 Abraham leaves

00:29:28.460 --> 00:29:28.799
 us

00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:29.759
 looking at

00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:30.159
 God

00:29:30.159 --> 00:29:31.299
 and meditating

00:29:31.299 --> 00:29:32.000
 on his

00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:32.759
 faithfulness

00:29:32.759 --> 00:29:33.819
 and trusting

00:29:33.819 --> 00:29:34.539
 that he

00:29:34.539 --> 00:29:35.619
 has been

00:29:35.619 --> 00:29:36.740
 will be

00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:37.480
 good

00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:38.420
 to us

00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:38.960
 and so

00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:39.440
 we can

00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:40.139
 trust him

00:29:40.140 --> 00:29:43.020
 and so

00:29:43.020 --> 00:29:44.280
 as Paul

00:29:44.280 --> 00:29:44.620
 writes

00:29:44.620 --> 00:29:46.580
 in 2 Corinthians

00:29:46.580 --> 00:29:47.520
 chapter 4

00:29:47.520 --> 00:29:48.840
 so we don't

00:29:48.840 --> 00:29:49.520
 lose heart

00:29:49.520 --> 00:29:50.100
 though our

00:29:50.100 --> 00:29:50.759
 outer self

00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:51.320
 is wasting

00:29:51.320 --> 00:29:51.880
 our way

00:29:51.880 --> 00:29:53.200
 our inner self

00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:54.100
 is being renewed

00:29:54.100 --> 00:29:54.920
 day by day

00:29:54.920 --> 00:29:56.840
 for these light

00:29:56.840 --> 00:29:57.900
 and momentary

00:29:57.900 --> 00:29:58.540
 afflictions

00:29:58.540 --> 00:29:59.120
 whatever our

00:29:59.120 --> 00:30:00.020
 trials of life

00:30:00.020 --> 00:30:01.380
 preparing us

00:30:01.380 --> 00:30:02.040
 for an eternal

00:30:02.040 --> 00:30:02.759
 weight of glory

00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:03.460
 beyond all

00:30:03.460 --> 00:30:04.060
 comparison

00:30:04.060 --> 00:30:05.680
 as we look

00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:06.240
 not to the

00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:06.740
 things that are

00:30:06.740 --> 00:30:07.220
 seen

00:30:07.220 --> 00:30:08.480
 the trials

00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:09.259
 the challenges

00:30:09.259 --> 00:30:10.160
 the pain

00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:11.140
 the evil

00:30:11.140 --> 00:30:11.799
 the hurt

00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:12.700
 the brokenness

00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:13.420
 of this world

00:30:13.420 --> 00:30:15.140
 but looking

00:30:15.140 --> 00:30:15.720
 to the things

00:30:15.720 --> 00:30:16.539
 that are unseen

00:30:16.539 --> 00:30:18.319
 God

00:30:18.319 --> 00:30:19.440
 sovereignly ruling

00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:19.880
 it over

00:30:19.880 --> 00:30:20.640
 his love

00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:21.400
 shown to us

00:30:21.400 --> 00:30:22.059
 at the cross

00:30:22.059 --> 00:30:23.140
 the reality

00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:24.000
 of his power

00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:25.019
 at work in us

00:30:25.019 --> 00:30:26.000
 and in the Holy Spirit

00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:27.920
 we look to the

00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:28.579
 things that are

00:30:28.579 --> 00:30:30.279
 not to the things

00:30:30.279 --> 00:30:30.880
 that are seen

00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:31.759
 but are unseen

00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:32.460
 for the things

00:30:32.460 --> 00:30:33.360
 that are seen

00:30:33.360 --> 00:30:34.160
 are transient

00:30:34.160 --> 00:30:35.180
