WEBVTT

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 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christchurch.

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 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, redistribution, or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christchurch.

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 Good morning, I'm Melissa Arosuniega and I'm part of the El Cerrito Kensington Community Group and Oikos Group and the Deacon.

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 Today's scripture reading is from the book of Genesis, chapter 11, verses 1-9, and chapter 12, verses 1-9, as printed in your liturgy.

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 A reading from the book of Genesis.

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 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.

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 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shiner and settled there.

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 They said to each other, come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly.

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 They used brick instead of stone and tar for mortar.

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 Then they said, come, let us build ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves.

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 Otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.

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 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building.

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 The Lord said, if as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this,

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 then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.

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 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.

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 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth and they stopped building the city.

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 That is why it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world.

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 From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

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 The Lord had said to Abram, go from your country, your people, and your father's household to the land I will show you.

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 I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.

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 I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.

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 I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you, I will curse.

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 And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

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 So Abram went as the Lord had told him and Lot went with him.

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 Abram was 75 years old when he set out from Haran.

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 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated,

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 and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan.

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 And they arrived there.

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 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moray at Shechem.

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 At that time, the Canaanites were in the land.

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 The Lord appeared to Abram and said,

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 To your offspring I will give this land.

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 So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him.

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 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent,

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 with Bethel on the west and I on the east.

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 There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.

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 Then Abram set out and continued toward Negev.

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 The grass withers and the flowers fade.

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 The Lord of our God stands to our Lord.

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 Good morning Christ Church.

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 We have these flowers here from our memorial service yesterday for Will Muller,

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 where we celebrated his life and the precious gift that he was to us.

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 And that also means that this is my second day in a row of preaching.

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 So I need your help a little more than usual.

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 So if you're here this morning, just kind of give me an eyebrow raised or something like that.

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 More than your typical, hmm.

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 Okay?

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 We're exploring this first part of the first book of the Bible.

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 And we just heard this word in Genesis 11, 8.

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 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth and they stopped building the city.

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 And, you know, the initial question is, is God against cities?

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 Is God anti-urban?

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 Is he pro-agrarian?

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 And I won't repeat everything we said over the past few weeks,

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 but we'll just say that God created us to live in cities.

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 And that all this stuff you see in these first 11 verses of Genesis 11,

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 with people moving closer together to consolidate the social order,

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 people building city walls to protect the vulnerable and the poor from harm and injustice,

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 people pooling their diverse talents for creative potential,

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 people using language to cooperate and to draw out all the riches of nature and of the soul

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 for both the sciences and the arts,

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 people dividing up their labor to build civilization.

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 All of that is good.

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 All of that is part of what God intended for his good creation.

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 And God intended cities to be a place where we would collectively reach up to heaven,

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 where we would look for a spiritual center,

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 where we would seek an elevated reality beyond just ourselves.

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 All that is what our creator God intended from the very beginning.

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 But there's something amiss, right?

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 There's something off kilter here in this story.

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 And so we want to ask ourselves, what's fundamentally flawed in this city?

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 And what is God's solution for our most basic human problems?

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 And so we want to look at three things.

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 Surprise, surprise.

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 We want to look at Humanities Babel Project, God's Blessing Project,

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 and Living by the Promises of God.

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 Humanities Babel Project, God's Blessing Project,

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 and Living by the Promises of God.

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 You with me?

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 I told you I need your help today.

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 Okay.

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 So Humanities Babel Project, verse 4, says this,

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 that they said,

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 Come, let us build ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens

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 so that we may make a name for ourselves

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 and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.

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 This tower is actually a ziggurat.

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 It reaches up to the clouds, up to the stars.

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 It's got a shrine at the very top,

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 and it's got this giant staircase coming down from the top.

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 And it's meant to be a bridge between heaven and earth.

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 It's designed by its builders to make it easier for God,

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 to make it more convenient for God to come down,

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 as if this city and these people can somehow help God be God.

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 And what we see already is there's this transactional relationship

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 where we're here to help you, God,

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 and you, God, are there to help us, protect us, make us prosper.

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 This is not only a bridge to heaven, but it's also a beachhead.

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 Right?

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 It's a beachhead for this kind of covert assault on God.

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 We don't want to make a city so that his name will be great.

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 We want to make a city so that our name will be great.

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 The strength of our unity is our language.

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 The symbol of our unity is our tower,

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 and we are going to unite together to make a name for ourselves,

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 to seek an identity and a significance independently apart from God.

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 And we've seen this already.

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 This is a replay of Genesis chapter 3.

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 Remember we talked there about the creator-creature distinction

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 where God is authoritative and he's independent,

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 and we as creatures are derivative and we're dependent.

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 And yet there in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve said,

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 we don't want to abide by this creator-creature distinction.

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 We want to assert our own autonomous, self-made, self-defined identity.

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 We want to be the masters of our fate and the captains of our soul

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 without depending on the one who gives us life and breath and everything else.

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 And that's what's happening here, again, in the city on a grander scale.

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 We're going to satisfy our material and spiritual aspirations independently apart from God.

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 Our language, our ingenuity, our technology, all these good gifts from God,

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 we're going to use these to make a name, make a significance apart from God in our collective achievements.

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 And it's kind of confusing because the tower looks religious, you know,

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 and they're pursuing it with a religious kind of zeal,

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 but actually it's a symbol of their own self-centeredness,

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 that we're going to use God, we're going to use the gifts of God to make us great.

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 We don't really care about God himself.

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 We don't want to glorify God.

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 We want to glorify ourselves.

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 This is a city that's not centered on God.

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 It's centered on the collective self.

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 And you can really see that in the tallest and highest buildings in any city today, right?

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 They're monuments to our human power, monuments to our money, monuments to our success,

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 monuments to our technology and our reason and our intellect and our science.

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 We, after all, can split atoms and we can launch rockets into space and we can edit genes

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 and we can create artificial intelligence and we can live by DoorDash.

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 So who needs God?

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 Who needs to live by his rule and his authority?

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 We can be our own lords and our own saviors.

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 You know, and all the Babel projects from the ancient city to modern cities say,

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 we don't need the rule of heaven.

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 We can live without God at the center and we'll be okay.

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 And in verse 5 it says this,

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 The Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the people were building.

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 The irony is that the builders of this tower are so proud that it reaches up to heaven,

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 but God can hardly see it, right?

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 And we know God is capable of perceiving what people are doing without having to reposition himself.

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 But he intentionally parodies their heaven-storming aspirations by bending down, right?

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 To see the thimble-like grandeur of their puny and pathetic power to preserve their own identity

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 and control their own fortunes and glorify themselves.

