WEBVTT

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 Father, I ask that you would gently but powerfully pour the Holy Spirit upon myself and upon all who are watching this video, listening into this sermon.

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 We ask, Lord, that you would draw us close to yourself, that you would help us to understand that you are God, that you are sovereign over all things, that you are good and loving, and that you keep your word.

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 And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 So, one of the things which is regularly talked about in movies and in literature nowadays is whether or not we are, in fact, just controlled or pushed around by blind, uncaring fate, or whether we have significant choice.

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 And, of course, it would be a pretty depressing movie or story if at the end of it it was the case that it was just pure and utter blind, uncaring fate.

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 So, usually when movies talk about it, in a sense, they try to say that there is some type of a choice.

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 We also see, in small ways but increasing ways, discussions about whether the world is empty or full.

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 It goes along, actually, with the previous type of question in the sense that if, in fact, everything is just a result of Allah's will, if, in fact, everything is just the working out of karma and karmic destiny,

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 if, in fact, the world is, as certain naturalistic scientists describe it, that there's just cause and effect, then, in a sense, the world is empty.

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 But we don't feel that the world is empty.

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 We feel at times that there's things which are beautiful and loving and that when you see certain types of things,

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 it's not just that you're imposing your desire for meaning and significance onto the event,

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 but you have a sense that you're recognizing something which is there.

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 At the same time, there's also questions about whether or not, and this is sort of going to sound like it's a bit of a left turn,

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 but they're actually a bit connected with each other.

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 Some people think, and some Christians think, that God only answers their prayers.

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 And, of course, if you aren't a Christian, that's going to be very, very offensive,

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 the idea that somehow or another God only answers your prayers.

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 Like, that just seems wrong.

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 And, in fact, many people, if they had the comfort to say that to a Christian who seems to talk as if that's the case,

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 would actually say that not only is that arrogant, George, if I was the one making that claim,

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 but it's actually not true.

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 Like, George, if you just look at it,

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 if it was true that God answered Christians' prayers but not non-Christians' prayers,

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 and, by the way, I have to be careful.

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 Like, if God answers, because it's not as if, like, on one level you can sort of divide the world into Christian and non-Christian,

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 but, obviously, everybody in the world doesn't think of themselves as non-Christians.

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 They think of themselves as themselves.

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 And so, really, a better way to put it is, you know, the Buddhists would say,

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 you know, George, I think, you know, God answers Buddhist prayers.

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 I think he answers Hindu prayers.

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 I think he answers secular people's prayers, spiritual people's prayers,

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 boutique religious people's prayers.

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 And, in fact, George, it doesn't even seem as if there's any evidence for the idea

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 that God has any particular desire to answer Christians' prayers,

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 because, I mean, if you look around,

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 Christians aren't richer, more powerful, more successful than non-Christians.

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 And, in fact, actually, if anything, it looks as if God is answering everybody's prayers other than Christians,

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 because the Christian church is declining, and it's not very popular.

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 So, anyway, we're going to look at a very, very old story,

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 and it's in Genesis chapter 21.

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 This is the second to last of our series of sermons on the life of Abraham.

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 And this story is a very simple story,

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 but, like, a lot of these stories, like, all of these stories, of these Abraham stories,

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 they're simple, but they're deep.

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 And there's lots of different ways you could,

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 there's lots of things you could mine from these particular stories,

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 but we're just going to look at one aspect of this story.

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 But it speaks into this whole thing of fate, of choice,

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 of the world being, the universe being empty,

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 or it being full of prayer and different people groups

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 and their different understandings of God.

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 And this one story actually has some very profound insights

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 into each of these questions.

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 So let's look.

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 We're going to be looking at Genesis chapter 21.

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 And what happened just before this is Genesis chapter 20

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 was a story which helped us reflect upon the question

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 of why it is that people do wrong things,

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 like why do I gratuitously sometimes do something which I know is wrong?

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 And the other thing about that story is it gave some profound insight

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 into the religious and spiritual imagination

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 and how the gospel subverts our religious and spiritual imaginations,

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 our natural ones.

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 But even while it subverts them,

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 it actually fulfills the deepest longing

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 of the spiritual and religious intuitions.

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 That was in Genesis chapter 20.

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 We looked at it last week.

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 So let's look at this story, Genesis chapter 21.

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 And it begins with a simple, beautiful verse that,

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 I mean, that's a verse if you're a Christian.

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 If you're from another type of faith commitment or searching or skeptic,

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 this is a verse which in many ways captures the essence of the Christian life.

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 And for Christians, it's a verse that captures

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 one of the essences of the Christian life.

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 And it's very simple.

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 It goes like 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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 Very, very simple.

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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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 Here's a very, very beautiful, gentle image of the Lord visiting.

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 And the Lord visits to act, to deliver, to meet, to connect.

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 And he visits Sarah,

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 and he does exactly what he had said that he was going to do.

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 He makes promises to Sarah

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 that Sarah sometimes doesn't believe,

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 but at other times sort of has believed.

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 She's not a perfect person,

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 but he has visited her,

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 and he does what he's promising.

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 In fact, this first verse, in a sense,

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 summarizes all of the chapter.

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 And it's also something which is very important

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 because it helps to explain the gospel.

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 You see, for Christians, the gospel is this good news

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 that even though you are very, very far from God,

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 the triune God, the true and living God,

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 and even though he has no obligation

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 to love you or to care for you,

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 and even though you have done many things

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 that make you not deserve his love,

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 and even if there are things about you

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 which are very shameful or very, very unsuccessful,

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 that the promise of the gospel is that Jesus,

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 the God, the Son of God, visited the human race.

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 And just as he had promised in the 39 books

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 of what we Christians called the Old Testament

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 and our Jewish friends called the Tanakh,

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 there's this constant promise

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 that God would do something

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 that human beings could not do for themselves

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 that he would deliver,

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 and that he does this in the person of his Son,

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 in not just the life that Jesus lives,

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 but most importantly, his death that he dies,

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 and then his resurrection.

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 And that this is God's means

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 to reconcile people to himself.

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 It's God's means that when we put our faith and trust

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 in the person of Jesus and what he's done,

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 that God makes us his child by adoption and grace,

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 that he visits us, so to speak,

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 and that now the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

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 in a sense, now live within the Christian,

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 that Christ is our hope of glory,

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 and that we now live as the child

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 of our Heavenly Father in his world.

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 And that's the gospel,

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 that God visited us,

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 just as he said he would,

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 and he keeps his promise,

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 which is if we put our faith and trust in Christ,

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 that we will be his child by adoption and grace,

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 that he doesn't weigh our merits,

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 but pardons our offenses.

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 And so in some ways,

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 this very, very simple little verse,

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 which encapsulates a story,

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 also encapsulates what you'll see time and time again

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 in the stories that come,

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 and ultimately in the story of the New Testament,

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 of the gospel,

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 and the promise of the New Testament.

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 And in this particular case,

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 what we see is that God has promised

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 that he was going to do something

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 which was humanly and naturalistically impossible,

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 that God was going to intervene

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 in the natural world

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 in a way that we would call a miracle,

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 that Sarah,

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 who has been barren for a long, long, long time,

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 never able to bear children in her entire life,

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 even when, in a sense,

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 her reproductive capabilities were there,

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 but long after that has ceased to exist,

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 and she's truly barren,

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 that God would create a miracle baby,

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 that she would, in fact, have a baby.

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 And so that's what's going to happen

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 in the rest of the story.

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 Let's just look at it.

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 The next verses are very, very simple,

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 just to show that, in fact,

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 God, who's promised that he would do a miracle in Sarah,

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 that he would bring life out of barrenness,

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 he visits her and keeps his promise.

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 Look what it says, verse 2.

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 Abraham was 100 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 so God has performed a miracle.

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 Now, in fact,

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 actually sort of even emphasizes

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 that not only that the baby is born,

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 but she's going to nurse the baby,

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 like there's a whole...

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 One of the things I like to say,

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 and it's very true,

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 is that the more science develops,

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 science doesn't disprove the miracles,

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 because science can't disprove miracles.

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 Science increases the wow.

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 Science increases the wow.

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 Now, bringing up this thing of the miracle,

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 and another thing,

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 if the Bible just ended here,

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 what we would have is a classic story

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 that could be turned into

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 a blockbuster Hollywood movie.

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 You know, Abraham is 100,

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 Sarah is 90,

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 God has visited Sarah,

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 he's kept his promise,

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 a miracle has been performed,

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 Isaac is born,

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 and they all lived happily ever after.

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 And there you go,

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 you have a classic Hollywood movie,

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 and they all lived happily ever after.

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 But one of the things about the Bible

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 is...

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 Actually, on one level, by the way,

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 the story ends

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 with that those who are God's children

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 by adoption and grace

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 live happily ever after

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 into eternity

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 in the new heaven and the new earth.

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 But that prophecy,

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 which is still in the future for us,

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 the Bible is a very, very,

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 very realistic book.

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 A very realistic book.

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 And in fact,

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 part of the problem we have

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 with the Bible

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 is how realistic it is.

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 And the Bible is

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 both a realistic mirror

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 and a realistic window.

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 It is a mirror

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 in the sense that

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 it helps us to see ourselves

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 as we really are,

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 and it's a window

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 in the sense that

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 it helps us to see the world

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 as it really is.

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 A world where there really is a God,

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 the triune God,

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 who really exists,

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 who has created all things,

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 who sustains all things.

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 That that's the world

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 that we actually live in,

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 even if it's not the world

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 portrayed by academia,

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 by government,

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 by the courts,

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 by the media,

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 by the public intellectuals.

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 That in fact,

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 the real world

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 that actually is the one

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 that we inhabit

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 is one where

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 the triune God

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 has created

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 and sustained all things,

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 and we human beings

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 live in it.

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 So in this particular thing,

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 you have a miracle.

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 Now,

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 you actually,

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 the story in a sense

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 just can't end here

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 by saying,

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 and they all lived

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 happily ever after,

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 because if you've been

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 reading the story,

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 if you've read the story

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 from chapter 12,

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 13,

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 all the way on to here,

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 you'll see that God

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 has made a couple of promises.

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 He's promised not only

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 that this boy will be born,

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 but that he's going

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 to be the heir.

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 He's going to also be

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 the beginning of a line

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 that will culminate

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 with God blessing

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 the whole earth

00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:50.379
 through this seed,

00:13:50.539 --> 00:13:51.240
 this offspring,

00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:52.120
 this line.

00:13:52.860 --> 00:13:53.740
 And there's also been

00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:54.459
 promises made

00:13:54.459 --> 00:13:55.259
 about the land.

00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:58.860
 And so those things

00:13:58.860 --> 00:14:00.019
 still have to be dealt with.

00:14:00.079 --> 00:14:01.179
 They have to be wrapped up.

00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:02.379
 They have to have something

00:14:02.379 --> 00:14:03.379
 that talks about how,

00:14:03.419 --> 00:14:04.419
 it's not just that the birth

00:14:04.419 --> 00:14:05.579
 is going to be enough.

00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:08.059
 But the other thing is

00:14:08.059 --> 00:14:08.779
 is that miracles

00:14:08.779 --> 00:14:11.059
 have consequences downstream.

00:14:12.439 --> 00:14:13.340
 And so what we're going to see

00:14:13.340 --> 00:14:14.320
 is that if a miracle

00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:15.080
 actually happens,

00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:15.600
 it's going to have

00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:17.040
 consequences downstream.

00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:18.780
 And it's not,

00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:19.300
 in a sense,

00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:20.379
 going to be enough.

00:14:21.180 --> 00:14:22.320
 Now, what do I mean by that?

00:14:22.420 --> 00:14:23.280
 And let me help you

00:14:23.280 --> 00:14:24.620
 to try to understand

00:14:24.620 --> 00:14:25.580
 how it works

00:14:25.580 --> 00:14:26.480
 and how it all fits in

00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:27.120
 with science.

00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:28.000
 I love,

00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:29.220
 you've heard variations

00:14:29.220 --> 00:14:30.639
 of this analogy before.

00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:32.100
 If you've heard me preach

00:14:32.100 --> 00:14:33.399
 many times,

00:14:33.560 --> 00:14:33.759
 you know,

00:14:33.800 --> 00:14:34.600
 Lord have mercy.

00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:37.120
 And one of the analogies

00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:38.400
 I like is of the pool table.

00:14:38.700 --> 00:14:40.300
 And so you can imagine

00:14:40.300 --> 00:14:41.320
 you have a pool table

00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:42.040
 and it's a very,

00:14:42.160 --> 00:14:42.840
 very large one

00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:43.700
 and you have a machine

00:14:43.700 --> 00:14:44.720
 which is designed

00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:46.100
 to have the cue

00:14:46.100 --> 00:14:47.320
 hit a particular ball.

