WEBVTT

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 You may be seated.

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 Good morning.

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 My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm one of the pastors here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church,

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! And it's my joy to bring God's word to you today.

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 A special welcome if you're new or visiting with us.

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 We're glad that you're here.

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 And we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats,

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 but because we're following Jesus together as one community.

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 And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced that there's no one so good.

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 They don't need God's grace.

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 And no one so bad that they can't have it.

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 Which is why we come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in his word.

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 We're continuing this morning our series in the book of Genesis on the story of Abraham.

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 Genesis tells the origin story of Israel, God's people, which begins with Abraham.

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 And that's our focus.

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 We're not doing the entire book, but instead looking just at chapters 11 through 25.

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 And the reason for that, as I've been telling you, is to prepare us to go back to our series on Romans.

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 Because when we return to Romans chapter 4, Paul will be telling us about Abraham.

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 It's also a great chance for us to ask the question,

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 what does it look like for us to follow God in faith?

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 This week and next week, we are going to see two different threats to faith.

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 This week, it's going to be the threat of pragmatism and fear.

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 And next week, it's the threat of comfort and wealth.

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 And so with that, I invite you to turn with me in God's word to Genesis chapter 12.

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 You can turn in your worship guide.

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 You can turn on your phone.

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 You can turn in your Bible.

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 No matter where you turn, Proverbs chapter 30, verse 5 tells us every word of God proves true.

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 He's a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

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 And so that's why we read now Genesis chapter 12, starting at verse 10.

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 Now there was a famine in the land.

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 So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.

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 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai, his wife,

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 I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance.

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 And when the Egyptians see you, they will say, this is his wife.

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 Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.

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 Verse 13.

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 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you,

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 and that my life may be spared for your sake.

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 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.

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 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh.

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 And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

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 And for her sake, he dealt well with Abram.

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 And he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

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 Verse 17.

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 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

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 So Pharaoh called Abram and said,

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 What is this you have done to me?

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 Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

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 Why did you say, she is my sister?

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 So that I took her for my wife.

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 Now then, here is your wife.

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 Take her and go.

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 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him,

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 and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

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 I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word.

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 Our Father in heaven, we do praise you and we thank you again this morning that you have given us your word.

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 That you speak to us in ways that we can understand.

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 And we ask that you would do that again this morning.

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 That you would use this passage in a powerful way in this community and in our lives.

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 You would use it to grow our knowledge of you.

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 You'd use it to increase our love for you.

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 Most of all, you would use it to show us Jesus.

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 That we would love him and serve him more and more.

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 And we ask these things in his mighty name.

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 Amen.

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 For my first three years after college, I lived in Williamsburg, Virginia.

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 And among its many claims to fame,

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 well, one of Williamsburg's features is that it has Busch Gardens, the amusement park.

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 And so as locals, the popular thing to do would be to buy an annual pass.

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 And then what we would do is we would go in the evenings just for a couple hours to skip the crowds.

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 And so we would laugh at all the tourists who had to come,

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 pay an overpriced fee for one day,

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 and have to fit everything in to however many hours they were there.

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 And so we kind of pat ourselves on the back, right?

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 We could show up whenever we wanted, ride a few rides,

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 go back home, it would be there for us tomorrow.

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 Now, if you're familiar with amusement parks,

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 you know that there are two kinds of people in this world.

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 There are people that love roller coasters,

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 and there are people that hate roller coasters.

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 And the Capone family is on the team hate roller coasters.

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 I will say I'm a slight exception.

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 I am willing to tolerate them.

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 So I can ride a roller coaster maybe two at max three times in a day,

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 and then I'm done.

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 But I knew people who would go, and they would just ride them all day.

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 Now, I think, how can your body, like, manage this?

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 But for whatever reason, it had its attraction.

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 Now, there's another ride at Busch Gardens called the Mock Tower,

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 and it is what it sounds like.

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 It was a drop tower, which is a tower, and it was 23 stories high.

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 And what you would do is you would get strapped into this gondola,

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 and you would slowly ride up the tower, all 23 stories.