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 And verse 6 says,

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 In other words,

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 If they keep infringing on my divine sphere,

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 if they keep transgressing into the place where only I deserve to be,

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 if they keep putting themselves in my place,

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 living as if I'm unnecessary,

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 living as if they can achieve stability and durability independently from me,

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 as if nothing can shake them,

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 as if nothing can destroy them,

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 then there will be absolutely no end to their arrogant schemes.

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 They're not going to respect any of the God-given boundaries that I've built into my creation,

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 and they're not just going to try to build a city,

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 they're going to try to build an entire empire

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 in which the Creator is excluded from His very own creation.

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 And so, verse 7,

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 That word Babel in Mesopotamia meant the gate of the gods.

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 But now in Hebrew it means the city of the confused.

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 Right?

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 The metropolis of the mixed up.

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 They sought to make a name for themselves apart from God,

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 and the result is that they now have this infamous name

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 that's the exact opposite of their desires,

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 which is what Jesus taught.

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 He said,

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 Anyone who exalts themselves is going to be humbled.

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 Well, how do we apply this to our own lives?

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 Application number one is on a corporate and collective level,

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 God's judgment here is not a spiteful move to keep humans divided and dumb.

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 Rather, this half-built, unfinished, incomplete tower

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 and its dispersed builders

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 show us the power of God's grace

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 who will not allow human autonomy to go unchecked.

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 But rather, in His grace,

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 He restrains the damage

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 that our human autonomy will cause.

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 And He comes to limit the extent

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 to which human beings

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 will harden themselves against Him.

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 And so if God frustrated the human schemes in Babel,

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 how do you think He might be at work

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 in the frustrations and failures of our culture right now?

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 The weakening of our institutions,

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 the fraying of our social fabric,

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 the polarization of our perspectives,

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 the erosion of our trust,

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 the rising tide of global populism and authoritarianism,

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 the increase of political violence,

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 do we think that God might somehow be at the back of it all

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 allowing us to be disabused of our stability,

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 to be shaken up

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 so that we might be a people

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 who more seriously seek after His name

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 and glorify His name

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 rather than seeking to glorify

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 and make a name for ourselves?

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 That's application number one.

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 Application number two is that

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 on an individual and a personal level,

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 if you're here today

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 and you've mapped out your future life,

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 you've mapped out how your career's supposed to go,

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 how your plans ought to be,

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 and all the relationships in your life,

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 ask yourself this question,

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 is this plan made under God?

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 Or is it made apart from God?

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 Because if you plan your life without God at the center,

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 without seeking His blessing,

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 He will, in His grace,

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 allow it to be frustrated.

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 He'll allow it to come to nothing

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 because He loves you so much.

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 He wants to protect you from you.

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 He knows that you cannot live without Him.

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 This is what the Babel Project is all about.

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 It's a foolish errand.

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 It's absurd.

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 So it's interesting to me that

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 God saw fit to put Genesis 11 and Genesis 12

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 right next to each other,

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 juxtaposing them

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 so that we could compare and contrast

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 humanity's Babel Project

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 with God's blessing project.

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 God's blessing project in Genesis 12.

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 You see, in the first three,

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 two chapters of Scripture,

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 Genesis 1 and 2,

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 we see God's good creation

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 but then from Genesis 3 and on

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 to Genesis 11,

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 that good creation's fallen into this

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 downward spiral of sin and death and judgment.

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 And the question at this point is,

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 if the nations have lost their way,

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 then how will God shine His light on us?

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 How will He provide a way of salvation for us?

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 Genesis 12 comes along

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 and Genesis 12 is a new beginning.

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 Genesis 12 says,

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 For God so loved the world that He gave Abraham.

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 For God so loved the world that He gave Israel.

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 And this is God's counter-initiative

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 to our Babel Project.

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 And here's what it says in Genesis 12, 1.

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 It says,

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 The Lord had said to Abram,

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 Go from your country,

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 your people,

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 and your father's household to the land.

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 I will show you.

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 I will make you into a great nation.

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 And I will bless you.

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 I will make your name great.

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 And you will be a blessing.

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 See, Babel's desire to make a name for themselves

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 is in diametric contrast

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 to God's promise to Abraham

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 because only God can give an everlasting name.

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 Only God is the source and the center of life.

00:16:52.800 --> 00:16:54.580
 And only He gives us a name

00:16:54.580 --> 00:16:57.900
 so that we will glorify His name

00:16:57.900 --> 00:17:00.260
 and not ourselves and our own achievements.

00:17:02.040 --> 00:17:05.039
 So who is this person that God chooses to bless?

00:17:05.880 --> 00:17:06.620
 Who is Abram?

00:17:06.840 --> 00:17:10.340
 Well, just to trace a line from Genesis 4 last week,

00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:12.660
 we learned about Seth and Enosh

00:17:12.660 --> 00:17:14.100
 and their family line

00:17:14.100 --> 00:17:16.820
 which began to call upon the name of the Lord

00:17:16.819 --> 00:17:18.980
 and through that family line,

00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:22.319
 the knowledge of God was to be preserved among humanity

00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:24.839
 all the way to Abraham's family line.

00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:26.639
 This was the one ray of hope

00:17:26.639 --> 00:17:29.819
 in a world that was mired in oppression and violence.

00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:34.599
 But if you look at right before Genesis 12,

00:17:34.980 --> 00:17:38.359
 it's very interesting that when God calls Abraham,

00:17:38.599 --> 00:17:41.679
 His family is actually living in a center of lunar worship.

00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:46.360
 And Abraham's father's name means moon.

00:17:48.060 --> 00:17:48.200
 Right?

00:17:48.320 --> 00:17:50.980
 So the one family that's supposed to be preserving

00:17:50.980 --> 00:17:53.160
 the knowledge of the true God

00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:55.580
 is no longer worshiping the Creator.

00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:56.960
 God is worshiping the creation.

00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:00.360
 And by the end of Genesis 11,

00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:02.320
 the last flickering candle of humanity

00:18:02.320 --> 00:18:03.279
 has just gone out.

00:18:04.100 --> 00:18:04.220
 Right?

00:18:04.299 --> 00:18:06.620
 Abraham is lost spiritually.

00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:07.820
 His wife, Abraham,

00:18:07.819 --> 00:18:11.099
 or his wife Sarah is barren physically.

00:18:12.139 --> 00:18:13.519
 And the human situation

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:15.179
 is really quite hopeless.

00:18:15.700 --> 00:18:16.899
 And it's at a dead end.

00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:19.480
 And there's no human power

00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:21.079
 that can bring a change

00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:24.019
 to the violent world in which we're living.

00:18:26.439 --> 00:18:28.460
 But God,

00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:31.299
 but the Creator God

00:18:31.299 --> 00:18:32.819
 who spoke in Genesis 1

00:18:32.819 --> 00:18:33.120
 and said,

00:18:33.299 --> 00:18:33.779
 let there be light,

00:18:33.840 --> 00:18:35.340
 He's the same Redeemer God

00:18:35.340 --> 00:18:37.100
 who speaks in Genesis 12

00:18:37.100 --> 00:18:37.460
 and says,

00:18:37.600 --> 00:18:37.920
 Abraham,

00:18:38.340 --> 00:18:39.519
 I'm going to bless you.