00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:49.300
 And assume for a second

00:14:49.300 --> 00:14:50.399
 that in principle

00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:52.420
 scientists could study

00:14:52.420 --> 00:14:54.580
 the felt on the pool table,

00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:55.680
 study the,

00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:56.759
 how bouncy

00:14:56.759 --> 00:14:58.440
 the edges

00:14:58.440 --> 00:14:59.780
 of the pool table are,

00:15:00.300 --> 00:15:02.200
 knows the roundnesses

00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:03.820
 and everything about the balls

00:15:03.820 --> 00:15:04.860
 and they place the balls

00:15:04.860 --> 00:15:05.500
 in a particular,

00:15:05.700 --> 00:15:05.840
 you know,

00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:06.639
 the balls are placed.

00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:08.059
 and scientists

00:15:08.059 --> 00:15:09.159
 in theory

00:15:09.159 --> 00:15:11.439
 could have the machine

00:15:11.439 --> 00:15:12.519
 use the cue

00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:13.539
 to hit the first ball

00:15:13.539 --> 00:15:14.379
 to send the ball

00:15:14.379 --> 00:15:14.960
 in motion.

00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:16.600
 And in theory,

00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:17.580
 scientists could

00:15:17.580 --> 00:15:18.899
 mathematically plot

00:15:18.899 --> 00:15:21.139
 how that ball

00:15:21.139 --> 00:15:21.919
 is going to move,

00:15:22.139 --> 00:15:22.620
 what balls

00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:23.240
 it's going to hit

00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:24.639
 and how those different balls

00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:25.360
 will all be hit

00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:26.539
 and how they'll bounce around.

00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:27.899
 And it would in a sense

00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:29.100
 be able to map

00:15:29.100 --> 00:15:33.259
 how all of those things move

00:15:33.259 --> 00:15:34.460
 and where they end up.

00:15:34.460 --> 00:15:37.540
 And so one of the ways

00:15:37.540 --> 00:15:38.000
 to understand,

00:15:38.060 --> 00:15:39.320
 and that's how science works,

00:15:39.379 --> 00:15:39.540
 right?

00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:40.680
 It figures out,

00:15:40.800 --> 00:15:41.800
 it studies

00:15:41.800 --> 00:15:43.980
 how these natural processes work.

00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:45.900
 But science can't say

00:15:45.900 --> 00:15:46.700
 anything at all

00:15:46.700 --> 00:15:47.560
 about a miracle

00:15:47.560 --> 00:15:50.820
 because just as

00:15:50.820 --> 00:15:51.780
 in this experiment,

00:15:52.100 --> 00:15:52.860
 which is all,

00:15:52.860 --> 00:15:53.400
 let's say,

00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:54.160
 perfectly done,

00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:55.660
 let's say a millisecond

00:15:55.660 --> 00:16:00.060
 after the cue

00:16:00.060 --> 00:16:01.280
 hits that first ball,

00:16:01.280 --> 00:16:02.940
 a millisecond after it,

00:16:02.940 --> 00:16:05.000
 your six-year-old

00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:06.340
 adds an extra ball

00:16:06.340 --> 00:16:07.000
 on the table

00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:09.080
 right in the middle.

00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:10.680
 Now,

00:16:11.020 --> 00:16:13.660
 now all of your predictions

00:16:13.660 --> 00:16:15.540
 aren't going to be correct.

00:16:16.440 --> 00:16:16.680
 Now,

00:16:16.800 --> 00:16:18.100
 the laws of motion

00:16:18.100 --> 00:16:19.540
 and all of those other things

00:16:19.540 --> 00:16:20.440
 are all still true,

00:16:20.560 --> 00:16:21.080
 but there's now

00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:22.660
 an extra ball

00:16:22.660 --> 00:16:23.360
 on the table,

00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:24.160
 which means now

00:16:24.160 --> 00:16:25.100
 that those balls

00:16:25.100 --> 00:16:25.840
 that you've calculated

00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:26.540
 their directions

00:16:26.540 --> 00:16:27.120
 are going to,

00:16:27.280 --> 00:16:27.700
 some of them

00:16:27.700 --> 00:16:28.740
 are going to hit that ball

00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:29.940
 and they're all going to move

00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:30.760
 in different ways

00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:31.480
 and the end result

00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:32.659
 will be a very different thing

00:16:32.659 --> 00:16:33.919
 than you had predicted.

00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:34.919
 And that,

00:16:35.059 --> 00:16:35.720
 in many ways,

00:16:35.779 --> 00:16:36.840
 is one of the best ways

00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:37.360
 to understand

00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:38.319
 what the Bible understands

00:16:38.319 --> 00:16:38.899
 as a miracle.

00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:40.299
 It's not that it suspends

00:16:40.299 --> 00:16:42.100
 the laws of science

00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:43.120
 or the laws of nature.

00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:44.039
 It is that God,

00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:45.360
 who sustains all things

00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:46.139
 and is sovereign

00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:46.879
 over all things,

00:16:46.939 --> 00:16:47.860
 occasionally he does

00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:48.500
 a new thing.

00:16:49.179 --> 00:16:49.539
 He puts,

00:16:49.639 --> 00:16:49.939
 in a sense,

00:16:49.980 --> 00:16:51.899
 a new pool ball

00:16:51.899 --> 00:16:53.220
 or billiard ball

00:16:53.220 --> 00:16:54.399
 onto the table.

00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:56.480
 And when the miracle comes,

00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:57.139
 there's now going to be

00:16:57.139 --> 00:16:58.659
 consequences downstream,

00:16:58.939 --> 00:16:59.120
 right?

00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:00.279
 The balls were all going

00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:01.679
 to end up in a different place

00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:02.919
 than if God had not done

00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:04.000
 the miracle.

00:17:05.140 --> 00:17:05.400
 And so,

00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:06.039
 one of the things

00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:06.619
 that we have to,

00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:07.180
 in a sense,

00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:08.200
 look at,

00:17:08.299 --> 00:17:08.599
 like,

00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:10.380
 see,

00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:11.660
 what this starts

00:17:11.660 --> 00:17:12.559
 to point us to

00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:13.420
 and what this story

00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:13.859
 is going to do,

00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:14.660
 because the story

00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:15.420
 doesn't just end

00:17:15.420 --> 00:17:16.140
 with the miracle.

00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:18.799
 The story looks

00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:19.980
 at what happens

00:17:19.980 --> 00:17:20.720
 downstream

00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:22.420
 from the miracle.

00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:22.819
 In fact,

00:17:22.859 --> 00:17:23.759
 if I have a title

00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:25.220
 for this talk,

00:17:25.259 --> 00:17:25.700
 it will be

00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:26.200
 downstream

00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:27.200
 from a miracle.

00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:28.740
 And that's what

00:17:28.740 --> 00:17:29.120
 this story

00:17:29.120 --> 00:17:29.759
 is going to show you.

00:17:29.819 --> 00:17:30.799
 The miracle happens,

00:17:30.900 --> 00:17:31.480
 but one moment,

00:17:31.559 --> 00:17:31.680
 like,

00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:32.559
 there's Ishmael,

00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:33.519
 there's Hagar.

00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:34.279
 You might not know

00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:35.059
 who these people are

00:17:35.059 --> 00:17:35.960
 if you're watching this

00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:37.000
 and haven't followed

00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:38.019
 any of the other stories,

00:17:38.100 --> 00:17:38.660
 but if you have,

00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:39.580
 there's these other people

00:17:39.580 --> 00:17:39.880
 around.

00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.019
 There's consequences

00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:41.740
 for them,

00:17:41.819 --> 00:17:42.000
 like,

00:17:42.460 --> 00:17:43.380
 how's this miracle

00:17:43.380 --> 00:17:44.539
 going to affect them?

00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:45.559
 And so,

00:17:45.620 --> 00:17:46.279
 what this story

00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:47.440
 at a very simple level

00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:47.819
 does,

00:17:47.900 --> 00:17:48.580
 it shows that

00:17:48.580 --> 00:17:49.420
 for Christians,

00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:52.000
 and this,

00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:52.299
 this,

00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:52.740
 by the way,

00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:53.160
 I think,

00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:55.039
 perfectly fits

00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:56.399
 our experience.

00:17:58.440 --> 00:17:58.700
 You see,

00:17:58.980 --> 00:17:59.759
 when I said,

00:17:59.879 --> 00:18:00.099
 you know,

00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:00.899
 earlier that,

00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:01.299
 you know,

00:18:01.339 --> 00:18:02.259
 if you have a world

00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:04.480
 of pure cause and effect,

00:18:04.579 --> 00:18:05.240
 whether it's from

00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:06.220
 the will of Allah

00:18:06.220 --> 00:18:07.700
 or karmic destiny

00:18:07.700 --> 00:18:09.759
 or just cause and effect,

00:18:10.420 --> 00:18:11.440
 it's hard to see

00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:11.940
 how there could be

00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:12.519
 really beauty

00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:13.000
 and meaning

00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:13.599
 and significance

00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:14.180
 in the world,

00:18:14.259 --> 00:18:15.119
 yet we feel there is

00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:15.740
 beauty and meaning

00:18:15.740 --> 00:18:16.359
 and significance.

00:18:17.180 --> 00:18:17.879
 And we feel

00:18:17.879 --> 00:18:18.819
 that we have choices,

00:18:19.099 --> 00:18:19.839
 but the fact

00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:20.659
 that we have choices

00:18:20.659 --> 00:18:21.220
 doesn't mean

00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:22.119
 that there's no longer

00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:23.399
 other cause and effect

00:18:23.399 --> 00:18:24.059
 or consequence.

00:18:24.059 --> 00:18:24.839
 And so,

00:18:24.919 --> 00:18:25.779
 how do you put

00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:26.759
 all those things together?

00:18:26.919 --> 00:18:27.700
 And the Bible

00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:29.819
 presents this wonderful picture

00:18:29.819 --> 00:18:31.200
 in the sense of a dance,

00:18:31.379 --> 00:18:33.259
 guaranteed by God,

00:18:33.339 --> 00:18:35.859
 a dance of providence,

00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:37.139
 which is where God

00:18:37.139 --> 00:18:39.079
 acts in the flow of events

00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:39.839
 to bring about

00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.440
 a result that he wants,

00:18:41.859 --> 00:18:42.559
 where miracles,

00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:44.099
 where God intervenes,

00:18:44.659 --> 00:18:46.059
 and also human beings

00:18:46.059 --> 00:18:47.379
 that God has endowed

00:18:47.379 --> 00:18:48.200
 with the dignity

00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:49.319
 of causality,

00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:50.099
 in other words,

00:18:50.139 --> 00:18:50.899
 that we can actually

00:18:50.899 --> 00:18:51.919
 freely choose.

00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:53.100
 And so,

00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:53.880
 the world isn't

00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:55.039
 simplistically reduced

00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:56.060
 to cause and effect,

00:18:56.140 --> 00:18:57.460
 nor is it simplistically

00:18:57.460 --> 00:18:59.980
 reduced to mere choice,

00:19:00.580 --> 00:19:01.279
 because,

00:19:01.420 --> 00:19:01.779
 by the way,

00:19:01.820 --> 00:19:02.779
 if the world was reduced

00:19:02.779 --> 00:19:03.580
 to mere choice,

00:19:03.640 --> 00:19:04.100
 once again,

00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:05.240
 the world would be empty.

00:19:05.360 --> 00:19:07.580
 It would not really have

00:19:07.580 --> 00:19:09.740
 inherently some type

00:19:09.740 --> 00:19:10.580
 of beauty or meaning

00:19:10.580 --> 00:19:11.200
 and significance

00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:12.180
 that we are to recognize.

00:19:13.019 --> 00:19:13.380
 And so,

00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:13.900
 the Bible,

00:19:14.300 --> 00:19:15.259
 in stories like this,

00:19:15.340 --> 00:19:16.400
 wonderfully puts together

00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:17.460
 this dance

00:19:17.460 --> 00:19:19.140
 of the existence

00:19:19.140 --> 00:19:20.460
 of the triune God,

00:19:20.579 --> 00:19:21.740
 of cause and effect,

00:19:21.880 --> 00:19:22.720
 of human beings

00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:23.940
 being able to choose,

00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:25.380
 of providence

00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:26.140
 and of miracle.

00:19:27.259 --> 00:19:28.420
 And let's see how this now

00:19:28.420 --> 00:19:30.079
 starts to work itself out

00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:32.380
 in this story,

00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:34.039
 because Abraham

00:19:34.039 --> 00:19:35.620
 has another son

00:19:35.620 --> 00:19:38.400
 who's about 12 years older

00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:39.460
 or something like that,

00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:41.880
 10 to 12 or 13 years older.

00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:42.840
 What happens?

00:19:42.940 --> 00:19:43.059
 Well,

00:19:43.059 --> 00:19:44.100
 we'll look at verse 8.

00:19:44.099 --> 00:19:46.740
 And the child grew

00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:48.379
 and was weaned,

00:19:48.959 --> 00:19:50.619
 and Abraham made

00:19:50.619 --> 00:19:51.559
 a great feast

00:19:51.559 --> 00:19:52.139
 on the day

00:19:52.139 --> 00:19:53.599
 that Isaac was weaned.