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 You'd get to look out the great views of Virginia,

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 and then suddenly you would get sent into a complete free fall.

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 You ride up slowly, and then you go down quickly,

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 and you get to experience dropping 23 stories,

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 which I know is the desire of many of your hearts.

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 I bring up the drop tower because it helps us understand what's happening in this story,

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 and it really captures where we're at in Genesis right now.

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 Last couple weeks, we've had this slow ascent with beautiful views

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 of how wonderful Abraham and his faith are.

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 God tells him to go.

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 He doesn't tell him where, and what does Abraham do?

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 He goes.

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 Hebrews chapter 11 presents him as this great model and example of faith.

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 Look at Abraham, who risked more than any of us ever will.

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 We have these amazing promises that we talked about last week,

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 this beautiful vision of how Abraham's going to be a blessing to the nations,

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 and we see him as he travels around the promised land.

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 He's setting up these altars and worshiping God.

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 I mean, how could it get any better?

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 Abraham, what a great example.

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 And then verse 10.

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 Suddenly, in one verse, the cord is pulled.

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 The beautiful vision is over.

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 The gondola begins to drop in free fall back to earth.

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 Abraham is still a man.

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 He's sinful.

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 He's fearful.

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 He's flawed.

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 And he still lives in a world wrecked by sin.

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 And so that takes us right here, the beginning, verse 10.

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 Yes, God has promised blessing,

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 and it's not all going to happen right now.

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 Now there was a famine in the land.

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 Yes, God has given this beautiful vision.

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 Abraham still lives in a world filled with famines.

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 Same is true of our lives today, right?

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 Great promises.

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 Great realism.

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 You may have these great moments in your marriage, right,

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 where you have come together with just clarity and inspiration,

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 and the two of you are focused on God and his kingdom,

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 and you're excited about what the future holds.

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 And then in the next moment, you have a fight

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 because your spouse has jumped to conclusions about something you said

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 and didn't believe the best of you.

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 Maybe you have a vision of how you're going to use your resources for good

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 and bless the community around you,

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 and you're filled with excitement about it,

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 and then the stock market drops,

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 and you have nowhere near the wealth you thought you did.

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 Maybe you've developed the gifts that God has given you,

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 and you have work that has power and purpose and inspiration to it,

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 and then the next day you get laid off or you're fired.

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 Verse 10 reminds us,

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 as we look at God's great promises and the future that is before us,

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 we do still live east of Eden.

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 We do still live in a world wrecked by sin.

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 Now, it's not just the circumstances that come crashing down.

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 What happens here also reveals the cracks in Abraham's character.

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 Remember, we've seen him.

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 He has this great faith.

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 He takes God at his word.

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 He leaves everything behind,

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 and then, very quickly,

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 the next story,

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 not so great faith.

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 Instead, what he has for us is fear and anxiety.

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 He's entering the land of Egypt because of this famine.

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 In verse 13, right away,

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 he decides he's going to cook up a lie.

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 Say that you are my sister,

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 that it may go well with me because of you.

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 And it's not just that he's lying.

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 He's lying because he's afraid.

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 We see there in verses 11 and 12,

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 I know that you are a beautiful woman.

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 When they see you,

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 they're going to kill me.

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 So let's tell a lie.

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 We're going to tell a lie

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 because I'm afraid of what happens if I don't.

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 And even worse than that,

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 we're going to tell a lie,

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 verse 13,

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 because I'm selfish.

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 That my life may be spared for your sake,

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 which is what every wife longs for her husband to say to her.

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 No, he's doing the exact opposite of what he should be, right?

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 He should be putting himself to protect Sarai.

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 Instead, Sarai is being used as a shield to protect him.

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 Problem is this.

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 Genesis chapter 12, verse 2,

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 God made a promise.

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 And God's promise to Abraham was this,

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 I will make of you a great nation.

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 If Abraham gets killed, which is his fear,

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 there will be no great nation.

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 Abraham doesn't believe that God will do what he said he's going to do.

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 Abraham doesn't believe that God is powerful enough

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 to actually keep his word without a little help.