00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:43.340
 The Word of the Lord comes

00:18:43.340 --> 00:18:44.620
 and it creates hope.

00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:45.700
 It creates life.

00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:46.680
 The Word of the Lord

00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:48.740
 calls into existence

00:18:48.740 --> 00:18:49.700
 things that are not.

00:18:51.240 --> 00:18:52.380
 And what this shows us

00:18:52.380 --> 00:18:53.340
 is that Abraham

00:18:53.340 --> 00:18:55.340
 is utterly dependent on God

00:18:55.340 --> 00:18:56.539
 for blessing.

00:18:57.160 --> 00:18:57.319
 Right?

00:18:57.319 --> 00:18:58.179
 The blessing of God

00:18:58.179 --> 00:18:58.740
 is not something

00:18:58.740 --> 00:19:00.119
 that Abraham initiates.

00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:00.639
 It's not something

00:19:00.639 --> 00:19:01.779
 that he goes to get.

00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:02.339
 It's not something

00:19:02.339 --> 00:19:04.119
 that he takes for himself.

00:19:04.259 --> 00:19:04.759
 But rather,

00:19:05.859 --> 00:19:07.240
 it's something that God gives

00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:08.259
 by His grace.

00:19:08.700 --> 00:19:08.899
 Right?

00:19:08.939 --> 00:19:09.740
 Because Abraham's

00:19:09.740 --> 00:19:10.740
 not even looking for it.

00:19:12.139 --> 00:19:13.379
 Abraham's not qualified.

00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:15.859
 He's from an idol-worshiping family.

00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:17.500
 He's compromised.

00:19:17.980 --> 00:19:18.899
 He's paganized.

00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:19.859
 He's bowing down

00:19:19.859 --> 00:19:21.259
 to all the wrong things.

00:19:21.439 --> 00:19:22.679
 But God in His grace comes

00:19:22.679 --> 00:19:23.139
 and He says,

00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:24.159
 I'm going to bless you

00:19:24.159 --> 00:19:25.119
 and I'm going to make

00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:26.359
 your name great.

00:19:26.359 --> 00:19:27.500
 We have a slide,

00:19:27.719 --> 00:19:28.099
 I think.

00:19:29.179 --> 00:19:31.059
 And what it seeks to show

00:19:31.059 --> 00:19:31.979
 is that our culture

00:19:31.979 --> 00:19:33.899
 operates according to this

00:19:33.899 --> 00:19:35.279
 in-shaped dynamic

00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:37.079
 where we perform

00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:38.839
 and God rewards us.

00:19:39.619 --> 00:19:41.019
 We offer gifts to God

00:19:41.019 --> 00:19:42.679
 and God responds with blessing.

00:19:42.839 --> 00:19:43.539
 So performance

00:19:43.539 --> 00:19:45.399
 leads to reward.

00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:46.479
 That's the default mode

00:19:46.479 --> 00:19:47.019
 of our culture.

00:19:48.479 --> 00:19:50.199
 But Genesis 12

00:19:50.199 --> 00:19:51.419
 and really the whole Bible

00:19:51.419 --> 00:19:53.639
 operates according to

00:19:53.639 --> 00:19:54.679
 a U-shaped dynamic.

00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:55.860
 We can go to the next slide

00:19:55.860 --> 00:19:59.259
 where God gives us grace

00:19:59.259 --> 00:20:00.660
 even though we don't deserve it.

00:20:01.740 --> 00:20:02.880
 God is not waiting

00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:04.560
 for Abraham to change.

00:20:04.660 --> 00:20:05.380
 He's not waiting for him

00:20:05.380 --> 00:20:06.620
 to come up to scratch.

00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:07.920
 He just blesses him.

00:20:08.360 --> 00:20:09.860
 He just gives him grace

00:20:09.860 --> 00:20:10.539
 which he presumes

00:20:10.539 --> 00:20:11.340
 will lead to gratitude.

00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:12.580
 He just gives him blessing

00:20:12.580 --> 00:20:14.900
 which he assumes

00:20:14.900 --> 00:20:16.259
 will lead to response.

00:20:18.140 --> 00:20:19.060
 And what exactly

00:20:19.060 --> 00:20:20.440
 does God promise Abraham?

00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:23.180
 Well, four things.

00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:25.140
 You guys with me?

00:20:25.820 --> 00:20:26.720
 Alright, four things.

00:20:26.779 --> 00:20:27.880
 He promises a people.

00:20:28.080 --> 00:20:28.980
 Verse 2,

00:20:29.100 --> 00:20:29.420
 he says,

00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:30.640
 I will make you a great nation

00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:32.000
 and I will bless you.

00:20:32.220 --> 00:20:33.299
 And to bless someone,

00:20:33.460 --> 00:20:34.220
 to bless a person

00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:35.000
 means that you give them

00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:36.000
 the power of life,

00:20:36.120 --> 00:20:36.480
 you give them

00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:37.460
 the enrichment of life,

00:20:37.539 --> 00:20:38.000
 you give them

00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:39.660
 the increase of life.

00:20:40.600 --> 00:20:41.019
 And of course,

00:20:41.100 --> 00:20:42.440
 Abraham has no kids.

00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:44.140
 He's 75 years old.

00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:45.100
 His wife, Sarah,

00:20:45.220 --> 00:20:46.220
 is barren.

00:20:46.539 --> 00:20:47.720
 And God says to him,

00:20:47.940 --> 00:20:48.440
 I'm going to give you

00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:49.319
 a miracle child.

00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:50.059
 I'm going to give you

00:20:50.059 --> 00:20:51.279
 an offspring.

00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:52.059
 I'm going to give you

00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:52.660
 descendants.

00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:53.460
 I'm going to give you

00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:54.500
 grandchildren and

00:20:54.500 --> 00:20:55.400
 great-grandchildren

00:20:55.400 --> 00:20:57.259
 and extended family

00:20:57.259 --> 00:20:58.120
 and tribes

00:20:58.120 --> 00:20:58.880
 and a nation

00:20:58.880 --> 00:20:59.860
 that's blessed

00:20:59.860 --> 00:21:01.220
 with life.

00:21:03.120 --> 00:21:03.860
 Well, where are all

00:21:03.860 --> 00:21:04.779
 those people going to live?

00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:06.860
 And that's the second thing

00:21:06.860 --> 00:21:08.220
 is God promises a place.

00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:08.740
 In verse 1,

00:21:08.779 --> 00:21:09.019
 he says,

00:21:09.140 --> 00:21:10.000
 go to the land

00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:10.640
 I will show you.