00:19:53.740 --> 00:19:54.779
 And in the culture,

00:19:54.899 --> 00:19:55.619
 archaeologists

00:19:55.619 --> 00:19:56.599
 and anthropologists

00:19:56.599 --> 00:19:58.279
 and scholars tell us

00:19:58.279 --> 00:19:59.240
 that probably was

00:19:59.240 --> 00:19:59.859
 somewhere between

00:19:59.859 --> 00:20:01.240
 the ages 2 1⁄2 and 3,

00:20:01.339 --> 00:20:02.139
 close to 3,

00:20:02.339 --> 00:20:02.879
 that the weaning

00:20:02.879 --> 00:20:03.559
 would have happened.

00:20:04.139 --> 00:20:04.679
 Verse 9,

00:20:05.399 --> 00:20:06.379
 But Sarah saw

00:20:06.379 --> 00:20:07.339
 the son of Hagar,

00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:07.980
 the Egyptian,

00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:09.459
 whom she had born,

00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:11.259
 sorry,

00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:12.339
 but Sarah saw

00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:13.319
 the son of Hagar,

00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:14.119
 the Egyptian,

00:20:14.619 --> 00:20:15.419
 whom she had born

00:20:15.419 --> 00:20:16.139
 to Abraham,

00:20:16.460 --> 00:20:16.960
 laughing.

00:20:18.399 --> 00:20:18.579
 Now,

00:20:18.639 --> 00:20:19.579
 just sort of pause here

00:20:19.579 --> 00:20:20.179
 for a second.

00:20:20.899 --> 00:20:22.500
 In this particular version

00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:23.439
 of the Bible,

00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:24.139
 which I've read,

00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:25.159
 it's one of the most

00:20:25.159 --> 00:20:26.139
 literal versions,

00:20:26.299 --> 00:20:26.980
 the ESV.

00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:28.079
 And sometimes

00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:28.960
 the literal versions

00:20:29.619 --> 00:20:30.679
 aren't very helpful,

00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:32.539
 because there's a

00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:33.700
 very, very strong

00:20:33.700 --> 00:20:35.240
 connotation

00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:36.659
 in the original language

00:20:36.659 --> 00:20:38.139
 that it's cruel,

00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.799
 mocking laughter.

00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:39.879
 laughter.

00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:41.659
 So it's not

00:20:41.659 --> 00:20:42.399
 the laughter

00:20:42.399 --> 00:20:44.240
 of a 12-year-old

00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:46.019
 having lots of fun

00:20:46.019 --> 00:20:47.619
 or a 14- or 15-year-old

00:20:47.619 --> 00:20:48.639
 having lots of fun.

00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:49.799
 It's the laughter

00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:50.759
 of the bully.

00:20:51.419 --> 00:20:53.099
 It's the laughter

00:20:53.099 --> 00:20:54.240
 of the powerful

00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:57.559
 in terms of ridiculing

00:20:57.559 --> 00:20:58.440
 and shaming

00:20:58.440 --> 00:20:59.940
 the weak.

00:21:00.619 --> 00:21:01.700
 It's the laughter

00:21:01.700 --> 00:21:02.839
 of not only shaming

00:21:02.839 --> 00:21:03.279
 the weak,

00:21:03.399 --> 00:21:04.200
 but the promise

00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:05.399
 or the hope

00:21:05.399 --> 00:21:06.859
 of the person laughing

00:21:06.859 --> 00:21:08.240
 that harm

00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:08.839
 and damage

00:21:08.839 --> 00:21:09.479
 will be done.

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:10.259
 And that's what's

00:21:10.259 --> 00:21:11.019
 being communicated

00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:12.079
 here in this

00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:13.199
 particular text.

00:21:14.159 --> 00:21:14.319
 So,

00:21:14.699 --> 00:21:16.240
 what's going to happen?

00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:17.119
 Well,

00:21:17.219 --> 00:21:18.119
 what we see here

00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:19.479
 is these next

00:21:19.479 --> 00:21:20.000
 two verses

00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:21.019
 are a really important

00:21:21.019 --> 00:21:21.659
 way to help us

00:21:21.659 --> 00:21:22.339
 to understand

00:21:22.339 --> 00:21:23.379
 how God interacts

00:21:23.379 --> 00:21:24.119
 with the world.

00:21:24.939 --> 00:21:25.740
 How there can still

00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:26.939
 be both human freedom

00:21:26.939 --> 00:21:28.500
 and there also

00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:29.079
 can be,

00:21:29.859 --> 00:21:30.899
 like as some Christians

00:21:30.899 --> 00:21:31.199
 say,

00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:32.439
 God only has plan A.

00:21:32.659 --> 00:21:33.099
 He doesn't need

00:21:33.099 --> 00:21:33.759
 a plan B.

00:21:34.639 --> 00:21:35.139
 Human beings

00:21:35.139 --> 00:21:36.099
 still have freedom,

00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:39.199
 but God still

00:21:39.199 --> 00:21:40.000
 sometimes,

00:21:40.399 --> 00:21:41.059
 not sometimes,

00:21:41.159 --> 00:21:42.219
 He superintends

00:21:42.219 --> 00:21:43.879
 events towards

00:21:43.879 --> 00:21:44.980
 His desired end.

00:21:45.439 --> 00:21:46.139
 Verse 10,

00:21:47.559 --> 00:21:47.799
 So,

00:21:48.059 --> 00:21:48.359
 she,

00:21:48.619 --> 00:21:49.379
 that is Sarah,

00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:50.419
 said to Abraham,

00:21:51.179 --> 00:21:52.259
 cast out this

00:21:52.259 --> 00:21:53.059
 slave woman

00:21:53.059 --> 00:21:54.199
 with her son,

00:21:54.939 --> 00:21:55.719
 for the son

00:21:55.719 --> 00:21:57.179
 of this slave woman

00:21:57.179 --> 00:21:59.339
 shall not be heir

00:21:59.339 --> 00:22:02.399
 with my son Isaac.

00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:04.860
 and the thing

00:22:04.860 --> 00:22:06.060
 was very displeasing

00:22:06.060 --> 00:22:06.840
 to Abraham

00:22:06.840 --> 00:22:07.640
 on account

00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:08.240
 of his son.

00:22:08.580 --> 00:22:08.800
 Now,

00:22:08.840 --> 00:22:09.220
 some of you

00:22:09.220 --> 00:22:10.000
 who are very familiar

00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:10.620
 with the Bible

00:22:10.620 --> 00:22:11.220
 will know that

00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:13.240
 those words of Sarah

00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:15.440
 end up becoming

00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:16.220
 very important

00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:17.460
 as part of an argument

00:22:17.460 --> 00:22:18.580
 in the book of Galatians,

00:22:18.620 --> 00:22:19.200
 but we're not going to

00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:19.980
 necessarily go there

00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:20.500
 right now.

00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:22.120
 The point is

00:22:22.120 --> 00:22:24.180
 that Sarah

00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:26.380
 means harm

00:22:26.380 --> 00:22:27.460
 to Hagar

00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:28.700
 and her son Ishmael.

00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:31.380
 She does not desire

00:22:31.380 --> 00:22:32.059
 their good.

00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:34.880
 She desires

00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:35.779
 to hurt them.

00:22:37.299 --> 00:22:39.100
 She is a

00:22:39.100 --> 00:22:40.200
 tigress

00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:41.860
 in a sense

00:22:41.860 --> 00:22:42.960
 when it comes

00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:43.819
 to standing up

00:22:43.819 --> 00:22:45.420
 for her son.

00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:47.500
 And even if,

00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:48.340
 and from her point

00:22:48.340 --> 00:22:48.819
 of view,

00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:51.200
 Abraham's not

00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:51.740
 doing enough

00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:52.279
 about it,

00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:53.720
 she's not going

00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:54.759
 to stand idly by.

00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.299
 She's a tigress.

00:22:56.299 --> 00:22:57.600
 She's not a labradoodle.

00:22:57.599 --> 00:22:59.759
 And she's going

00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:00.279
 to defend

00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:01.519
 her son.

00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:02.719
 Now,

00:23:02.839 --> 00:23:03.219
 by the way,

00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:04.480
 this also ends up

00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:05.179
 having a bit

00:23:05.179 --> 00:23:05.919
 of an impact

00:23:05.919 --> 00:23:07.099
 because if you go back

00:23:07.099 --> 00:23:07.539
 and you read

00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:08.659
 all of the earlier things,

00:23:08.719 --> 00:23:09.139
 it's very,

00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:09.619
 very clear

00:23:09.619 --> 00:23:10.379
 from the earlier

00:23:10.379 --> 00:23:11.659
 parts of the story,

00:23:11.779 --> 00:23:12.759
 the earlier stories

00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:13.240
 that make up

00:23:13.240 --> 00:23:14.079
 the story of Abraham,

00:23:14.719 --> 00:23:15.159
 that in fact

00:23:15.159 --> 00:23:15.939
 the promise is

00:23:15.939 --> 00:23:16.579
 that God was going

00:23:16.579 --> 00:23:16.980
 to provide

00:23:16.980 --> 00:23:18.019
 one son

00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:18.779
 of promise,

00:23:19.079 --> 00:23:19.899
 the line

00:23:19.899 --> 00:23:20.579
 that would eventually

00:23:20.579 --> 00:23:21.480
 culminate in

00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:23.199
 Jesus the Messiah.

00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:24.259
 And so,

00:23:24.459 --> 00:23:24.959
 how is this going

00:23:24.959 --> 00:23:25.500
 to work out

00:23:25.500 --> 00:23:26.379
 if there's

00:23:26.380 --> 00:23:27.300
 Ishmael

00:23:27.300 --> 00:23:28.900
 and if there's

00:23:28.900 --> 00:23:29.400
 enmity

00:23:29.400 --> 00:23:30.660
 and how they're

00:23:30.660 --> 00:23:30.900
 going to be

00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:31.420
 with Isaac?

00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:33.180
 And Abraham

00:23:33.180 --> 00:23:34.040
 doesn't like

00:23:34.040 --> 00:23:34.500
 what Sarah

00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:35.180
 wants to do,

00:23:35.260 --> 00:23:35.940
 but what's going

00:23:35.940 --> 00:23:36.220
 to happen?

00:23:36.300 --> 00:23:36.580
 Is Sarah

00:23:36.580 --> 00:23:37.020
 going to win

00:23:37.020 --> 00:23:37.580
 or is Abraham

00:23:37.580 --> 00:23:38.140
 going to win?

00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:38.440
 Well,

00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:39.160
 as we see

00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:39.520
 in the moment,

00:23:39.580 --> 00:23:39.700
 well,

00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:40.120
 let's see what

00:23:40.120 --> 00:23:40.460
 happens.

00:23:40.660 --> 00:23:40.940
 Look at

00:23:40.940 --> 00:23:41.660
 verse 13.

00:23:43.660 --> 00:23:44.460
 Verse 12.

00:23:45.100 --> 00:23:45.460
 But God

00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:46.220
 said to Abraham,

00:23:46.780 --> 00:23:47.960
 be not displeased

00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:48.820
 because of the boy

00:23:48.820 --> 00:23:49.460
 and because of

00:23:49.460 --> 00:23:50.260
 your slave woman.

00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:51.660
 It's really

00:23:51.660 --> 00:23:52.380
 more of a sense

00:23:52.380 --> 00:23:52.640
 of,

00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:55.520
 he can still

00:23:55.520 --> 00:23:56.020
 be in a sense

00:23:56.020 --> 00:23:56.759
 displeased.

00:23:57.040 --> 00:23:57.960
 The implication

00:23:57.960 --> 00:23:58.720
 of this

00:23:58.720 --> 00:23:59.400
 is more

00:23:59.400 --> 00:24:00.380
 in the original

00:24:00.380 --> 00:24:01.480
 language that

00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:05.520
 it's part of

00:24:05.520 --> 00:24:06.020
 his promise

00:24:06.020 --> 00:24:06.480
 that I'm going

00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:07.080
 to do something

00:24:07.080 --> 00:24:07.740
 about this

00:24:07.740 --> 00:24:08.700
 on God's part

00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:09.820
 through providence.

00:24:10.660 --> 00:24:11.620
 Continues on,

00:24:11.780 --> 00:24:12.640
 whatever Sarah

00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:13.700
 says to you,

00:24:14.560 --> 00:24:15.340
 do as she

00:24:15.340 --> 00:24:16.120
 tells you,

00:24:16.780 --> 00:24:17.380
 for through

00:24:17.380 --> 00:24:18.020
 Isaac

00:24:18.020 --> 00:24:19.000
 shall your

00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:19.520
 offspring

00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:20.519
 be named.

00:24:21.379 --> 00:24:22.160
 And I

00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:23.079
 will make

00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:24.960
 a nation

00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:25.879
 of the

00:24:25.879 --> 00:24:26.220
 son of

00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:26.700
 the slave

00:24:26.700 --> 00:24:26.980
 woman

00:24:26.980 --> 00:24:28.019
 also

00:24:28.019 --> 00:24:28.759
 because

00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:29.279
 he

00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:30.000
 is

00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:30.180
 your

00:24:30.180 --> 00:24:30.639
 offspring.