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 If I don't lie, this is the thinking,

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 God's plan will be thwarted.

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 And so he takes matters into his own hands.

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 The irony here is that as he takes matters into his own hands,

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 he's incredibly foolish.

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 This is not even a great plan.

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 It's not just that for God's promise to come true,

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 Abraham has to keep living.

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 Sarai also has to keep moving.

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 And so he puts her at risk even as he saves himself.

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 For the promise to be fulfilled,

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 actually both of them have to make it out of Egypt intact.

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 And yet in Abraham's world,

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 the means justifies the ends.

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 His fear gets in the way of his faith.

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 One man puts it this way,

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 pragmatism is the opposite of faith.

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 And pragmatism is the opposite of faith

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 because it doesn't leave room for God's supernatural power

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 to be at work in the world.

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 And so it decides not to follow first principles

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 to trust that God will protect and honor.

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 The great Presbyterian minister Francis Schaeffer,

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 who lived in the 20th century,

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 preached a sermon called God's Work in God's Ways,

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 which is exactly what it sounds like.

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 That if we're going to follow God in his mission,

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 we don't get to make it up as we go along.

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 No, it doesn't make sense to follow God

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 and then operate by our own principles.

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 It doesn't make sense to say,

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 God is going to keep his promise

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 and I have to lie to make it happen.

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 And in that sermon, he says this,

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 this is on page seven of your worship guide.

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 Let us ask ourselves the hard questions.

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 Do we really believe God exists?

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 Do we really believe God exists?

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 And do we really believe God?

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 If you sacrifice your integrity to keep your job,

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 you don't believe that God will provide for you.

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 If we cheat and cut corners,

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 we do not believe that God has or will give us enough.

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 If we put our ultimate hope in children and success

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 and wealth and pleasure and comfort,

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 then we do not believe what we sang earlier today,

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 in his glory is my good.

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 First Samuel chapter two says this,

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 it's from God who's making this statement.

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 Those who honor me, I will honor

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 and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

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 Those who honor me, I will honor.

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 Good words here for Abraham to remember.

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 Good words for us as well.

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 Of course, it reminds us,

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 this passage of the story that men of great faith,

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 women of great faith are still works in progress.

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 still tempted by fear,

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 still find it challenging,

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 but to believe that God will do what he's promised.

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 And so that's why we sing things like

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 what we sang this morning.

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 A mighty fortress is our God.

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 Did we in our own strength confide,

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 our striving would be losing.

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 We're not the right man on our side,

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 the man of God's own choosing.

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 Christian,

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 do you believe the right man is on your side?

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 If you do,

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 you can follow God and his word no matter the risk.

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 Thankfully,

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 this story,

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 as it shows us Abraham's failure,

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 is also,

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 and even more,

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 dripping with God's grace.

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 Because despite Abraham's sin

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 and failure

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 and unbelief,

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 God is still

00:17:18.740 --> 00:17:19.799
 faithful.

00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:23.859
 despite Abraham's failure,

00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:25.960
 God keeps

00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:27.119
 his promises.

00:17:28.339 --> 00:17:29.539
 I mentioned already

00:17:29.539 --> 00:17:30.419
 God's promise

00:17:30.419 --> 00:17:32.059
 in verse 2 of chapter 12

00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:33.500
 that he is going to make

00:17:33.500 --> 00:17:35.559
 Abraham a great

00:17:35.559 --> 00:17:36.460
 nation.

00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:38.000
 I'm sorry,

00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:38.659
 verse 3.

00:17:39.819 --> 00:17:41.759
 But that's not the only promise

00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:43.079
 that shows up in verse 3.

00:17:44.019 --> 00:17:45.700
 He also says this,

00:17:45.700 --> 00:17:47.900
 Him who dishonors you

00:17:47.900 --> 00:17:48.980
 I will curse,

00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:50.360
 and in you

00:17:50.360 --> 00:17:51.519
 all the families

00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:52.480
 of the earth

00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:53.920
 shall be blessed.

00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:57.559
 What happens to Pharaoh?