00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:11.180
 In verse 7,

00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:11.559
 he says,

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.640
 to your offspring

00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:13.759
 I will give this land.

00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:14.500
 I'm going to give you

00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:15.880
 the land of Canaan,

00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:16.720
 the promised land.

00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:17.339
 Your offspring,

00:21:17.339 --> 00:21:17.980
 you're going to live

00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:18.639
 in this land

00:21:18.639 --> 00:21:19.399
 that's flowing

00:21:19.399 --> 00:21:20.259
 with milk and honey.

00:21:20.459 --> 00:21:21.480
 The great nation

00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:22.599
 that comes from you,

00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:23.679
 childless Abraham,

00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:25.959
 is going to live

00:21:25.959 --> 00:21:27.539
 at this crossroads

00:21:27.539 --> 00:21:28.919
 between the most powerful

00:21:28.919 --> 00:21:29.619
 civilizations

00:21:29.619 --> 00:21:30.579
 of the ancient

00:21:30.579 --> 00:21:31.639
 Near East.

00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:34.539
 And how will

00:21:34.539 --> 00:21:35.279
 that happen?

00:21:35.379 --> 00:21:35.819
 How will this

00:21:35.819 --> 00:21:36.559
 promised people

00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:37.879
 live and survive

00:21:37.879 --> 00:21:39.559
 in this promised place?

00:21:39.679 --> 00:21:40.359
 Well, the third thing

00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:41.339
 is God promises

00:21:41.339 --> 00:21:41.939
 protection.

00:21:43.619 --> 00:21:44.759
 In verses 2 and 3,

00:21:44.859 --> 00:21:45.019
 he says,

00:21:45.019 --> 00:21:45.740
 I will make your name

00:21:45.740 --> 00:21:47.000
 great and you

00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:47.740
 will be a blessing

00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:48.700
 and whoever blesses

00:21:48.700 --> 00:21:49.619
 you, I will bless.

00:21:50.940 --> 00:21:51.859
 And then this next part

00:21:51.859 --> 00:21:52.559
 doesn't really come

00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:53.279
 through in the English,

00:21:53.420 --> 00:21:54.279
 but the Hebrew says

00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:54.819
 basically,

00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:56.259
 whoever deals lightly

00:21:56.259 --> 00:21:56.819
 with you,

00:21:57.960 --> 00:21:58.980
 whoever dismisses

00:21:58.980 --> 00:22:00.160
 or disparages you,

00:22:00.259 --> 00:22:01.039
 whoever holds you

00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:01.619
 in contempt,

00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:04.519
 whoever seeks to harm

00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:05.579
 you will be removed

00:22:05.579 --> 00:22:06.339
 from my blessings,

00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:07.480
 will have their life

00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:07.759
 diminished.

00:22:07.879 --> 00:22:09.160
 I will curse them.

00:22:09.160 --> 00:22:11.400
 So God is saying

00:22:11.400 --> 00:22:11.759
 to Abraham,

00:22:11.940 --> 00:22:12.320
 I'm going to

00:22:12.320 --> 00:22:13.360
 sovereignly protect you,

00:22:13.400 --> 00:22:14.180
 I'm going to actively

00:22:14.180 --> 00:22:16.640
 intervene for your welfare

00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:17.920
 so that you can be confident,

00:22:18.060 --> 00:22:19.040
 so that you can walk

00:22:19.040 --> 00:22:19.980
 unafraid.

00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:22.580
 And what is God's

00:22:22.580 --> 00:22:23.360
 ultimate plan

00:22:23.360 --> 00:22:24.440
 for his promised people

00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:25.440
 and the promised place

00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:26.519
 and his promised protection?

00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:28.420
 The fourth thing

00:22:28.420 --> 00:22:29.180
 is God promises

00:22:29.180 --> 00:22:30.380
 international blessing.

00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:32.340
 Verse 3,

00:22:32.420 --> 00:22:32.620
 he says,

00:22:32.900 --> 00:22:33.480
 all the peoples

00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:34.440
 and all the families

00:22:34.440 --> 00:22:34.900
 on the earth

00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:35.740
 are going to be blessed

00:22:35.740 --> 00:22:36.920
 through you.

00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:37.940
 We have another slide.

00:22:37.940 --> 00:22:40.279
 And what this shows

00:22:40.279 --> 00:22:41.700
 is God's gracious blessing

00:22:41.700 --> 00:22:42.279
 is meant to go

00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:43.600
 to all the nations

00:22:43.600 --> 00:22:44.660
 that he made

00:22:44.660 --> 00:22:45.460
 and that he loves.

00:22:45.580 --> 00:22:46.900
 And it's like this hourglass

00:22:46.900 --> 00:22:48.340
 that funnels down

00:22:48.340 --> 00:22:49.620
 through this narrow neck,

00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:50.940
 this narrow passageway

00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:52.840
 through his covenant partners,

00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:54.080
 through this one man,

00:22:54.220 --> 00:22:55.200
 through this one family,

00:22:55.340 --> 00:22:56.720
 through this one nation

00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:57.920
 and through one particular

00:22:57.920 --> 00:22:59.320
 offspring of that nation

00:22:59.320 --> 00:23:00.580
 named Jesus,

00:23:01.900 --> 00:23:02.759
 God's blessing

00:23:02.759 --> 00:23:03.660
 is going to go out

00:23:03.660 --> 00:23:04.259
 and his life

00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:04.960
 is going to go out

00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:06.380
 to everyone else.

00:23:07.940 --> 00:23:09.680
 Why does this matter?

00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:11.860
 Because remember

00:23:11.860 --> 00:23:13.420
 in Genesis 1-2,

00:23:14.420 --> 00:23:15.720
 God's people,

00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:16.799
 Adam and Eve,

00:23:17.980 --> 00:23:19.920
 were living in God's place,

00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:20.640
 Eden,

00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:22.880
 and they were enjoying

00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:23.799
 God's protection

00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:25.180
 under his word

00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:27.740
 and they were at rest

00:23:27.740 --> 00:23:28.900
 with God's blessing.

00:23:30.340 --> 00:23:31.400
 But they lost

00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:32.480
 all four of those things.

00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:35.120
 But now God says,

00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:35.579
 Abraham,

00:23:35.880 --> 00:23:36.519
 through you

00:23:36.519 --> 00:23:38.319
 and through this

00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:40.140
 royal fourfold promise

00:23:40.140 --> 00:23:42.380
 to bring my kingdom

00:23:42.380 --> 00:23:44.059
 from heaven to earth

00:23:44.059 --> 00:23:45.680
 through you,

00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:46.559
 I'm going to begin

00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:47.299
 to reverse

00:23:47.299 --> 00:23:48.799
 the downward spiral

00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:50.019
 of sin and death

00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:50.519
 and judgment.