00:24:32.099 --> 00:24:32.539
 Now,

00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:33.700
 if you've

00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:34.019
 watched some

00:24:34.019 --> 00:24:34.220
 of these

00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:34.920
 other sermons

00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:36.139
 on the

00:24:36.139 --> 00:24:36.460
 life of

00:24:36.460 --> 00:24:36.759
 Abraham,

00:24:36.900 --> 00:24:37.139
 one of the

00:24:37.139 --> 00:24:37.460
 things I

00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:38.220
 say constantly

00:24:38.220 --> 00:24:38.440
 is,

00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:38.639
 I mean,

00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:39.240
 not only in

00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:39.579
 a sense

00:24:39.579 --> 00:24:39.900
 is this

00:24:39.900 --> 00:24:40.460
 a story,

00:24:40.579 --> 00:24:40.859
 but it's

00:24:40.859 --> 00:24:41.339
 a story

00:24:41.339 --> 00:24:41.799
 within

00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:43.160
 a bigger

00:24:43.160 --> 00:24:43.539
 book,

00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:44.240
 which we

00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.639
 now know

00:24:44.639 --> 00:24:45.059
 of as

00:24:45.059 --> 00:24:45.319
 the book

00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:45.839
 of Genesis.

00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:46.539
 And the

00:24:46.539 --> 00:24:46.839
 book of

00:24:46.839 --> 00:24:47.200
 Genesis

00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:47.900
 is also

00:24:47.900 --> 00:24:48.299
 part of

00:24:48.299 --> 00:24:48.799
 a larger

00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:49.359
 story,

00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:49.859
 which is

00:24:49.859 --> 00:24:50.319
 the five

00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:50.740
 books,

00:24:50.919 --> 00:24:52.399
 all ultimately

00:24:52.399 --> 00:24:53.099
 and primarily

00:24:53.099 --> 00:24:53.659
 written by

00:24:53.659 --> 00:24:54.159
 Moses,

00:24:54.460 --> 00:24:55.039
 Genesis,

00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:55.480
 Exodus,

00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:56.019
 Leviticus,

00:24:56.139 --> 00:24:56.440
 Numbers,

00:24:56.700 --> 00:24:57.460
 and Deuteronomy.

00:24:57.859 --> 00:24:58.220
 And of

00:24:58.220 --> 00:24:58.460
 course,

00:24:58.759 --> 00:24:59.200
 part of a

00:24:59.200 --> 00:24:59.879
 larger book

00:24:59.879 --> 00:25:01.019
 still in

00:25:01.019 --> 00:25:01.480
 terms of the

00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:01.819
 rest of the

00:25:01.819 --> 00:25:02.319
 Old Testament

00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:02.659
 and the

00:25:02.659 --> 00:25:03.180
 New Testament.

00:25:03.940 --> 00:25:04.480
 But Genesis

00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:05.399
 50 ends

00:25:05.399 --> 00:25:05.960
 with a

00:25:05.960 --> 00:25:06.240
 very,

00:25:06.379 --> 00:25:06.980
 very important

00:25:06.980 --> 00:25:07.579
 story,

00:25:07.579 --> 00:25:08.019
 and we

00:25:08.019 --> 00:25:08.460
 can see

00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:08.879
 that this

00:25:08.879 --> 00:25:09.460
 story here

00:25:09.460 --> 00:25:10.359
 is foreshadowing

00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:10.579
 this,

00:25:10.680 --> 00:25:11.039
 and it's a

00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:11.700
 very important

00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:12.559
 thing for us

00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:13.159
 to understand

00:25:13.159 --> 00:25:13.639
 a little bit

00:25:13.639 --> 00:25:14.039
 about how

00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:14.359
 we have

00:25:14.359 --> 00:25:15.059
 human freedom

00:25:15.059 --> 00:25:16.079
 and how

00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:17.480
 God interacts

00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:17.899
 with our

00:25:17.899 --> 00:25:18.480
 freedom while

00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:18.980
 still being

00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:19.500
 sovereign.

00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:21.279
 There's a

00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:21.720
 story at

00:25:21.720 --> 00:25:22.339
 the end

00:25:22.339 --> 00:25:24.380
 in terms of

00:25:24.380 --> 00:25:24.920
 Joseph and

00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:25.480
 his brothers,

00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:26.759
 and his

00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:27.940
 brothers hate

00:25:27.940 --> 00:25:28.519
 Joseph,

00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:30.019
 and so

00:25:30.019 --> 00:25:31.819
 they sell

00:25:31.819 --> 00:25:32.980
 Joseph as

00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:33.920
 a slave to

00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:34.759
 some wandering

00:25:34.759 --> 00:25:35.620
 traders.

00:25:36.360 --> 00:25:37.099
 They literally

00:25:37.099 --> 00:25:37.740
 take their

00:25:37.740 --> 00:25:38.539
 younger brother

00:25:38.539 --> 00:25:39.640
 and give him

00:25:39.640 --> 00:25:39.980
 to these

00:25:39.980 --> 00:25:40.319
 traders.

00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:40.839
 They take

00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:41.519
 money for

00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:42.120
 it, and

00:25:42.120 --> 00:25:43.180
 they sell

00:25:43.180 --> 00:25:43.900
 their son

00:25:43.900 --> 00:25:44.640
 into slavery.

00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:45.580
 And then

00:25:45.580 --> 00:25:46.000
 the story

00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:46.700
 proceeds,

00:25:46.860 --> 00:25:47.480
 and all

00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:47.900
 these other

00:25:47.900 --> 00:25:48.540
 things happen

00:25:48.540 --> 00:25:49.020
 in the story,

00:25:49.100 --> 00:25:49.440
 but at the

00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:49.880
 end of it,

00:25:49.940 --> 00:25:50.800
 by a series

00:25:50.800 --> 00:25:52.040
 of providential

00:25:52.040 --> 00:25:52.560
 events,

00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:53.780
 Joseph ends

00:25:53.780 --> 00:25:54.300
 up becoming

00:25:54.300 --> 00:25:54.780
 the second

00:25:54.780 --> 00:25:55.560
 most powerful

00:25:55.560 --> 00:25:56.200
 person in

00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:56.580
 the nation

00:25:56.580 --> 00:25:57.200
 of Egypt,

00:25:57.400 --> 00:25:58.000
 and there's

00:25:58.000 --> 00:25:58.500
 a famine,

00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:58.900
 and his

00:25:58.900 --> 00:26:00.820
 brothers come

00:26:00.820 --> 00:26:01.259
 back, and

00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:01.720
 his dad

00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:02.500
 comes back,

00:26:02.600 --> 00:26:03.100
 and all of

00:26:03.100 --> 00:26:03.500
 that stuff,

00:26:03.540 --> 00:26:03.759
 and it

00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:04.180
 ends up

00:26:04.180 --> 00:26:05.100
 that Joseph

00:26:05.100 --> 00:26:06.180
 is able to

00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:06.740
 save the

00:26:06.740 --> 00:26:07.820
 life of his

00:26:07.820 --> 00:26:08.320
 family.

00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:09.819
 And after

00:26:09.819 --> 00:26:11.419
 Joseph's

00:26:11.419 --> 00:26:12.439
 father dies,

00:26:12.939 --> 00:26:13.619
 the brothers

00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:14.200
 say, by

00:26:14.200 --> 00:26:14.559
 the way, we

00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:15.119
 want you to

00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:16.119
 know that

00:26:16.119 --> 00:26:16.779
 before our

00:26:16.779 --> 00:26:17.480
 father died,

00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:18.179
 he privately

00:26:18.179 --> 00:26:19.000
 told us not

00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:19.419
 to hold

00:26:19.419 --> 00:26:20.079
 against us

00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:20.519
 the fact

00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:21.439
 that, you

00:26:21.439 --> 00:26:22.179
 know, like,

00:26:22.659 --> 00:26:23.240
 we sold

00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:23.639
 you into

00:26:23.639 --> 00:26:25.119
 slavery a

00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:25.740
 little bit,

00:26:25.919 --> 00:26:27.359
 because, you

00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:27.579
 know, they're

00:26:27.579 --> 00:26:28.220
 pretty worried.

00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:29.319
 Joseph is the

00:26:29.319 --> 00:26:29.740
 second most

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.480
 powerful person

00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:30.879
 in Egypt,

00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:31.579
 and they

00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:32.559
 sold him

00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:33.179
 into slavery.

00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:34.159
 And there's

00:26:34.159 --> 00:26:34.639
 a very, very

00:26:34.639 --> 00:26:35.799
 powerful phrase

00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:36.399
 there that

00:26:36.399 --> 00:26:37.960
 Joseph says,

00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:39.159
 that you

00:26:39.159 --> 00:26:39.740
 meant it

00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:40.419
 for ill,

00:26:41.099 --> 00:26:41.679
 you meant

00:26:41.679 --> 00:26:42.579
 it for bad,

00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:43.779
 but God

00:26:43.779 --> 00:26:44.619
 used it

00:26:44.619 --> 00:26:45.419
 for good.

00:26:47.139 --> 00:26:48.220
 You meant

00:26:48.220 --> 00:26:49.319
 it for evil,

00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:50.980
 but God

00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:51.839
 used it

00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:52.759
 for good.

00:26:54.019 --> 00:26:54.519
 And what we

00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:55.119
 see here is

00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:56.019
 the same type

00:26:56.019 --> 00:26:56.939
 of a story

00:26:56.939 --> 00:26:57.579
 being told

00:26:57.579 --> 00:26:58.099
 here in this

00:26:58.099 --> 00:26:58.319
 thing.

00:26:58.480 --> 00:26:59.259
 Sarah means

00:26:59.259 --> 00:26:59.879
 this thing

00:26:59.879 --> 00:27:00.980
 for Hagar,

00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:02.379
 for evil,

00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:03.659
 but God

00:27:03.659 --> 00:27:04.220
 is going to

00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:04.740
 use it

00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:05.799
 for good.

00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:08.000
 Let's see.

00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:08.859
 how this

00:27:08.859 --> 00:27:09.579
 works.

00:27:09.939 --> 00:27:10.299
 And by the

00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:11.099
 way, if you

00:27:11.099 --> 00:27:11.579
 think about it

00:27:11.579 --> 00:27:11.960
 for a second,

00:27:12.059 --> 00:27:12.399
 this is going

00:27:12.399 --> 00:27:12.779
 to be very

00:27:12.779 --> 00:27:13.339
 important for

00:27:13.339 --> 00:27:13.539
 us to

00:27:13.539 --> 00:27:14.059
 understand when

00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:14.480
 it comes to

00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:15.019
 the gospel.

00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:16.339
 You see,

00:27:16.399 --> 00:27:16.859
 this story,

00:27:16.939 --> 00:27:17.220
 in a sense,

00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:17.799
 is preparing

00:27:17.799 --> 00:27:18.359
 us for the

00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:18.899
 gospel in a

00:27:18.899 --> 00:27:19.240
 very, very

00:27:19.240 --> 00:27:19.839
 subtle way.

00:27:20.619 --> 00:27:20.839
 You see,

00:27:20.899 --> 00:27:21.379
 what happens

00:27:21.379 --> 00:27:22.079
 in the gospel

00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:23.220
 is, like,

00:27:23.639 --> 00:27:24.119
 how does

00:27:24.119 --> 00:27:24.859
 Jesus end

00:27:24.859 --> 00:27:25.379
 up being

00:27:25.379 --> 00:27:26.019
 born where

00:27:26.019 --> 00:27:26.619
 he's born

00:27:26.619 --> 00:27:27.119
 fulfilling

00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:27.960
 prophecies,

00:27:28.059 --> 00:27:28.740
 and how does

00:27:28.740 --> 00:27:29.119
 he end up

00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:30.139
 dying where

00:27:30.139 --> 00:27:30.799
 he dies

00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:31.659
 fulfilling

00:27:31.659 --> 00:27:32.460
 prophecies,

00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:33.059
 and how does

00:27:33.059 --> 00:27:33.740
 he rise from

00:27:33.740 --> 00:27:34.279
 the dead,

00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:35.559
 and everything

00:27:35.559 --> 00:27:36.200
 like that?

00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:37.759
 And a lot

00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:37.980
 of these

00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:38.240
 things are

00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:38.759
 completely and

00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:39.140
 utterly out

00:27:39.140 --> 00:27:39.660
 of control.

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:40.580
 Well, what

00:27:40.580 --> 00:27:41.519
 happens is an

00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:42.279
 emperor in

00:27:42.279 --> 00:27:42.920
 Rome just

00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:43.539
 decides that

00:27:43.539 --> 00:27:44.019
 he wants to

00:27:44.019 --> 00:27:44.500
 do something,

00:27:44.620 --> 00:27:45.000
 and all these

00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:45.660
 people groups

00:27:45.660 --> 00:27:46.140
 happen to

00:27:46.140 --> 00:27:47.140
 move around.

00:27:47.860 --> 00:27:48.600
 But he

00:27:48.600 --> 00:27:49.140
 makes his

00:27:49.140 --> 00:27:50.000
 decision because

00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:50.500
 for whatever

00:27:50.500 --> 00:27:51.080
 reason he

00:27:51.080 --> 00:27:51.740
 wants to have

00:27:51.740 --> 00:27:52.799
 more power or

00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:53.420
 just show how

00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:54.340
 powerful he is,

00:27:54.740 --> 00:27:55.480
 but the result

00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:56.299
 is that Jesus

00:27:56.299 --> 00:27:57.240
 is born exactly

00:27:57.240 --> 00:27:58.100
 where God has

00:27:58.100 --> 00:27:58.980
 prophesied that

00:27:58.980 --> 00:27:59.660
 the Savior would

00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:00.100
 be born.