00:17:59.140 --> 00:18:00.019
 Verse 17,

00:18:00.740 --> 00:18:01.640
 God keeps

00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:02.500
 his promise

00:18:02.500 --> 00:18:03.340
 to curse.

00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:05.440
 The Lord afflicted

00:18:05.440 --> 00:18:06.759
 Pharaoh and his house

00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:08.000
 with great plagues

00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:09.519
 because of Sarai,

00:18:10.059 --> 00:18:11.360
 Abram's wife.

00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:14.099
 So God provides

00:18:14.099 --> 00:18:14.619
 a way up.

00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:16.699
 He curses

00:18:16.699 --> 00:18:17.419
 those

00:18:17.419 --> 00:18:18.699
 who dishonor

00:18:18.699 --> 00:18:19.399
 Abram.

00:18:20.099 --> 00:18:21.839
 And he does it

00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:23.139
 despite

00:18:23.139 --> 00:18:25.639
 Abram's failure

00:18:25.639 --> 00:18:26.599
 and sin

00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:27.559
 and fear.

00:18:30.639 --> 00:18:32.339
 Abram foolishly thinks

00:18:32.339 --> 00:18:33.719
 he needs to protect himself.

00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:35.339
 He thinks

00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:36.579
 he's smart enough.

00:18:37.679 --> 00:18:38.799
 What we see here

00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:40.259
 is only God

00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:41.799
 is powerful enough.

00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:45.319
 As Abram

00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:47.299
 puts together

00:18:47.299 --> 00:18:48.879
 this silly plan

00:18:48.879 --> 00:18:50.859
 to save his skin,

00:18:51.819 --> 00:18:53.460
 it's actually God

00:18:53.460 --> 00:18:54.740
 who rescues him

00:18:54.740 --> 00:18:55.700
 from Egypt.

00:18:58.399 --> 00:19:00.059
 The point is this.

00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:03.099
 The nature of God

00:19:03.099 --> 00:19:05.139
 is that he keeps

00:19:05.139 --> 00:19:06.279
 his promises

00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:08.119
 in the middle

00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:09.160
 of our failures.

00:19:10.879 --> 00:19:12.200
 The nature of God

00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:13.379
 is that he keeps

00:19:13.379 --> 00:19:14.299
 his promises

00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:15.920
 despite

00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:17.440
 our failures.

00:19:18.500 --> 00:19:19.420
 Remember when we were

00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:20.299
 in the book of Judges,

00:19:20.339 --> 00:19:21.579
 I told you over and over

00:19:21.579 --> 00:19:23.960
 about 2 Timothy 2,

00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:24.819
 verse 13.

00:19:25.819 --> 00:19:27.660
 If we are faithless,

00:19:28.460 --> 00:19:30.180
 he remains faithful

00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:32.059
 for he cannot

00:19:32.059 --> 00:19:33.619
 deny himself.

00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:36.959
 Abraham

00:19:36.959 --> 00:19:38.319
 is faithless.

00:19:39.239 --> 00:19:39.659
 God

00:19:39.659 --> 00:19:40.339
 remains

00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:41.239
 faithful

00:19:41.239 --> 00:19:43.019
 because he cannot

00:19:43.019 --> 00:19:44.079
 deny

00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:45.079
 himself.

00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:48.679
 What did we sing?

00:19:48.859 --> 00:19:50.099
 Page 2 of your worship guide.

00:19:50.219 --> 00:19:51.019
 Great is thy

00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:51.959
 faithfulness.

00:19:53.379 --> 00:19:54.039
 O God,

00:19:54.139 --> 00:19:54.839
 my Father,

00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:56.599
 there is no

00:19:56.599 --> 00:19:57.159
 shadow

00:19:57.159 --> 00:19:58.599
 of turning

00:19:58.599 --> 00:19:59.719
 with thee.

00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:02.359
 Abraham

00:20:02.359 --> 00:20:03.159
 turns,

00:20:04.159 --> 00:20:04.679
 God

00:20:04.679 --> 00:20:05.559
 does not.