00:23:50.680 --> 00:23:51.299
 This is how

00:23:51.299 --> 00:23:52.500
 I'm going to overcome

00:23:52.500 --> 00:23:52.960
 the devastation

00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:54.440
 and alienation

00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:54.819
 wrought

00:23:54.819 --> 00:23:56.180
 by human sin

00:23:56.180 --> 00:23:56.799
 and pride.

00:23:58.400 --> 00:23:59.299
 And how does Abraham

00:23:59.299 --> 00:24:00.380
 respond to God's

00:24:00.380 --> 00:24:02.420
 call and his promise

00:24:02.420 --> 00:24:03.160
 and his blessing?

00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:04.560
 Well, Abraham

00:24:04.560 --> 00:24:06.540
 says yes.

00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:09.260
 He says yes to God.

00:24:10.300 --> 00:24:11.060
 And that's amazing

00:24:11.060 --> 00:24:12.080
 because God does not

00:24:12.080 --> 00:24:12.880
 give Abraham

00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:13.760
 all the details.

00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:14.680
 God doesn't even tell

00:24:14.680 --> 00:24:15.980
 Abraham where

00:24:15.980 --> 00:24:16.880
 he's going to take him.

00:24:20.120 --> 00:24:21.300
 He just knows

00:24:21.300 --> 00:24:23.640
 that God is calling me

00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:25.960
 to forsake

00:24:25.960 --> 00:24:27.080
 all that's familiar

00:24:27.080 --> 00:24:29.320
 and all that's secure

00:24:29.320 --> 00:24:30.320
 and all that's comfortable

00:24:30.320 --> 00:24:31.259
 and all that's precious

00:24:31.259 --> 00:24:32.280
 and to abandon

00:24:32.280 --> 00:24:34.000
 all of the things

00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:35.020
 I'm bowing down to,

00:24:35.120 --> 00:24:35.860
 all the things

00:24:35.860 --> 00:24:36.580
 that I'm seeking

00:24:36.580 --> 00:24:38.040
 for blessing in life

00:24:38.040 --> 00:24:39.960
 and instead

00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:40.780
 to enter into

00:24:40.780 --> 00:24:41.940
 a personal relationship

00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:43.520
 with the living God

00:24:43.520 --> 00:24:45.740
 and to exclusively

00:24:45.740 --> 00:24:46.300
 embrace

00:24:46.300 --> 00:24:47.340
 this one true

00:24:47.340 --> 00:24:48.380
 creator God

00:24:48.380 --> 00:24:49.180
 and to have no other

00:24:49.180 --> 00:24:50.100
 gods before him

00:24:50.100 --> 00:24:51.520
 and simply to live

00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.200
 by faith

00:24:52.200 --> 00:24:53.900
 in his promises.

00:24:56.119 --> 00:24:57.579
 And pagan Abraham

00:24:57.579 --> 00:24:59.680
 says yes

00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:02.180
 and he repents.

00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:04.639
 He converts

00:25:04.639 --> 00:25:06.859
 and he demonstrates

00:25:06.859 --> 00:25:08.000
 his faith in God

00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:08.940
 through his obedience

00:25:08.940 --> 00:25:09.519
 and he left

00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:10.819
 absolutely everything

00:25:10.819 --> 00:25:13.379
 to follow the Lord.

00:25:13.380 --> 00:25:15.940
 and the question

00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:16.760
 for you today

00:25:16.760 --> 00:25:18.760
 is have you been called?

00:25:20.600 --> 00:25:21.820
 Have you been called

00:25:21.820 --> 00:25:23.760
 out of humanity's

00:25:23.760 --> 00:25:24.500
 Babel project

00:25:24.500 --> 00:25:25.640
 and into God's

00:25:25.640 --> 00:25:26.440
 blessing project?

00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:29.160
 Are you willing

00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:29.700
 to come out

00:25:29.700 --> 00:25:30.620
 of your old life

00:25:30.620 --> 00:25:31.740
 apart from God

00:25:31.740 --> 00:25:34.060
 in order to enter

00:25:34.060 --> 00:25:34.920
 into a new life

00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:35.780
 with God?

00:25:38.140 --> 00:25:39.260
 And do you want

00:25:39.260 --> 00:25:41.120
 what Abraham has?

00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:42.080
 Do you want to share

00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:43.139
 in this fourfold

00:25:43.139 --> 00:25:45.099
 amazing blessing

00:25:45.099 --> 00:25:46.679
 that God has given

00:25:46.679 --> 00:25:47.220
 to Abraham?

00:25:50.339 --> 00:25:51.399
 So we talked about

00:25:51.399 --> 00:25:52.399
 humanity's

00:25:52.399 --> 00:25:53.059
 Babel project

00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:53.659
 and God's

00:25:53.659 --> 00:25:54.379
 blessing project

00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:55.339
 but I want to close

00:25:55.339 --> 00:25:58.159
 talking for a moment

00:25:58.159 --> 00:25:58.879
 about living by

00:25:58.879 --> 00:25:59.939
 the promises of God

00:25:59.939 --> 00:26:01.859
 because Abraham

00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:03.279
 doesn't just say yes

00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:04.899
 right?

00:26:05.339 --> 00:26:06.579
 He does yes.

00:26:08.099 --> 00:26:09.159
 Living by the promises

00:26:09.159 --> 00:26:09.480
 of God.

00:26:09.559 --> 00:26:10.059
 Other scriptures

00:26:10.059 --> 00:26:11.700
 give Abraham

00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:12.539
 the highest honor

00:26:12.539 --> 00:26:13.299
 by calling him

00:26:13.299 --> 00:26:14.419
 the friend of God.

00:26:15.579 --> 00:26:16.519
 He's the friend

00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:17.019
 of God.

00:26:18.019 --> 00:26:19.059
 What does that mean?

00:26:19.899 --> 00:26:21.200
 It means that Abraham

00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:23.720
 rebuilt his entire life

00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:25.659
 around the promises

00:26:25.659 --> 00:26:26.139
 of God.

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:28.500
 It means that Abraham

00:26:28.500 --> 00:26:29.460
 restructured and

00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:31.319
 recenters his whole life

00:26:31.319 --> 00:26:32.200
 on the word

00:26:32.200 --> 00:26:33.240
 of God

00:26:33.240 --> 00:26:33.899
 and the promises

00:26:33.899 --> 00:26:34.299
 of God

00:26:34.299 --> 00:26:35.200
 in personal

00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:36.000
 and practical

00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:37.039
 ways.

00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:38.940
 And you see it

00:26:38.940 --> 00:26:39.420
 right here

00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:39.879
 in verse 4.

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:40.559
 So Abraham

00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:42.220
 went as the Lord

00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:43.139
 had told him

00:26:43.139 --> 00:26:43.879
 and Lot

00:26:43.879 --> 00:26:44.359
 went with him.