00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:01.080
 And that when

00:28:01.080 --> 00:28:01.920
 it comes time to

00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:02.460
 the Jewish

00:28:02.460 --> 00:28:03.319
 religious leaders

00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:04.039
 and the Roman

00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:04.519
 leaders,

00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.859
 they all are

00:28:05.859 --> 00:28:06.639
 just acting out

00:28:06.639 --> 00:28:07.000
 of their own

00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:08.099
 agenda, and in

00:28:08.099 --> 00:28:08.939
 every case of

00:28:08.939 --> 00:28:09.579
 those agendas,

00:28:09.819 --> 00:28:10.679
 they're desiring

00:28:10.679 --> 00:28:11.879
 harm for Jesus,

00:28:12.139 --> 00:28:13.220
 but the result

00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:14.139
 of them acting

00:28:14.139 --> 00:28:14.839
 out of their

00:28:14.839 --> 00:28:15.679
 own agendas

00:28:15.679 --> 00:28:16.639
 and acting to

00:28:16.639 --> 00:28:17.159
 wanting to

00:28:17.159 --> 00:28:18.220
 harm Jesus

00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:19.939
 is that once

00:28:19.939 --> 00:28:21.159
 again, multiple

00:28:21.159 --> 00:28:22.099
 scripture texts,

00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:23.099
 the prophecies of

00:28:23.099 --> 00:28:23.939
 them is fulfilled,

00:28:24.700 --> 00:28:26.099
 and Jesus ends

00:28:26.099 --> 00:28:27.200
 up dying just as

00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:27.939
 he has also

00:28:27.939 --> 00:28:28.159
 predicted.

00:28:28.220 --> 00:28:28.519
 One of the

00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:29.220
 reasons you can,

00:28:29.619 --> 00:28:29.980
 in a sense,

00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:31.539
 trust the words

00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:32.599
 of Jesus is that

00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:33.059
 when you look at

00:28:33.059 --> 00:28:33.539
 the eyewitness

00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:34.519
 biographies of

00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:35.240
 Jesus, Jesus

00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:36.279
 himself predicts

00:28:36.279 --> 00:28:36.659
 he's going to

00:28:36.659 --> 00:28:37.200
 die in a way

00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:37.980
 that he can't

00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:38.599
 orchestrate,

00:28:38.700 --> 00:28:39.179
 because it's

00:28:39.179 --> 00:28:39.619
 something that

00:28:39.619 --> 00:28:40.399
 has to be done

00:28:40.399 --> 00:28:42.359
 by Roman power.

00:28:42.579 --> 00:28:43.279
 He doesn't say,

00:28:43.339 --> 00:28:43.539
 I'm going to

00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.440
 kill myself,

00:28:45.019 --> 00:28:45.619
 because then you

00:28:45.619 --> 00:28:46.079
 could just say,

00:28:46.139 --> 00:28:46.500
 well, I mean,

00:28:46.539 --> 00:28:46.799
 I don't know,

00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:47.379
 he's sitting up

00:28:47.379 --> 00:28:47.819
 and he's a bit

00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:48.359
 of a scam,

00:28:48.460 --> 00:28:49.659
 but he predicts

00:28:49.659 --> 00:28:50.039
 he's going to

00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:50.559
 die in a way

00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:51.679
 that only the

00:28:51.679 --> 00:28:52.799
 pagan Roman

00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:54.259
 authorities can

00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:55.159
 actually do,

00:28:55.259 --> 00:28:56.379
 and he dies that

00:28:56.379 --> 00:28:57.559
 way, vindicating

00:28:57.559 --> 00:28:58.339
 his words,

00:28:58.759 --> 00:28:59.399
 and then he

00:28:59.399 --> 00:29:00.299
 rises from the

00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:00.500
 dead.

00:29:00.579 --> 00:29:01.079
 And in all

00:29:01.079 --> 00:29:01.740
 those cases,

00:29:01.879 --> 00:29:02.399
 whether it's

00:29:02.399 --> 00:29:02.899
 the emperor,

00:29:02.900 --> 00:29:03.300
 whether it's

00:29:03.300 --> 00:29:03.740
 the Romans,

00:29:03.900 --> 00:29:04.240
 whether it's

00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:04.640
 the leaders,

00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:05.160
 the Jewish

00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:05.560
 leaders,

00:29:06.080 --> 00:29:06.860
 everybody is

00:29:06.860 --> 00:29:08.100
 acting according

00:29:08.100 --> 00:29:08.900
 to their free

00:29:08.900 --> 00:29:10.920
 will, and

00:29:10.920 --> 00:29:11.980
 they all act

00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:12.380
 in a way

00:29:12.380 --> 00:29:12.980
 which means

00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:13.560
 harm.

00:29:15.300 --> 00:29:16.120
 But it ends

00:29:16.120 --> 00:29:16.660
 up that God

00:29:16.660 --> 00:29:17.320
 uses it for

00:29:17.320 --> 00:29:17.920
 good, because

00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:19.340
 the death of

00:29:19.340 --> 00:29:20.360
 Jesus upon the

00:29:20.360 --> 00:29:21.519
 cross is his

00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:22.200
 death as the

00:29:22.200 --> 00:29:22.780
 Lamb of God

00:29:22.780 --> 00:29:23.360
 who takes away

00:29:23.360 --> 00:29:23.860
 the sin of the

00:29:23.860 --> 00:29:24.120
 world.

00:29:25.280 --> 00:29:25.900
 And his

00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:26.940
 resurrection is

00:29:26.940 --> 00:29:28.200
 the promise of

00:29:28.200 --> 00:29:29.440
 the vindication

00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:31.100
 and the promise

00:29:31.100 --> 00:29:31.840
 of life and

00:29:31.840 --> 00:29:32.660
 the hope of

00:29:32.660 --> 00:29:33.420
 glory for the

00:29:33.420 --> 00:29:33.779
 Christian.

00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:34.759
 And so

00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:35.640
 everybody uses

00:29:35.640 --> 00:29:36.420
 their freedom

00:29:36.420 --> 00:29:38.779
 freely, but

00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:39.980
 God superintends

00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:40.980
 the events by

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:42.940
 providence that

00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:43.380
 even though

00:29:43.380 --> 00:29:44.940
 everybody in the

00:29:44.940 --> 00:29:45.960
 story means evil,

00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:47.400
 God brings great

00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:48.460
 good out of it.

00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:48.880
 It's one of the

00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:49.519
 ways that God

00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:51.120
 intervenes in the

00:29:51.120 --> 00:29:51.460
 world.

00:29:52.120 --> 00:29:52.759
 So what happens

00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:53.240
 to the child?

00:29:53.380 --> 00:29:53.960
 Well, let's look

00:29:53.960 --> 00:29:55.700
 verse 14, what

00:29:55.700 --> 00:29:56.140
 happens to

00:29:56.140 --> 00:29:56.740
 Ishmael.

00:29:58.240 --> 00:29:59.680
 So verse 14,

00:29:59.819 --> 00:30:00.319
 so Abraham

00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:01.680
 rose early in

00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:02.480
 the morning and

00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:03.180
 took bread and

00:30:03.180 --> 00:30:04.000
 a skin of water

00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:05.160
 and gave it to

00:30:05.160 --> 00:30:06.579
 Hagar, putting it

00:30:06.579 --> 00:30:07.380
 on her shoulder

00:30:07.380 --> 00:30:08.039
 along with the

00:30:08.039 --> 00:30:09.440
 child, and sent

00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:10.460
 her away, and

00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:11.539
 she departed and

00:30:11.539 --> 00:30:12.299
 wandered in the

00:30:12.299 --> 00:30:13.200
 wilderness of

00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:13.799
 Beersheba.

00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:16.019
 Now Abraham is

00:30:16.019 --> 00:30:16.620
 taking God at

00:30:16.620 --> 00:30:18.539
 his word that he

00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:19.340
 will do as he

00:30:19.340 --> 00:30:20.240
 said and as he

00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:20.779
 has promised.

00:30:21.700 --> 00:30:22.120
 We don't know

00:30:22.120 --> 00:30:22.579
 how much bread

00:30:22.579 --> 00:30:23.240
 she had.

00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:25.319
 Archaeologists,

00:30:25.460 --> 00:30:26.359
 anthropologists say

00:30:26.359 --> 00:30:27.339
 that she probably

00:30:27.339 --> 00:30:27.859
 had about what

00:30:27.859 --> 00:30:28.380
 we would now

00:30:28.380 --> 00:30:29.099
 consider almost

00:30:29.099 --> 00:30:30.220
 12 litres of

00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:32.240
 water, which is

00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:32.859
 going to last a

00:30:32.859 --> 00:30:33.680
 couple of days

00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:34.740
 maybe in the

00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:36.220
 wilderness, but

00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:37.059
 it's not going to

00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:37.579
 be enough.

00:30:38.380 --> 00:30:39.440
 God has to

00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:40.640
 intervene in

00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:41.539
 some ways, whether

00:30:41.539 --> 00:30:41.940
 it's through

00:30:41.940 --> 00:30:42.579
 providence or

00:30:42.579 --> 00:30:43.839
 miracle, if that's

00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:44.599
 going to happen.

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:48.640
 And we can see

00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:49.420
 that Sarah's

00:30:49.420 --> 00:30:50.140
 intent was

00:30:50.140 --> 00:30:50.759
 murderous.

00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:52.059
 She hasn't had

00:30:52.059 --> 00:30:53.220
 this word from

00:30:53.220 --> 00:30:54.019
 God that Abraham

00:30:54.019 --> 00:30:54.519
 has.

00:30:54.660 --> 00:30:56.140
 She's quite happy

00:30:56.140 --> 00:30:57.700
 if Sarah and

00:30:57.700 --> 00:30:58.980
 if Hagar and

00:30:58.980 --> 00:31:00.400
 Ishmael meet

00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:00.920
 their doom.

00:31:02.380 --> 00:31:03.860
 So what

00:31:03.860 --> 00:31:04.380
 happens?

00:31:04.860 --> 00:31:05.640
 Well, let's

00:31:05.640 --> 00:31:05.960
 listen.

00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:08.100
 And this story

00:31:08.100 --> 00:31:08.940
 which happens, it's

00:31:08.940 --> 00:31:09.500
 a beautiful

00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:10.579
 illustration of

00:31:10.579 --> 00:31:11.220
 the fact that

00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:12.140
 Christians believe

00:31:12.140 --> 00:31:12.779
 that there's only

00:31:12.779 --> 00:31:14.720
 one God, and

00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:15.539
 the one God who

00:31:15.539 --> 00:31:16.559
 really exists and

00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:17.700
 truly exists is the

00:31:17.700 --> 00:31:18.700
 only God who can

00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:20.579
 answer prayer, and

00:31:20.579 --> 00:31:21.440
 that he answers the

00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:22.279
 prayer of Christians

00:31:22.279 --> 00:31:23.980
 and of Buddhists

00:31:23.980 --> 00:31:24.840
 and of Hindus

00:31:24.840 --> 00:31:26.019
 and of the

00:31:26.019 --> 00:31:26.960
 Jewish people and

00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:27.779
 of people with

00:31:27.779 --> 00:31:28.640
 boutique

00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:29.680
 spiritualities.

00:31:30.320 --> 00:31:31.100
 He's the only

00:31:31.100 --> 00:31:31.860
 God to hear your

00:31:31.860 --> 00:31:32.559
 prayer, the

00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:33.299
 triune God.

00:31:33.740 --> 00:31:34.340
 There is no

00:31:34.340 --> 00:31:34.620
 other.

00:31:36.080 --> 00:31:37.400
 And whether you

00:31:37.400 --> 00:31:38.600
 acknowledge him

00:31:38.600 --> 00:31:42.400
 or not, there is

00:31:42.400 --> 00:31:43.440
 only that triune

00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:44.160
 God who can hear

00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:45.620
 your prayer, and

00:31:45.620 --> 00:31:46.200
 only he can

00:31:46.200 --> 00:31:46.740
 answer them.

00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:48.460
 And it's a

00:31:48.460 --> 00:31:50.799
 longer sermon, and

00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:51.500
 a different sermon

00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:52.019
 to say that

00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:52.940
 sometimes he says

00:31:52.940 --> 00:31:54.759
 no, sometimes he

00:31:54.759 --> 00:31:56.640
 says yes, sometimes

00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:58.559
 he says not yet, and

00:31:58.559 --> 00:31:59.480
 sometimes he says

00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:00.059
 yes, but he

00:32:00.059 --> 00:32:01.620
 answers it in a

00:32:01.620 --> 00:32:02.079
 very, very

00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:03.900
 unexpected and

00:32:03.900 --> 00:32:05.400
 unanticipated way

00:32:05.400 --> 00:32:06.200
 that you might only

00:32:06.200 --> 00:32:08.079
 realize many, many,

00:32:08.420 --> 00:32:09.740
 quite a bit later

00:32:09.740 --> 00:32:10.620
 how he'd answered

00:32:10.620 --> 00:32:11.480
 your prayer in an

00:32:11.480 --> 00:32:12.319
 unexpected way.