 and they will

00:30:35.180 --> 00:30:35.900
 pass away

00:30:35.900 --> 00:30:37.059
 but the things

00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:37.919
 that are unseen

00:30:37.919 --> 00:30:39.879
 these are eternal

00:30:39.879 --> 00:30:42.319
 let's pray together

00:30:42.319 --> 00:30:48.899
 Lord as we

00:30:48.899 --> 00:30:50.379
 consider this

00:30:50.379 --> 00:30:53.139
 odd little story

00:30:53.139 --> 00:30:53.879
 about the death

00:30:53.879 --> 00:30:54.399
 of Abraham

00:30:54.399 --> 00:30:55.279
 and the end

00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:55.980
 of his life

00:30:55.980 --> 00:30:58.559
 Lord we pray

00:30:58.559 --> 00:30:59.419
 you would help us

00:30:59.419 --> 00:31:00.619
 to take hold

00:31:00.619 --> 00:31:01.700
 of these signs

00:31:01.700 --> 00:31:03.559
 in even the telling

00:31:03.559 --> 00:31:04.279
 of this story

00:31:04.279 --> 00:31:06.159
 to remind us

00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:06.980
 of what a faithful

00:31:06.980 --> 00:31:08.060
 God you are

00:31:08.060 --> 00:31:09.500
 and Lord

00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:10.019
 that we would

00:31:10.019 --> 00:31:11.000
 respond tonight

00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:11.660
 in faith

00:31:11.660 --> 00:31:12.779
 Lord if some

00:31:12.779 --> 00:31:13.380
 of us tonight

00:31:13.380 --> 00:31:14.100
 have been wrestling

00:31:14.100 --> 00:31:14.759
 with faith

00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:15.340
 and doubt

00:31:15.340 --> 00:31:16.560
 Lord I pray

00:31:16.560 --> 00:31:17.580
 tonight that you

00:31:17.580 --> 00:31:18.700
 would meet them

00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:20.080
 meet us

00:31:20.080 --> 00:31:21.940
 and remind us

00:31:21.940 --> 00:31:24.019
 and call us

00:31:24.019 --> 00:31:24.320
 Lord

00:31:24.320 --> 00:31:25.380
 to a life

00:31:25.380 --> 00:31:25.920
 of faith

00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:27.259
 by reminding us

00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:28.019
 of how faithful

00:31:28.019 --> 00:31:28.800
 you are

00:31:28.800 --> 00:31:30.960
 Lord I pray

00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:31.580
 if there is anyone

00:31:31.580 --> 00:31:32.200
 here tonight

00:31:32.200 --> 00:31:33.400
 who has not

00:31:33.400 --> 00:31:34.120
 put their faith

00:31:34.119 --> 00:31:34.899
 in Jesus Christ

00:31:34.899 --> 00:31:35.539
 who looks at

00:31:35.539 --> 00:31:36.019
 the cross

00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:36.919
 and didn't

00:31:36.919 --> 00:31:37.500
 think that was

00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:38.099
 for them

00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:39.759
 till tonight

00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:41.059
 Lord that they

00:31:41.059 --> 00:31:41.679
 would consider

00:31:41.679 --> 00:31:42.219
 putting their

00:31:42.219 --> 00:31:43.000
 faith tonight

00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:44.979
 that Jesus

00:31:44.979 --> 00:31:45.699
 which died

00:31:45.699 --> 00:31:46.179
 for them

00:31:46.179 --> 00:31:46.899
 to save them

00:31:46.899 --> 00:31:47.579
 from their sin

00:31:47.579 --> 00:31:49.539
 Lord I pray

00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:50.379
 for all of us

00:31:50.379 --> 00:31:50.939
 that we would

00:31:50.939 --> 00:31:51.739
 learn to walk

00:31:51.739 --> 00:31:52.899
 with our eyes

00:31:52.899 --> 00:31:54.299
 fixed on you

00:31:54.299 --> 00:31:55.039
 oh Lord

00:31:55.039 --> 00:31:56.759
 the faithful one

00:31:56.759 --> 00:31:59.439
 Lord we pray

00:31:59.439 --> 00:32:00.039
 these things

00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:00.859
 in Jesus name

00:32:00.859 --> 00:32:01.979
 amen