00:26:44.440 --> 00:26:45.599
 Abraham was 75

00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:46.359
 years old

00:26:46.359 --> 00:26:47.319
 when he set out

00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:48.259
 from Haran.

00:26:48.359 --> 00:26:49.559
 He didn't consider

00:26:49.559 --> 00:26:50.500
 himself retired

00:26:50.500 --> 00:26:51.720
 from life

00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:52.159
 with God.

00:26:53.519 --> 00:26:54.440
 And he went out

00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:54.960
 to do something

00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:55.899
 that was not convenient

00:26:55.899 --> 00:26:56.940
 that was not easy

00:26:56.940 --> 00:26:57.899
 that was not comfortable

00:26:57.899 --> 00:26:59.099
 and that was not safe.

00:27:00.119 --> 00:27:01.059
 He was 75

00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:01.680
 years old

00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:02.440
 he goes out

00:27:02.440 --> 00:27:02.819
 where there's

00:27:02.819 --> 00:27:03.899
 no secure sources

00:27:03.899 --> 00:27:04.659
 of food and water

00:27:04.659 --> 00:27:05.700
 no police force

00:27:05.700 --> 00:27:06.819
 no justice system

00:27:06.819 --> 00:27:08.380
 and he goes

00:27:08.380 --> 00:27:09.360
 as God sends him

00:27:09.360 --> 00:27:10.279
 into enemy

00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:11.480
 occupied territory

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:13.340
 to live as a tiny

00:27:13.340 --> 00:27:13.920
 minority

00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:14.539
 in the midst

00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:15.200
 of a majority

00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:16.100
 of unbelieving

00:27:16.100 --> 00:27:16.620
 pagans

00:27:16.620 --> 00:27:17.160
 who are opposed

00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:17.840
 to his faith.

00:27:19.180 --> 00:27:20.059
 And if Abraham

00:27:20.059 --> 00:27:21.660
 had not done that

00:27:21.660 --> 00:27:22.160
 if Abraham

00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:23.100
 had not acted

00:27:23.100 --> 00:27:24.299
 then we wouldn't

00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:25.000
 be here today.

00:27:26.120 --> 00:27:26.940
 We would not

00:27:26.940 --> 00:27:27.539
 be experiencing

00:27:27.539 --> 00:27:28.100
 the blessings

00:27:28.100 --> 00:27:28.640
 of God

00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:29.259
 through him.

00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:31.700
 So what that means

00:27:31.700 --> 00:27:32.160
 is in order

00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:33.080
 to get the blessing

00:27:33.080 --> 00:27:33.500
 and in order

00:27:33.500 --> 00:27:34.519
 to be the blessing

00:27:34.519 --> 00:27:36.019
 we've got to go.

00:27:36.740 --> 00:27:37.700
 We've got to act.

00:27:37.779 --> 00:27:38.460
 We've got to obey.

00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:41.460
 Abraham exchanged

00:27:41.460 --> 00:27:42.359
 what was known

00:27:42.359 --> 00:27:43.519
 for what was unknown

00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:45.440
 and he lived

00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:46.319
 the rest of his life

00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:46.759
 for things

00:27:46.759 --> 00:27:47.619
 that he absolutely

00:27:47.619 --> 00:27:48.799
 could not see.

00:27:50.059 --> 00:27:50.160
 Right?

00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:51.779
 He did not die

00:27:51.779 --> 00:27:52.519
 with the whole

00:27:52.519 --> 00:27:53.480
 promised people.

00:27:54.299 --> 00:27:54.920
 He died

00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:56.180
 with one child.

00:27:57.139 --> 00:27:58.079
 He did not die

00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:58.799
 with the whole

00:27:58.799 --> 00:27:59.539
 promised land.

00:27:59.639 --> 00:27:59.859
 He died

00:27:59.859 --> 00:28:00.960
 with one tiny

00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:02.220
 little burial plot

00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:02.980
 in that land.

00:28:02.980 --> 00:28:04.680
 The promises

00:28:04.680 --> 00:28:05.160
 of God

00:28:05.160 --> 00:28:05.940
 had barely

00:28:05.940 --> 00:28:07.019
 begun

00:28:07.019 --> 00:28:08.900
 to be fulfilled.

00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:11.200
 But as Hebrews

00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:12.200
 11 1 says

00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:12.839
 faith

00:28:12.839 --> 00:28:14.480
 is the assurance

00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:15.220
 of things hoped

00:28:15.220 --> 00:28:15.480
 for

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:16.180
 and the conviction

00:28:16.180 --> 00:28:16.880
 of things

00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:17.960
 not seen.

00:28:19.579 --> 00:28:20.440
 And look at how

00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:21.420
 Abraham lives out

00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:22.019
 his conviction

00:28:22.019 --> 00:28:22.620
 of the things

00:28:22.620 --> 00:28:23.839
 that are not seen.

00:28:24.019 --> 00:28:24.920
 It says in verse 6

00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:25.640
 Abraham traveled

00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:26.700
 through the land

00:28:26.700 --> 00:28:27.740
 as far as the site

00:28:27.740 --> 00:28:28.940
 of the great tree

00:28:28.940 --> 00:28:29.599
 of Morah

00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:30.180
 at Shechem.

00:28:31.120 --> 00:28:31.740
 At that time

00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:32.359
 the Canaanites

00:28:32.359 --> 00:28:32.880
 were in the land

00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:33.160
 the Lord

00:28:33.160 --> 00:28:34.140
 appeared to

00:28:34.140 --> 00:28:34.859
 Abram and said

00:28:34.859 --> 00:28:35.519
 to your offspring

00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:36.079
 I will give

00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:36.599
 this land.

00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:37.420
 So he built

00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:38.099
 an altar there

00:28:38.099 --> 00:28:38.660
 to the Lord

00:28:38.660 --> 00:28:39.500
 who had appeared

00:28:39.500 --> 00:28:39.940
 to him.

00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:40.900
 And from there

00:28:40.900 --> 00:28:41.700
 he went on

00:28:41.700 --> 00:28:43.140
 toward the hills

00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:43.940
 east of Bethel

00:28:43.940 --> 00:28:44.799
 and pitched his tent

00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:45.700
 with Bethel

00:28:45.700 --> 00:28:46.180
 on the west

00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:47.099
 and I on the east

00:28:47.099 --> 00:28:48.240
 and there he built

00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:49.200
 an altar to the Lord

00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:50.099
 and called

00:28:50.099 --> 00:28:51.079
 on the name

00:28:51.079 --> 00:28:51.720
 of the Lord.

00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:55.160
 Why did he do that?