00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:13.819
 But let's listen to

00:32:13.819 --> 00:32:14.700
 the story, verse

00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:15.220
 15.

00:32:16.740 --> 00:32:17.339
 When the water

00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:18.519
 and the skin was

00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:19.420
 gone, because

00:32:19.420 --> 00:32:19.900
 they'd been wandering

00:32:19.900 --> 00:32:20.539
 in the wilderness,

00:32:21.500 --> 00:32:22.980
 she put the child

00:32:22.980 --> 00:32:23.759
 under one of the

00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:24.039
 bushes.

00:32:24.279 --> 00:32:24.980
 Now, I just have to

00:32:24.980 --> 00:32:25.880
 pause here for a

00:32:25.880 --> 00:32:27.900
 second, and this

00:32:27.900 --> 00:32:28.299
 is one of the

00:32:28.299 --> 00:32:29.359
 problems, this is

00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:29.920
 actually one of the

00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:32.099
 ways that this

00:32:32.099 --> 00:32:32.660
 version of the

00:32:32.660 --> 00:32:33.200
 Bible is very

00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:34.559
 helpful, because

00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:35.279
 throughout the story

00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:36.279
 there's two different

00:32:36.279 --> 00:32:37.960
 Hebrew words, and

00:32:37.960 --> 00:32:39.220
 when the word boy

00:32:39.220 --> 00:32:41.140
 is used, boy

00:32:41.140 --> 00:32:42.859
 basically means, so

00:32:42.859 --> 00:32:44.620
 later on in the

00:32:44.620 --> 00:32:45.799
 Bible, Solomon, when

00:32:45.799 --> 00:32:46.759
 he's 40, calls

00:32:46.759 --> 00:32:47.500
 himself a boy.

00:32:48.599 --> 00:32:49.680
 And so boy

00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:50.779
 really doesn't

00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:52.059
 describe an actual

00:32:52.059 --> 00:32:53.899
 age, it describes

00:32:53.899 --> 00:32:56.779
 not being capable,

00:32:57.779 --> 00:32:59.079
 it describes not

00:32:59.079 --> 00:33:00.159
 being mature enough,

00:33:00.539 --> 00:33:02.279
 it describes not

00:33:02.279 --> 00:33:03.319
 being worthy enough

00:33:03.319 --> 00:33:04.680
 and competent

00:33:04.680 --> 00:33:05.779
 enough, and that's

00:33:05.779 --> 00:33:06.619
 what the word boy

00:33:06.619 --> 00:33:07.559
 means.

00:33:08.119 --> 00:33:09.359
 And the word child

00:33:09.359 --> 00:33:10.700
 captures this idea

00:33:10.700 --> 00:33:12.220
 of the biological

00:33:12.220 --> 00:33:14.319
 and, in a sense,

00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:15.180
 the maternal or

00:33:15.180 --> 00:33:16.759
 the paternal

00:33:16.759 --> 00:33:17.620
 relationship.

00:33:18.140 --> 00:33:18.700
 And so throughout

00:33:18.700 --> 00:33:19.799
 this story, when

00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:21.299
 it's emphasizing, I

00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:21.860
 mean, if you, you

00:33:21.860 --> 00:33:24.600
 know, Louise and

00:33:24.600 --> 00:33:26.759
 I, all of our

00:33:26.759 --> 00:33:27.740
 children are older,

00:33:28.120 --> 00:33:28.660
 like quite a bit

00:33:28.660 --> 00:33:30.000
 older, but I just

00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:30.620
 said all of our

00:33:30.620 --> 00:33:31.640
 children, I called

00:33:31.640 --> 00:33:32.539
 them my children,

00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:34.940
 even though some of

00:33:34.940 --> 00:33:36.120
 them are, you know,

00:33:36.160 --> 00:33:36.880
 have children of

00:33:36.880 --> 00:33:37.279
 their own.

00:33:38.200 --> 00:33:39.160
 But they're still,

00:33:39.539 --> 00:33:40.440
 they'll always be our

00:33:40.440 --> 00:33:40.819
 children.

00:33:41.240 --> 00:33:41.960
 And so throughout

00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:42.779
 this whole story,

00:33:42.819 --> 00:33:43.759
 when you see child,

00:33:43.879 --> 00:33:44.879
 it's emphasizing the

00:33:44.879 --> 00:33:47.899
 relationship between

00:33:47.899 --> 00:33:50.519
 Hagar and Ishmael.

00:33:50.660 --> 00:33:51.480
 And whenever you see

00:33:51.480 --> 00:33:52.700
 boy, it's emphasizing

00:33:52.700 --> 00:33:53.859
 the fact that they're,

00:33:54.319 --> 00:33:54.940
 in a sense, of their

00:33:54.940 --> 00:33:56.420
 weakness and not being

00:33:56.420 --> 00:33:56.879
 competent.

00:33:57.059 --> 00:33:58.259
 So back earlier, it's

00:33:58.259 --> 00:33:59.339
 not that, in the

00:33:59.339 --> 00:34:00.220
 original language, it's

00:34:00.220 --> 00:34:01.059
 not the case that

00:34:01.059 --> 00:34:01.779
 somehow or another,

00:34:02.299 --> 00:34:04.200
 Ishmael got on

00:34:04.200 --> 00:34:06.440
 Hagar's shoulders.

00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:07.680
 No, no, they left

00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:08.139
 together.

00:34:09.179 --> 00:34:11.119
 The skin of water, the

00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:12.139
 bread was given to the

00:34:12.139 --> 00:34:12.760
 two of them and they

00:34:12.760 --> 00:34:13.659
 go wandering off.

00:34:13.880 --> 00:34:14.679
 And when here, when it

00:34:14.679 --> 00:34:15.400
 says, when the water,

00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:16.940
 verse 15, of the skin

00:34:16.940 --> 00:34:18.500
 was gone and she put

00:34:18.500 --> 00:34:19.400
 the child under one of

00:34:19.400 --> 00:34:21.079
 the bushes, the word

00:34:21.079 --> 00:34:22.659
 put is all right, but

00:34:22.659 --> 00:34:23.800
 it's actually better to

00:34:23.800 --> 00:34:24.559
 understand it as

00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:24.920
 thrown.

00:34:25.800 --> 00:34:27.019
 And if you've ever

00:34:27.019 --> 00:34:28.200
 watched any movie of

00:34:28.200 --> 00:34:29.500
 two people or a group

00:34:29.500 --> 00:34:30.480
 of people and they're

00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:31.200
 wandering in the

00:34:31.200 --> 00:34:31.760
 desert and they're

00:34:31.760 --> 00:34:33.119
 about to, their water's

00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:33.659
 gone and they're

00:34:33.659 --> 00:34:34.679
 getting very, very weak

00:34:34.679 --> 00:34:35.440
 and close to the point

00:34:35.440 --> 00:34:38.220
 of exhaustion, you

00:34:38.220 --> 00:34:39.059
 see them holding

00:34:39.059 --> 00:34:39.599
 each other and

00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:40.420
 supporting each other

00:34:40.420 --> 00:34:41.539
 up and at the end

00:34:41.539 --> 00:34:42.280
 it might be that they

00:34:42.280 --> 00:34:43.619
 just sort of like put

00:34:43.619 --> 00:34:45.019
 the person down because

00:34:45.019 --> 00:34:45.720
 there's a tiny little

00:34:45.720 --> 00:34:46.440
 bit of a shade.

00:34:46.780 --> 00:34:47.300
 And that's what's

00:34:47.300 --> 00:34:50.179
 being communicated here

00:34:50.179 --> 00:34:51.619
 is that Ishmael is

00:34:51.619 --> 00:34:52.659
 close to death.

00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:55.480
 The water is, the

00:34:55.480 --> 00:34:56.559
 lack of water is

00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:57.940
 affecting him more

00:34:57.940 --> 00:34:58.500
 than Hagar.

00:34:59.000 --> 00:35:01.240
 Verse 16, then she

00:35:01.240 --> 00:35:02.260
 went and sat down

00:35:02.260 --> 00:35:03.220
 opposite him a good

00:35:03.219 --> 00:35:04.619
 way off about the

00:35:04.619 --> 00:35:05.239
 distance of a

00:35:05.239 --> 00:35:05.739
 bow shot.

00:35:06.239 --> 00:35:07.619
 For she said, let

00:35:07.619 --> 00:35:08.480
 me not look on the

00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:09.339
 death of the child.

00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:10.879
 And as she sat

00:35:10.879 --> 00:35:11.859
 opposite him, she

00:35:11.859 --> 00:35:12.759
 lifted up her voice

00:35:12.759 --> 00:35:13.319
 and wept.

00:35:14.059 --> 00:35:16.159
 And God heard the

00:35:16.159 --> 00:35:17.879
 voice of the boy.

00:35:19.819 --> 00:35:20.839
 He's not Jewish.

00:35:22.399 --> 00:35:23.500
 He's not, in a sense,

00:35:23.859 --> 00:35:25.679
 from this point of

00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:28.539
 view, part of God's

00:35:28.539 --> 00:35:29.859
 people, so to speak.

00:35:29.860 --> 00:35:30.700
 He's not Jewish.

00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:37.120
 He's, yeah, he's not

00:35:37.120 --> 00:35:37.500
 Jewish.

00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:39.700
 But God hears his

00:35:39.700 --> 00:35:40.019
 prayer.

00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:41.519
 Listen again, verse

00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:41.760
 17.

00:35:41.880 --> 00:35:42.960
 And God heard the

00:35:42.960 --> 00:35:44.500
 voice of the boy and

00:35:44.500 --> 00:35:45.660
 the angel of God, in

00:35:45.660 --> 00:35:46.320
 a sense, another way of

00:35:46.320 --> 00:35:47.880
 referring to God, called

00:35:47.880 --> 00:35:49.300
 to Hagar from heaven and

00:35:49.300 --> 00:35:50.660
 said to her, what

00:35:50.660 --> 00:35:51.599
 troubles you, Hagar?

00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:54.519
 Fear not, for God has

00:35:54.519 --> 00:35:55.599
 heard the voice of the

00:35:55.599 --> 00:35:56.960
 boy where he is.

00:35:57.200 --> 00:35:57.599
 Up!

00:35:57.599 --> 00:35:59.480
 Lift up the boy and

00:35:59.480 --> 00:36:00.719
 hold him fast with your

00:36:00.719 --> 00:36:02.339
 hand, for I will make

00:36:02.339 --> 00:36:03.500
 him into a great nation.

00:36:04.460 --> 00:36:05.539
 Then God opened her

00:36:05.539 --> 00:36:06.900
 eyes and she saw a

00:36:06.900 --> 00:36:07.519
 well of water.

00:36:08.039 --> 00:36:09.539
 And she went and filled

00:36:09.539 --> 00:36:10.779
 the skin with water and

00:36:10.779 --> 00:36:11.759
 gave the boy a drink.

00:36:12.339 --> 00:36:13.360
 And God was with the

00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:14.460
 boy and he grew up and

00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:15.299
 lived in the wilderness

00:36:15.299 --> 00:36:16.380
 and became an expert

00:36:16.380 --> 00:36:16.960
 with the bow.

00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:18.099
 He lived in the

00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:19.400
 wilderness of Paran and

00:36:19.400 --> 00:36:20.679
 his mother took a wife

00:36:20.679 --> 00:36:22.380
 for him in Egypt.

00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:24.519
 So one of the things

00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:25.779
 that we see here is

00:36:25.780 --> 00:36:26.980
 that God answers

00:36:26.980 --> 00:36:28.560
 Ishmael's prayer.

00:36:29.880 --> 00:36:30.720
 You see, there's only

00:36:30.720 --> 00:36:32.500
 one God, the Father,

00:36:32.620 --> 00:36:33.260
 the Son, the Holy

00:36:33.260 --> 00:36:34.440
 Spirit, three persons,

00:36:34.580 --> 00:36:35.060
 one God.

00:36:35.160 --> 00:36:36.080
 He alone is the

00:36:36.080 --> 00:36:37.120
 creator of all things,

00:36:37.240 --> 00:36:38.240
 the sustainer of all

00:36:38.240 --> 00:36:39.420
 things, sovereign over

00:36:39.420 --> 00:36:40.120
 all things.

00:36:40.640 --> 00:36:41.720
 And so there's only

00:36:41.720 --> 00:36:43.420
 that one true and

00:36:43.420 --> 00:36:44.840
 living God that any

00:36:44.840 --> 00:36:45.900
 prayer can go to.

00:36:45.960 --> 00:36:46.700
 And he hears the

00:36:46.700 --> 00:36:48.140
 prayer of the wicked

00:36:48.140 --> 00:36:50.820
 and the good, the old

00:36:50.820 --> 00:36:51.720
 and the young, of the

00:36:51.720 --> 00:36:52.720
 gay and the straight,

00:36:53.200 --> 00:36:54.340
 of the Buddhist and the

00:36:54.340 --> 00:36:55.300
 Hindu and the Muslim

00:36:55.300 --> 00:36:55.940
 and the Christian.