00:20:07.159 --> 00:20:08.379
 Keeps his promises

00:20:08.379 --> 00:20:09.879
 no matter what.

00:20:12.299 --> 00:20:12.939
 And in that,

00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:13.559
 there's great

00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:14.240
 encouragement

00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:15.119
 and humility

00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:15.740
 for us.

00:20:16.579 --> 00:20:17.399
 Encouragement

00:20:17.399 --> 00:20:19.959
 because God

00:20:19.959 --> 00:20:20.699
 does not

00:20:20.699 --> 00:20:22.039
 abandon us

00:20:22.039 --> 00:20:22.819
 when we

00:20:22.819 --> 00:20:23.399
 forget him.

00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:26.779
 God

00:20:26.779 --> 00:20:27.159
 does not

00:20:27.159 --> 00:20:27.899
 abandon us

00:20:27.899 --> 00:20:28.639
 when we

00:20:28.639 --> 00:20:29.699
 forget

00:20:29.699 --> 00:20:30.279
 him.

00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:32.099
 there's also

00:20:32.099 --> 00:20:32.899
 great humility

00:20:32.899 --> 00:20:34.440
 because it

00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:35.059
 reminds us

00:20:35.059 --> 00:20:35.660
 of what God

00:20:35.660 --> 00:20:36.379
 tells his

00:20:36.379 --> 00:20:36.899
 people

00:20:36.899 --> 00:20:38.399
 all throughout

00:20:38.399 --> 00:20:39.240
 the Old Testament

00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:40.099
 which is this.

00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:41.700
 I didn't

00:20:41.700 --> 00:20:42.500
 choose you

00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:43.279
 because you

00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:43.799
 were anything

00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:44.299
 special.

00:20:45.859 --> 00:20:46.859
 I didn't

00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:47.460
 pick you

00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:48.240
 because you

00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:48.680
 were hot

00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:49.119
 stuff.

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:50.899
 No,

00:20:51.059 --> 00:20:52.019
 I chose

00:20:52.019 --> 00:20:52.559
 you

00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:53.319
 because

00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:54.879
 I chose

00:20:54.879 --> 00:20:55.319
 you.

00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:57.339
 don't

00:20:57.339 --> 00:20:57.559
 pat

00:20:57.559 --> 00:20:57.819
 yourself

00:20:57.819 --> 00:20:58.139
 on the

00:20:58.139 --> 00:20:58.460
 back.

00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:01.839
 Don't

00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:02.379
 assume

00:21:02.379 --> 00:21:02.779
 you're

00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:03.000
 more

00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:03.359
 moral

00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:03.679
 than the

00:21:03.679 --> 00:21:03.859
 world

00:21:03.859 --> 00:21:04.179
 around

00:21:04.179 --> 00:21:04.439
 you.

00:21:05.419 --> 00:21:05.740
 By the

00:21:05.740 --> 00:21:05.919
 way,

00:21:06.099 --> 00:21:06.439
 Pharaoh

00:21:06.439 --> 00:21:07.240
 in this

00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:07.559
 story

00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:07.980
 is more

00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:08.539
 upright

00:21:08.539 --> 00:21:08.799
 than

00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:09.179
 Abraham,

00:21:10.179 --> 00:21:10.939
 which is a

00:21:10.939 --> 00:21:11.319
 theme we'll

00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:11.859
 see again.

00:21:12.500 --> 00:21:12.759
 The man

00:21:12.759 --> 00:21:13.419
 who doesn't

00:21:13.419 --> 00:21:14.159
 believe in

00:21:14.159 --> 00:21:14.659
 Yahweh,

00:21:14.879 --> 00:21:15.439
 more faithful

00:21:15.439 --> 00:21:15.799
 than the

00:21:15.799 --> 00:21:16.259
 one who

00:21:16.259 --> 00:21:16.679
 does.

00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:19.099
 Pagans

00:21:19.099 --> 00:21:19.740
 look better

00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:20.259
 than Abraham.

00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:20.859
 They look

00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:21.240
 better than

00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:21.599
 God's

00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:21.899
 people.