00:28:56.420 --> 00:28:57.240
 Because he knew

00:28:57.240 --> 00:28:58.920
 that in order

00:28:58.920 --> 00:28:59.800
 to be a blessing

00:28:59.800 --> 00:29:01.840
 to all the peoples

00:29:01.840 --> 00:29:02.539
 of the earth

00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:04.940
 I've got to go

00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:07.460
 to the strongholds

00:29:07.460 --> 00:29:09.560
 of their foreign gods

00:29:09.560 --> 00:29:11.720
 and the strongholds

00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:13.420
 of all their pagan idols.

00:29:14.620 --> 00:29:16.300
 That's what that sacred tree

00:29:16.300 --> 00:29:18.279
 at Morah is all about.

00:29:19.120 --> 00:29:20.600
 That's what these mystical hills

00:29:20.600 --> 00:29:21.160
 in Bethel

00:29:21.160 --> 00:29:21.920
 are all about.

00:29:22.940 --> 00:29:23.880
 And Abraham knows

00:29:23.880 --> 00:29:24.700
 that he has to go

00:29:24.700 --> 00:29:25.600
 to those places

00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:27.500
 and he has to worship

00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:28.719
 the Lord there.

00:29:30.399 --> 00:29:31.379
 He's not building

00:29:31.379 --> 00:29:31.899
 a tower

00:29:31.899 --> 00:29:33.139
 up to the heavens.

00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:35.259
 He's simply

00:29:35.259 --> 00:29:36.319
 leaving behind him

00:29:36.319 --> 00:29:38.299
 altars of costly sacrifice

00:29:38.299 --> 00:29:39.459
 and praise

00:29:39.459 --> 00:29:40.059
 and prayer.

00:29:41.740 --> 00:29:42.339
 Symbolically

00:29:42.339 --> 00:29:43.240
 claiming

00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:44.500
 that this place

00:29:44.500 --> 00:29:45.899
 will one day

00:29:45.899 --> 00:29:46.859
 be filled

00:29:46.859 --> 00:29:47.480
 with people

00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:48.519
 who call

00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:49.519
 on the name

00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:50.319
 of the Lord.

00:29:51.919 --> 00:29:52.899
 Is that not

00:29:52.899 --> 00:29:53.579
 what we

00:29:53.579 --> 00:29:54.460
 are doing

00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:55.220
 in Berkeley

00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:56.179
 in the East Bay?

00:29:57.980 --> 00:29:58.699
 Verse 8

00:29:58.699 --> 00:29:59.240
 in English

00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:00.059
 says he called

00:30:00.059 --> 00:30:00.539
 on the name

00:30:00.539 --> 00:30:00.939
 of the Lord

00:30:00.939 --> 00:30:01.539
 but in Hebrew

00:30:01.539 --> 00:30:02.019
 it says

00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:03.279
 he made proclamation

00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:04.000
 of the Lord

00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:04.659
 by name.

00:30:05.960 --> 00:30:06.699
 And what that means

00:30:06.699 --> 00:30:07.439
 is that the worship

00:30:07.439 --> 00:30:07.980
 of Abraham

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:09.099
 involved witness.

00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:10.720
 It involved

00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:11.639
 calling on the name

00:30:11.639 --> 00:30:12.059
 of the Lord

00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:13.000
 in the midst of

00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:13.639
 and in the hearing

00:30:13.639 --> 00:30:14.339
 of people

00:30:14.339 --> 00:30:15.359
 who did not believe

00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:16.480
 in this one true God

00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:18.139
 because Abraham

00:30:18.139 --> 00:30:19.240
 felt responsible

00:30:19.240 --> 00:30:19.759
 for them.

00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:20.740
 He felt responsible

00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:21.599
 for the peoples

00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:22.679
 and the families

00:30:22.680 --> 00:30:23.580
 of the earth

00:30:23.580 --> 00:30:24.000
 and he said

00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:24.620
 if they're going

00:30:24.620 --> 00:30:25.320
 to get the blessing

00:30:25.320 --> 00:30:25.860
 of the Lord

00:30:25.860 --> 00:30:27.019
 through me

00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:28.820
 then that means

00:30:28.820 --> 00:30:29.560
 I need to share

00:30:29.560 --> 00:30:30.640
 my newfound faith

00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:31.400
 with them.

00:30:31.820 --> 00:30:32.420
 I need to share

00:30:32.420 --> 00:30:32.940
 the meaning

00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:34.100
 of the Lord's name

00:30:34.100 --> 00:30:34.779
 the attributes

00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:35.420
 of his name

00:30:35.420 --> 00:30:36.320
 the activities

00:30:36.320 --> 00:30:37.160
 of his name.

00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:38.480
 I need to share

00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:38.920
 with them

00:30:38.920 --> 00:30:40.240
 the knowledge

00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:40.860
 of the Lord

00:30:40.860 --> 00:30:43.180
 and the promises

00:30:43.180 --> 00:30:43.820
 of the Lord.

00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:47.140
 See Abraham's faith

00:30:47.140 --> 00:30:48.759
 was a faith

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:50.460
 that not only

00:30:50.460 --> 00:30:51.279
 obeyed the word

00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:51.779
 of the Lord

00:30:51.779 --> 00:30:53.740
 but also shared

00:30:53.740 --> 00:30:54.079
 the word

00:30:54.079 --> 00:30:54.579
 of the Lord

00:30:54.579 --> 00:30:55.500
 with others.

00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:57.680
 And it wasn't

00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.460
 about making

00:30:58.460 --> 00:30:59.339
 a name for himself

00:30:59.339 --> 00:31:00.119
 it was about

00:31:00.119 --> 00:31:00.859
 making a name

00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:01.660
 for the Lord.

00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:05.160
 And all of his

00:31:05.160 --> 00:31:05.899
 spiritual offspring

00:31:05.899 --> 00:31:07.079
 who want to be

00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:07.639
 called friends

00:31:07.639 --> 00:31:08.160
 of God

00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:10.299
 must follow suit.

00:31:12.660 --> 00:31:13.680
 You all

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:15.220
 including me

00:31:15.220 --> 00:31:15.960
 are blessed

00:31:15.960 --> 00:31:17.819
 to be a blessing

00:31:17.819 --> 00:31:18.359
 to others.

00:31:18.359 --> 00:31:20.679
 God's blessing

00:31:20.679 --> 00:31:21.059
 on you

00:31:21.059 --> 00:31:21.859
 is not an end

00:31:21.859 --> 00:31:22.379
 in itself

00:31:22.379 --> 00:31:23.099
 it's a means

00:31:23.099 --> 00:31:23.879
 to the end

00:31:23.879 --> 00:31:24.299
 of blessing

00:31:24.299 --> 00:31:25.139
 all the nations

00:31:25.139 --> 00:31:25.740
 of the earth

00:31:25.740 --> 00:31:27.419
 and you've been

00:31:27.419 --> 00:31:28.119
 blessed not just

00:31:28.119 --> 00:31:28.779
 so you can

00:31:28.779 --> 00:31:29.319
 know the Lord

00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:30.059
 but so through

00:31:30.059 --> 00:31:31.099
 you many people

00:31:31.099 --> 00:31:31.559
 can come

00:31:31.559 --> 00:31:31.959
 to know

00:31:31.959 --> 00:31:32.759
 the living God.