00:36:56.080 --> 00:36:56.980
 There is only one God

00:36:56.980 --> 00:36:57.860
 who can hear everybody's

00:36:57.860 --> 00:36:58.140
 prayer.

00:36:59.720 --> 00:37:00.500
 And you might wonder

00:37:00.500 --> 00:37:00.960
 about that.

00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:02.200
 And it doesn't necessarily

00:37:02.200 --> 00:37:03.500
 the case that he answers

00:37:03.500 --> 00:37:04.920
 the prayers of Christians

00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:07.220
 with more yeses than

00:37:07.220 --> 00:37:08.200
 non-Christians.

00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:09.900
 Now that, of course,

00:37:10.140 --> 00:37:11.460
 maybe requires a longer

00:37:11.460 --> 00:37:12.160
 whole sermon.

00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:13.420
 I just want to point at

00:37:13.420 --> 00:37:14.240
 how this...

00:37:14.240 --> 00:37:16.240
 Take a step back to

00:37:16.240 --> 00:37:18.100
 understand why this is.

00:37:18.620 --> 00:37:19.720
 And it connects with

00:37:19.720 --> 00:37:20.260
 the gospel.

00:37:21.700 --> 00:37:22.800
 Imagine that you have a

00:37:22.800 --> 00:37:23.160
 friend.

00:37:24.480 --> 00:37:26.200
 And you have a friend.

00:37:26.560 --> 00:37:27.560
 We'll call her Sue.

00:37:28.120 --> 00:37:28.760
 You know, and Sue's

00:37:28.760 --> 00:37:29.120
 pretty.

00:37:29.380 --> 00:37:30.460
 And she's nice.

00:37:30.620 --> 00:37:31.580
 And she's pleasant.

00:37:32.200 --> 00:37:33.240
 And, you know, she has a

00:37:33.240 --> 00:37:33.640
 job.

00:37:33.860 --> 00:37:35.060
 And she's kind.

00:37:35.180 --> 00:37:36.039
 And she's creative.

00:37:36.039 --> 00:37:36.860
 And all of that.

00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:38.360
 But for some reason, no

00:37:38.360 --> 00:37:39.820
 guy ever asks her out.

00:37:40.820 --> 00:37:42.220
 And no guy wants to

00:37:42.220 --> 00:37:42.580
 marry her.

00:37:42.600 --> 00:37:43.280
 And she'd love to

00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:43.500
 marry.

00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:45.420
 But just no guy asks

00:37:45.420 --> 00:37:45.960
 Sue out.

00:37:46.580 --> 00:37:48.060
 Well, one day, Sue's

00:37:48.059 --> 00:37:50.259
 grandmother decides to

00:37:50.259 --> 00:37:51.500
 buy her a lottery ticket.

00:37:52.340 --> 00:37:54.039
 And Sue, to everybody's

00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:55.639
 surprise, wins $60 million.

00:37:57.279 --> 00:37:58.440
 And, of course, it's in

00:37:58.440 --> 00:37:58.860
 the paper.

00:37:59.259 --> 00:38:00.579
 You know, Sue Smith or

00:38:00.579 --> 00:38:03.539
 Sue Sinclair wins $60

00:38:03.539 --> 00:38:03.900
 million.

00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:06.659
 And within the next month,

00:38:07.099 --> 00:38:08.400
 20 guys want to date her.

00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:13.779
 20 guys want to date her.

00:38:13.780 --> 00:38:18.140
 Now, you can almost

00:38:18.140 --> 00:38:19.620
 begin to see how, in

00:38:19.620 --> 00:38:20.720
 some ways, winning $60

00:38:20.720 --> 00:38:22.140
 million would actually be

00:38:22.140 --> 00:38:24.060
 more of a curse than a

00:38:24.060 --> 00:38:24.400
 blessing.

00:38:26.120 --> 00:38:27.580
 Sue has wanted to get

00:38:27.580 --> 00:38:27.940
 married.

00:38:29.660 --> 00:38:31.519
 Now, do they want to

00:38:31.519 --> 00:38:32.840
 marry her because she's

00:38:32.840 --> 00:38:34.900
 Sue or because she has

00:38:34.900 --> 00:38:35.600
 $60 million?

00:38:37.140 --> 00:38:38.400
 How would she even know

00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:39.440
 whether that's the case?

00:38:40.220 --> 00:38:41.200
 I mean, she might actually

00:38:41.200 --> 00:38:42.680
 even have to go and live

00:38:42.680 --> 00:38:43.760
 somewhere and change her

00:38:43.760 --> 00:38:44.980
 name and pretend she has

00:38:44.980 --> 00:38:46.220
 no money so that she could

00:38:46.220 --> 00:38:47.400
 at least find somebody who

00:38:47.400 --> 00:38:48.920
 would love her for herself

00:38:48.920 --> 00:38:49.960
 and then have to navigate

00:38:49.960 --> 00:38:50.840
 the fact that she

00:38:50.840 --> 00:38:53.600
 misrepresented herself and

00:38:53.600 --> 00:38:54.860
 that she's actually Sue

00:38:54.860 --> 00:38:56.260
 Smith and is worth $60

00:38:56.260 --> 00:38:57.540
 million plus whatever

00:38:57.540 --> 00:38:59.440
 interest has been made over

00:38:59.440 --> 00:39:00.600
 that time period while it

00:39:00.600 --> 00:39:01.080
 went on.

00:39:02.840 --> 00:39:03.360
 You know, because, you

00:39:03.360 --> 00:39:05.140
 know, in a sense, isn't

00:39:05.140 --> 00:39:06.340
 that more what we desire?

00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:09.240
 That we desire to be known

00:39:09.240 --> 00:39:11.140
 for who we are and either

00:39:11.140 --> 00:39:12.080
 have people be our

00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:13.299
 friends for who we are,

00:39:13.400 --> 00:39:14.360
 not just for what we can

00:39:14.360 --> 00:39:16.619
 give them, or to have that

00:39:16.619 --> 00:39:18.079
 love relationship with

00:39:18.079 --> 00:39:20.000
 another person who loves us

00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:20.860
 for who we are.

00:39:22.239 --> 00:39:23.139
 And in fact, actually, if you

00:39:23.139 --> 00:39:23.980
 think about it for a second,

00:39:24.239 --> 00:39:25.079
 wouldn't you say that if you

00:39:25.079 --> 00:39:26.099
 met somebody who'd say they'd

00:39:26.099 --> 00:39:27.460
 rather have a million dollars

00:39:27.460 --> 00:39:29.579
 than a husband or a wife who

00:39:29.579 --> 00:39:30.880
 would love them, know them, and

00:39:30.880 --> 00:39:31.299
 love them?

00:39:31.420 --> 00:39:32.219
 Wouldn't you think that that

00:39:32.219 --> 00:39:33.079
 person was shallow?

00:39:33.079 --> 00:39:36.920
 And you see, this basic

00:39:36.920 --> 00:39:38.059
 intuition that we have about

00:39:38.059 --> 00:39:40.159
 ourselves, that we want to

00:39:40.159 --> 00:39:41.380
 have people love us for

00:39:41.380 --> 00:39:42.619
 ourselves, you see, that's

00:39:42.619 --> 00:39:44.559
 ultimately what God's end game

00:39:44.559 --> 00:39:44.960
 is.

00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:49.619
 That God wants us to begin to

00:39:49.619 --> 00:39:51.400
 love him for who he is.

00:39:53.799 --> 00:39:55.840
 He calls us into a love

00:39:55.840 --> 00:39:57.099
 relationship with him.

00:39:57.099 --> 00:39:59.579
 And you see, that's one of the

00:39:59.579 --> 00:40:00.679
 reasons why God doesn't

00:40:00.679 --> 00:40:02.480
 necessarily say yes to

00:40:02.480 --> 00:40:03.699
 Christians' prayers more than

00:40:03.699 --> 00:40:04.500
 non-Christians.

00:40:05.360 --> 00:40:06.699
 See, if it was in fact the

00:40:06.699 --> 00:40:09.039
 case that, I don't know, every

00:40:09.039 --> 00:40:10.579
 time I prayed, or most of the

00:40:10.579 --> 00:40:11.960
 time I prayed, God gives me a

00:40:11.960 --> 00:40:13.319
 yes and I get it, people would

00:40:13.319 --> 00:40:14.539
 start to notice, good grief,

00:40:14.659 --> 00:40:15.420
 you know, George is very

00:40:15.420 --> 00:40:17.519
 successful, he has lots of

00:40:17.519 --> 00:40:18.739
 money, like things are working

00:40:18.739 --> 00:40:19.779
 out for him, how's it going?

00:40:19.860 --> 00:40:20.739
 I'd say, well, I just pray,

00:40:20.819 --> 00:40:22.219
 you know, I'm a Christian, and

00:40:22.219 --> 00:40:23.719
 as a Christian, when I pray, God

00:40:23.719 --> 00:40:24.659
 just says yes.

00:40:24.659 --> 00:40:27.039
 And people will say, I want to

00:40:27.039 --> 00:40:27.879
 become a Christian.

00:40:28.460 --> 00:40:29.379
 Well, they don't want to become

00:40:29.379 --> 00:40:30.559
 a Christian because they want

00:40:30.559 --> 00:40:31.699
 to know the triune God.

00:40:31.879 --> 00:40:33.359
 They don't want to become a

00:40:33.359 --> 00:40:34.480
 Christian because they realize

00:40:34.480 --> 00:40:35.599
 that they're far from God and

00:40:35.599 --> 00:40:35.839
 rebel.

00:40:35.920 --> 00:40:37.159
 They want to become a Christian

00:40:37.159 --> 00:40:38.659
 so they can get the stuff they

00:40:38.659 --> 00:40:39.119
 want.

00:40:42.399 --> 00:40:44.759
 But God's desire is to have this

00:40:44.759 --> 00:40:46.759
 relationship of love with you.

00:40:48.879 --> 00:40:49.119
 Now,

00:40:49.119 --> 00:40:57.519
 just this final story, I'm very

00:40:57.519 --> 00:40:59.139
 conscious of the time, I took a

00:40:59.139 --> 00:40:59.960
 couple of minutes to introduce

00:40:59.960 --> 00:41:01.859
 it, but the Bible doesn't have a

00:41:01.859 --> 00:41:03.500
 jaundiced view of the human race

00:41:03.500 --> 00:41:04.940
 that we only want to do evil

00:41:04.940 --> 00:41:06.679
 things, and it's just a matter of

00:41:06.679 --> 00:41:08.319
 God merely working through the

00:41:08.319 --> 00:41:09.900
 evil things that happen so that the

00:41:09.900 --> 00:41:10.920
 things that he wants to have

00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:11.599
 happen, happen.

00:41:12.119 --> 00:41:14.179
 The Bible is realistic, and to be

00:41:14.179 --> 00:41:16.079
 realistic, it isn't just that people

00:41:16.079 --> 00:41:18.339
 desire evil things and that God,

00:41:18.340 --> 00:41:20.079
 something happens as a result of

00:41:20.079 --> 00:41:20.180
 it.

00:41:20.260 --> 00:41:22.519
 In fact, the Bible recognizes that

00:41:22.519 --> 00:41:24.140
 sometimes people want to have fair

00:41:24.140 --> 00:41:26.079
 treaties and do things which are

00:41:26.079 --> 00:41:28.180
 fair, and that actually happens,

00:41:28.559 --> 00:41:29.460
 and it's very interesting.

00:41:29.539 --> 00:41:30.980
 Look what happens in verse 22, and

00:41:30.980 --> 00:41:32.320
 it begins by at that time.

00:41:32.460 --> 00:41:34.059
 So it's actually saying that the

00:41:34.059 --> 00:41:35.980
 same time this thing is going on

00:41:35.980 --> 00:41:37.740
 with Hagar and Ishmael, at the same

00:41:37.740 --> 00:41:39.680
 time this other thing happens as

00:41:39.680 --> 00:41:39.860
 well.

00:41:39.960 --> 00:41:42.220
 So it presents, on one hand, it's

00:41:42.220 --> 00:41:44.000
 showing that there's this dance,

00:41:44.059 --> 00:41:46.019
 there's this dance between causality,

00:41:46.420 --> 00:41:48.140
 that we can cause things, there's this

00:41:48.139 --> 00:41:49.599
 dance, that there's an ordered

00:41:49.599 --> 00:41:52.460
 universe, there's this dance of the

00:41:52.460 --> 00:41:53.960
 fact that God is sovereign, there's

00:41:53.960 --> 00:41:55.779
 this dance that sometimes God acts by

00:41:55.779 --> 00:41:57.940
 miracles, but that there's this

00:41:57.940 --> 00:42:00.440
 providence, and that people, not only

00:42:00.440 --> 00:42:02.239
 do they act out of evil, but they act

00:42:02.239 --> 00:42:03.619
 out of good things, and it's going on

00:42:03.619 --> 00:42:04.559
 at the exact same time.