00:21:21.900 --> 00:21:23.980
 God chose

00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:25.240
 you because

00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:26.259
 he chose

00:21:26.259 --> 00:21:26.500
 you.

00:21:30.780 --> 00:21:31.480
 It's what

00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:31.860
 we're told

00:21:31.860 --> 00:21:32.320
 in Psalm

00:21:32.320 --> 00:21:33.060
 103.

00:21:34.340 --> 00:21:34.600
 As a

00:21:34.600 --> 00:21:35.360
 father shows

00:21:35.360 --> 00:21:36.180
 compassion to

00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:36.759
 his children,

00:21:37.620 --> 00:21:38.080
 so the

00:21:38.080 --> 00:21:38.780
 Lord shows

00:21:38.780 --> 00:21:39.640
 compassion to

00:21:39.640 --> 00:21:40.480
 those who

00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.160
 fear him.

00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:43.240
 For he

00:21:43.240 --> 00:21:43.720
 knows our

00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:44.060
 frame.

00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:45.820
 He remembers

00:21:45.820 --> 00:21:46.519
 that we are

00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:47.820
 only dust.

00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:51.759
 Christian,

00:21:51.900 --> 00:21:52.200
 if you

00:21:52.200 --> 00:21:52.360
 are

00:21:52.360 --> 00:21:52.980
 faithless,

00:21:53.820 --> 00:21:54.160
 God

00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:54.660
 remains

00:21:54.660 --> 00:21:55.259
 faithful,

00:21:55.840 --> 00:21:56.380
 for he

00:21:56.380 --> 00:21:56.940
 cannot

00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:57.940
 deny

00:21:57.940 --> 00:21:58.720
 himself.

00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:01.920
 And how

00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:02.100
 do we

00:22:02.100 --> 00:22:02.480
 know that's

00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:02.720
 true?

00:22:03.900 --> 00:22:04.759
 We know

00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:05.320
 it's true

00:22:05.320 --> 00:22:06.040
 for a

00:22:06.040 --> 00:22:06.860
 better and

00:22:06.860 --> 00:22:07.360
 greater

00:22:07.360 --> 00:22:08.320
 reason than

00:22:08.320 --> 00:22:08.660
 Abraham.

00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:10.019
 We have

00:22:10.019 --> 00:22:11.500
 more reason

00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:12.540
 to trust

00:22:12.540 --> 00:22:13.940
 God than

00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:14.460
 his people

00:22:14.460 --> 00:22:14.740
 in the

00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:15.320
 Old Testament

00:22:15.320 --> 00:22:16.240
 because we

00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:16.980
 have seen

00:22:16.980 --> 00:22:17.880
 and we

00:22:17.880 --> 00:22:18.440
 know what

00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:19.000
 they only

00:22:19.000 --> 00:22:19.700
 looked forward

00:22:19.700 --> 00:22:20.080
 to,

00:22:20.440 --> 00:22:20.980
 which is

00:22:20.980 --> 00:22:21.500
 Jesus and

00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:22.180
 his death

00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:22.880
 and his

00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:23.339
 resurrection.

00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:25.019
 We have

00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:25.720
 more reason

00:22:25.720 --> 00:22:26.220
 to take

00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:26.900
 God at

00:22:26.900 --> 00:22:27.539
 his word

00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:28.120
 because we

00:22:28.120 --> 00:22:28.900
 have seen

00:22:28.900 --> 00:22:29.680
 that he

00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:30.299
 has kept

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:31.059
 it in the

00:22:31.059 --> 00:22:31.700
 most important

00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:32.019
 way.

00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:33.940
 He's kept

00:22:33.940 --> 00:22:34.940
 it in

00:22:34.940 --> 00:22:35.539
 sending his

00:22:35.539 --> 00:22:35.839
 son,

00:22:35.900 --> 00:22:36.319
 his only

00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:36.740
 son,

00:22:37.299 --> 00:22:38.140
 to become

00:22:38.140 --> 00:22:38.559
 a man,

00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:40.180
 to live

00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:40.900
 the perfect

00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:41.420
 life that

00:22:41.420 --> 00:22:41.740
 we should

00:22:41.740 --> 00:22:42.240
 have lived,

00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:43.680
 to die

00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:44.339
 the death

00:22:44.339 --> 00:22:44.960
 we should

00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:45.559
 have died,

00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:47.079
 and then

00:22:47.079 --> 00:22:48.279
 he rose

00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:48.599
 him from

00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:49.000
 the dead.