00:42:04.759 --> 00:42:07.079
 And look what it says, just very, very

00:42:07.079 --> 00:42:07.440
 briefly.

00:42:07.539 --> 00:42:10.480
 At that time, Abimelech and Phicol, the

00:42:10.480 --> 00:42:12.239
 commander of his army, said to Abraham,

00:42:12.400 --> 00:42:13.940
 God is with you in all that you do.

00:42:13.940 --> 00:42:16.900
 Now therefore swear to me here by God

00:42:16.900 --> 00:42:18.380
 that you will not deal falsely with

00:42:18.380 --> 00:42:20.039
 me or with my descendants or with my

00:42:20.039 --> 00:42:22.280
 posterity, but as I have dealt kindly

00:42:22.280 --> 00:42:25.320
 with you, so you will deal with me and

00:42:25.320 --> 00:42:27.099
 with the land where you have sojourned.

00:42:27.720 --> 00:42:29.000
 And Abraham said, I will swear.

00:42:29.159 --> 00:42:32.019
 Now God is using providence downstream.

00:42:32.700 --> 00:42:35.740
 He's used providence downstream to make it

00:42:35.740 --> 00:42:37.099
 now that there's only going to be Isaac.

00:42:37.220 --> 00:42:39.700
 It's very clear who that seed is, but also

00:42:39.700 --> 00:42:42.639
 now that the land is becoming more, in a

00:42:42.639 --> 00:42:44.500
 sense, a place where Abraham has a true

00:42:44.500 --> 00:42:45.259
 claim to it.

00:42:46.119 --> 00:42:48.859
 Verse 25, when Abraham reproved Abimelech

00:42:48.859 --> 00:42:50.920
 about a well of water that Abimelech's

00:42:50.920 --> 00:42:53.559
 servants had seized, Abimelech said, I do

00:42:53.559 --> 00:42:55.079
 not know who has done this thing.

00:42:55.139 --> 00:42:56.779
 You did not tell me, and I have not heard

00:42:56.779 --> 00:42:57.539
 of it until today.

00:42:58.000 --> 00:43:00.319
 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave

00:43:00.319 --> 00:43:02.239
 them to Abimelech, and the two men made a

00:43:02.239 --> 00:43:04.599
 covenant, a treaty, a contract.

00:43:05.259 --> 00:43:07.579
 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock

00:43:07.579 --> 00:43:10.259
 apart, and Abimelech said to Abraham, what

00:43:10.259 --> 00:43:12.239
 is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that

00:43:12.239 --> 00:43:13.000
 you have set apart?

00:43:13.500 --> 00:43:15.959
 And he said, Abraham said, these seven ewe

00:43:15.959 --> 00:43:17.979
 lambs you will take from my hand that this

00:43:17.979 --> 00:43:20.039
 may be a witness for me that I dug this

00:43:20.039 --> 00:43:20.339
 well.

00:43:21.359 --> 00:43:23.139
 Therefore that place was called Beersheba,

00:43:23.979 --> 00:43:25.819
 because there both of them swore an oath.

00:43:26.239 --> 00:43:28.099
 So they made a covenant at Beersheba.

00:43:28.939 --> 00:43:31.479
 Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of

00:43:31.479 --> 00:43:33.939
 his army, rose up and returned to the land of

00:43:33.939 --> 00:43:34.579
 the Philistines.

00:43:35.479 --> 00:43:38.379
 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba

00:43:38.379 --> 00:43:39.839
 and called there on the name of the Lord.

00:43:39.879 --> 00:43:41.179
 In other words, he worshipped the Lord.

00:43:41.179 --> 00:43:44.879
 And he worshipped the Lord, the everlasting

00:43:44.879 --> 00:43:45.480
 God.

00:43:46.639 --> 00:43:48.859
 And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of

00:43:48.859 --> 00:43:49.440
 the Philistines.

00:43:49.559 --> 00:43:51.440
 So we have this wonderful picture.

00:43:51.559 --> 00:43:53.819
 You see that the dance that on one hand,

00:43:54.119 --> 00:43:57.579
 sometimes people wish real ill, but God will

00:43:57.579 --> 00:43:59.940
 turn that ill into good.

00:44:00.519 --> 00:44:03.039
 God is provident even though human beings are

00:44:03.039 --> 00:44:04.419
 using their free will for evil.

00:44:04.519 --> 00:44:06.379
 And sometimes human beings just want to have a

00:44:06.379 --> 00:44:08.259
 fair treaty and they want to have friends and

00:44:08.260 --> 00:44:09.300
 they want to be good neighbors.

00:44:09.960 --> 00:44:12.060
 And this is also in a way that God can use

00:44:12.060 --> 00:44:14.260
 sovereignly to have his purposes fulfilled

00:44:14.980 --> 00:44:17.040
 because he will visit his people and do as he

00:44:17.040 --> 00:44:19.160
 has said and keep his promises as he has said.

00:44:20.820 --> 00:44:23.140
 So here's the thing just in summary.

00:44:23.139 --> 00:44:28.859
 Yes, I've said that God answers the prayers.

00:44:29.059 --> 00:44:30.799
 If you're a Buddhist or a Hindu or a Muslim,

00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:33.639
 the triune God hears and answers your prayers.

00:44:34.619 --> 00:44:37.599
 And if you're an atheist and you pray,

00:44:38.460 --> 00:44:39.779
 he hears and answers your prayers.

00:44:39.839 --> 00:44:41.519
 There's only one God and he's a God who hears

00:44:41.519 --> 00:44:42.699
 and he's a God who sees.

00:44:42.699 --> 00:44:47.279
 But what difference does it make to be a Christian?

00:44:48.299 --> 00:44:50.599
 See, this is all preparing us, as I said earlier,

00:44:50.679 --> 00:44:52.359
 about the gospel, about how it all works,

00:44:52.439 --> 00:44:53.779
 where Jesus died on the cross,

00:44:53.879 --> 00:44:56.519
 and how even this beginning bit about God has visited us

00:44:56.519 --> 00:44:57.819
 and done what he had said he's done,

00:44:57.899 --> 00:44:58.779
 done what he's promised,

00:44:58.919 --> 00:45:01.139
 and he's promised a savior and a deliverer,

00:45:01.239 --> 00:45:02.179
 and he's done that.

00:45:02.439 --> 00:45:05.279
 And he's promised that if anyone turns to Christ,

00:45:05.779 --> 00:45:07.460
 that he will turn no one away,

00:45:07.539 --> 00:45:08.639
 that he will take you,

00:45:08.759 --> 00:45:11.439
 and he will be your savior and your Lord.

00:45:11.440 --> 00:45:14.099
 He will take you into himself,

00:45:14.260 --> 00:45:15.700
 and he will come and live within you,

00:45:15.820 --> 00:45:18.000
 and he will be yours.

00:45:20.000 --> 00:45:21.900
 And just like others,

00:45:22.200 --> 00:45:23.519
 we Christians are called to pray,

00:45:23.700 --> 00:45:26.000
 but here's the difference that it makes to be a Christian.

00:45:26.599 --> 00:45:28.320
 There is an everlasting God,

00:45:29.460 --> 00:45:31.119
 the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

00:45:31.260 --> 00:45:33.059
 the same God who is everlasting,

00:45:33.760 --> 00:45:36.220
 the same God who heard Abraham,

00:45:36.619 --> 00:45:38.500
 who heard Ishmael,

00:45:38.780 --> 00:45:40.700
 is the only God.

00:45:40.699 --> 00:45:42.619
 There is an everlasting God.

00:45:43.039 --> 00:45:44.419
 But he, to me,

00:45:44.879 --> 00:45:45.619
 as a Christian,

00:45:45.719 --> 00:45:47.759
 is not just the everlasting God.

00:45:48.299 --> 00:45:49.239
 He is my Father.

00:45:49.960 --> 00:45:51.699
 He is my Father in heaven,

00:45:52.000 --> 00:45:55.399
 and I live in his world.

00:45:55.899 --> 00:45:57.079
 Every day I wake up,

00:45:57.319 --> 00:45:59.139
 and I wake up in his world.

00:45:59.859 --> 00:46:01.359
 And I am his child

00:46:01.359 --> 00:46:03.599
 by adoption and grace.

00:46:03.599 --> 00:46:05.779
 He,

00:46:05.779 --> 00:46:07.900
 when I put my faith and trust in Jesus,

00:46:08.059 --> 00:46:09.579
 I become adopted as his child,

00:46:09.719 --> 00:46:11.179
 and I only become his child

00:46:11.179 --> 00:46:12.759
 by his grace to me.

00:46:13.440 --> 00:46:14.940
 I become his child

00:46:14.940 --> 00:46:16.739
 because of John 3, 16.

00:46:17.420 --> 00:46:17.880
 For God,

00:46:17.960 --> 00:46:18.839
 the words of Jesus,

00:46:18.980 --> 00:46:20.219
 for God so loved the world

00:46:20.219 --> 00:46:22.119
 that he gave his only begotten Son

00:46:22.119 --> 00:46:23.699
 to the end that all who believe in him

00:46:23.699 --> 00:46:24.480
 will not perish,

00:46:24.920 --> 00:46:26.759
 but have everlasting life.

00:46:27.420 --> 00:46:27.719
 So,

00:46:27.880 --> 00:46:29.799
 the everlasting God is my Father.

00:46:29.800 --> 00:46:31.640
 I live in his world.

00:46:32.260 --> 00:46:33.440
 He is with me,

00:46:33.740 --> 00:46:35.740
 and he loves to hear my prayers.

00:46:36.460 --> 00:46:38.019
 And he holds me in the hollow

00:46:38.019 --> 00:46:39.240
 in the palm of his hand.

00:46:39.640 --> 00:46:41.800
 And nothing will ever cause him

00:46:41.800 --> 00:46:42.500
 to let me go.

00:46:43.080 --> 00:46:44.760
 And I have the hope of glory

00:46:44.760 --> 00:46:47.380
 because even if I have very hard things

00:46:47.380 --> 00:46:48.160
 that I have to face,

00:46:48.200 --> 00:46:49.440
 I don't have to face them alone.

00:46:50.280 --> 00:46:51.619
 I face them with my Father,

00:46:52.119 --> 00:46:53.400
 and he will bring me,

00:46:53.840 --> 00:46:55.159
 he will bring me

00:46:55.159 --> 00:46:56.440
 into his kingdom

00:46:56.440 --> 00:46:57.900
 and into eternal glory,

00:46:58.000 --> 00:46:59.119
 not because of my strength,

00:46:59.220 --> 00:47:00.000
 but by his.

00:47:00.420 --> 00:47:00.659
 So,

00:47:00.740 --> 00:47:01.280
 every day,

00:47:01.420 --> 00:47:02.480
 I am invited to live.

00:47:02.720 --> 00:47:03.320
 And you,

00:47:03.599 --> 00:47:04.539
 if you are a Christian,

00:47:04.940 --> 00:47:05.780
 are invited to live

00:47:05.780 --> 00:47:07.200
 in your Father's world.

00:47:07.559 --> 00:47:08.039
 Let's pray.

00:47:08.579 --> 00:47:08.880
 Father,

00:47:09.019 --> 00:47:10.579
 pour out the Holy Spirit upon us.

00:47:10.720 --> 00:47:11.480
 Help us to know

00:47:11.480 --> 00:47:12.760
 that you hear our prayers,

00:47:12.880 --> 00:47:13.460
 that you love to hear

00:47:13.460 --> 00:47:14.460
 the prayer of your children.

00:47:14.940 --> 00:47:15.559
 Help us to know

00:47:15.559 --> 00:47:16.700
 that this is your world,

00:47:17.320 --> 00:47:19.340
 that you are our Father in heaven,

00:47:19.440 --> 00:47:20.720
 but this is your world,

00:47:20.840 --> 00:47:21.860
 and that you are sovereign,

00:47:22.079 --> 00:47:23.340
 and that we can live today

00:47:23.340 --> 00:47:24.400
 and every day

00:47:24.400 --> 00:47:25.460
 as your child

00:47:25.460 --> 00:47:26.760
 by adoption and grace,

00:47:27.260 --> 00:47:28.240
 following Jesus,

00:47:28.460 --> 00:47:29.559
 our Savior and Lord,

00:47:29.720 --> 00:47:30.940
 the one who redeemed us,

00:47:31.380 --> 00:47:33.500
 and empowered by the Holy Spirit,

00:47:33.619 --> 00:47:34.360
 that you give

00:47:34.360 --> 00:47:36.139
 willingly and lovingly

00:47:36.139 --> 00:47:36.940
 and powerfully

00:47:36.940 --> 00:47:38.700
 to all who become your children

00:47:38.700 --> 00:47:39.800
 by adoption and grace.

00:47:40.000 --> 00:47:40.579
 Help us, Father,

00:47:40.639 --> 00:47:41.579
 to live in such a way.

00:47:41.960 --> 00:47:42.639
 And we ask this

00:47:42.639 --> 00:47:43.599
 in Jesus' name.

00:47:43.740 --> 00:47:44.039
 Amen.