00:22:51.259 --> 00:22:51.480
 And so

00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:51.920
 because of

00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:52.139
 that,

00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:52.779
 we know

00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:53.899
 that God

00:22:53.899 --> 00:22:54.480
 is a God

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:54.819
 who will

00:22:54.819 --> 00:22:55.740
 keep his

00:22:55.740 --> 00:22:56.220
 promises.

00:22:57.220 --> 00:22:57.879
 We can

00:22:57.879 --> 00:22:58.559
 follow him,

00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:00.279
 we can

00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:00.920
 trust him,

00:23:01.420 --> 00:23:02.019
 no matter

00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:02.299
 what.

00:23:04.299 --> 00:23:04.879
 And so

00:23:04.879 --> 00:23:05.240
 that's why

00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:05.559
 we can

00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:05.899
 sing,

00:23:06.859 --> 00:23:07.359
 hallelujah,

00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:08.139
 all I have

00:23:08.139 --> 00:23:08.759
 is Christ,

00:23:09.799 --> 00:23:10.299
 hallelujah,

00:23:11.139 --> 00:23:12.139
 Jesus is

00:23:12.139 --> 00:23:12.839
 my life.

00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:14.160
 Let's pray.

00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:16.180
 Our

00:23:16.180 --> 00:23:16.620
 Father in

00:23:16.620 --> 00:23:16.820
 heaven,

00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:17.700
 we praise

00:23:17.700 --> 00:23:18.480
 you and

00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:19.120
 thank you

00:23:19.120 --> 00:23:20.300
 that our

00:23:20.300 --> 00:23:21.800
 belonging to

00:23:21.800 --> 00:23:22.160
 you does

00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:22.660
 not depend

00:23:22.660 --> 00:23:23.320
 on us

00:23:23.320 --> 00:23:23.820
 and our

00:23:23.820 --> 00:23:24.500
 faithfulness,

00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:25.320
 but on

00:23:25.320 --> 00:23:25.779
 you and

00:23:25.779 --> 00:23:25.980
 your

00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:26.660
 faithfulness.

00:23:27.820 --> 00:23:28.320
 We thank

00:23:28.320 --> 00:23:28.660
 you that

00:23:28.660 --> 00:23:29.340
 when we are

00:23:29.340 --> 00:23:29.900
 faithless,

00:23:30.540 --> 00:23:30.860
 you are

00:23:30.860 --> 00:23:31.259
 faithful,

00:23:31.460 --> 00:23:31.680
 for you

00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:32.519
 cannot deny

00:23:32.519 --> 00:23:33.180
 yourself.

00:23:33.620 --> 00:23:33.940
 We ask

00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:34.100
 that you

00:23:34.100 --> 00:23:34.700
 remind us

00:23:34.700 --> 00:23:34.960
 of that

00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:35.240
 truth,

00:23:35.320 --> 00:23:35.480
 and it

00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:35.820
 would lead

00:23:35.820 --> 00:23:36.700
 us to

00:23:36.700 --> 00:23:37.200
 love and

00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:37.820
 follow and

00:23:37.820 --> 00:23:38.200
 serve and

00:23:38.200 --> 00:23:38.779
 obey you.

00:23:38.980 --> 00:23:39.500
 We ask

00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:40.040
 these things

00:23:40.040 --> 00:23:40.440
 in Jesus'

00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:40.820
 name.

00:23:41.180 --> 00:23:41.380
 Amen.

00:23:42.940 --> 00:23:43.620
 I invite

00:23:43.620 --> 00:23:43.860
 you to

00:23:43.860 --> 00:23:44.100
 stand.

00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:44.400
 for our

00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:44.680
 closing

00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:44.960
 hymn.