00:31:34.399 --> 00:31:34.740
 And friends

00:31:34.740 --> 00:31:35.459
 we have a

00:31:35.459 --> 00:31:36.119
 greater message

00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:36.759
 to proclaim

00:31:36.759 --> 00:31:38.859
 than the one

00:31:38.859 --> 00:31:39.339
 that Abraham

00:31:39.339 --> 00:31:39.899
 proclaimed.

00:31:41.740 --> 00:31:42.619
 Jesus said

00:31:42.619 --> 00:31:43.259
 in the gospel

00:31:43.259 --> 00:31:43.959
 of John chapter

00:31:43.959 --> 00:31:44.159
 80

00:31:44.159 --> 00:31:44.459
 said

00:31:44.460 --> 00:31:45.019
 your father

00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:45.460
 Abraham

00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:46.120
 rejoiced

00:31:46.120 --> 00:31:46.660
 at the thought

00:31:46.660 --> 00:31:47.100
 of seeing

00:31:47.100 --> 00:31:47.600
 my day

00:31:47.600 --> 00:31:48.779
 he saw it

00:31:48.779 --> 00:31:49.759
 and was glad.

00:31:51.740 --> 00:31:52.460
 In other words

00:31:52.460 --> 00:31:53.140
 Abraham knew

00:31:53.140 --> 00:31:53.720
 that all the

00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:54.200
 peoples of the

00:31:54.200 --> 00:31:54.380
 earth

00:31:54.380 --> 00:31:54.920
 would be blessed

00:31:54.920 --> 00:31:55.680
 through one

00:31:55.680 --> 00:31:56.539
 blessing bearing

00:31:56.539 --> 00:31:57.319
 person

00:31:57.319 --> 00:31:58.819
 a particular

00:31:58.819 --> 00:31:59.400
 son

00:31:59.400 --> 00:32:00.759
 of Abraham

00:32:00.759 --> 00:32:05.779
 and I want

00:32:05.779 --> 00:32:06.180
 to suggest

00:32:06.180 --> 00:32:06.500
 to you

00:32:06.500 --> 00:32:07.120
 as we close

00:32:07.120 --> 00:32:07.460
 that

00:32:07.460 --> 00:32:08.900
 Jesus

00:32:08.900 --> 00:32:10.120
 is a true

00:32:10.120 --> 00:32:11.340
 and better

00:32:11.340 --> 00:32:11.880
 Abraham

00:32:11.880 --> 00:32:11.940
 Abraham

00:32:11.940 --> 00:32:13.920
 because he

00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:14.320
 answered the

00:32:14.320 --> 00:32:15.060
 call of God

00:32:15.060 --> 00:32:15.920
 to leave

00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:16.520
 all that was

00:32:16.520 --> 00:32:17.340
 familiar to him

00:32:17.340 --> 00:32:19.400
 all that was

00:32:19.400 --> 00:32:20.820
 secure in heaven

00:32:20.820 --> 00:32:21.320
 all that was

00:32:21.320 --> 00:32:21.740
 comfortable

00:32:21.740 --> 00:32:22.300
 all that was

00:32:22.300 --> 00:32:22.800
 precious

00:32:22.800 --> 00:32:25.020
 and Jesus

00:32:25.020 --> 00:32:25.560
 left his

00:32:25.560 --> 00:32:26.180
 father's house

00:32:26.180 --> 00:32:26.560
 and he went

00:32:26.560 --> 00:32:27.060
 out into

00:32:27.060 --> 00:32:27.660
 the unknown

00:32:27.660 --> 00:32:29.640
 he went out

00:32:29.640 --> 00:32:30.360
 into a very

00:32:30.360 --> 00:32:31.460
 unsafe place

00:32:31.460 --> 00:32:33.500
 and he went

00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:33.960
 out to live

00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:34.560
 by faith

00:32:34.560 --> 00:32:35.180
 and the assurance

00:32:35.180 --> 00:32:35.840
 of things hoped

00:32:35.840 --> 00:32:36.200
 for and the

00:32:36.200 --> 00:32:36.780
 conviction of

00:32:36.780 --> 00:32:37.580
 things not seen

00:32:37.580 --> 00:32:39.820
 and Jesus

00:32:39.820 --> 00:32:40.620
 created a new

00:32:40.620 --> 00:32:41.580
 people of God

00:32:41.579 --> 00:32:43.359
 by the shedding

00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:43.939
 of his blood

00:32:43.939 --> 00:32:44.539
 and the forgiveness

00:32:44.539 --> 00:32:45.299
 of their sins

00:32:45.299 --> 00:32:45.939
 and the blessing

00:32:45.939 --> 00:32:46.799
 of abundant

00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:47.259
 and eternal

00:32:47.259 --> 00:32:47.699
 life

00:32:47.699 --> 00:32:49.619
 and Jesus

00:32:49.619 --> 00:32:50.720
 would turn

00:32:50.720 --> 00:32:51.279
 the whole

00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:52.419
 world into

00:32:52.419 --> 00:32:53.039
 a place

00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:54.859
 where heaven

00:32:54.859 --> 00:32:55.299
 and earth

00:32:55.299 --> 00:32:55.980
 can come

00:32:55.980 --> 00:32:56.299
 together

00:32:56.299 --> 00:32:56.579
 and where

00:32:56.579 --> 00:32:57.460
 all creation

00:32:57.460 --> 00:32:58.659
 can be the

00:32:58.659 --> 00:32:59.240
 promised land

00:32:59.240 --> 00:32:59.720
 that's filled

00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:00.439
 with the presence

00:33:00.439 --> 00:33:01.019
 and the power

00:33:01.019 --> 00:33:01.460
 and the kingdom

00:33:01.460 --> 00:33:01.960
 of God

00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:03.939
 and Jesus

00:33:03.939 --> 00:33:04.599
 would pour out

00:33:04.599 --> 00:33:05.519
 his Holy Spirit

00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:06.099
 so that we

00:33:06.099 --> 00:33:06.679
 could experience

00:33:06.679 --> 00:33:07.299
 the protection

00:33:07.299 --> 00:33:07.859
 of God

00:33:07.859 --> 00:33:08.439
 and the

00:33:08.439 --> 00:33:08.879
 international

00:33:08.879 --> 00:33:09.839
 blessing of God

00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:10.740
 until he comes

00:33:10.740 --> 00:33:11.460
 again to make

00:33:11.460 --> 00:33:11.920
 all things

00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:12.259
 new

00:33:12.259 --> 00:33:15.059
 and so like

00:33:15.059 --> 00:33:15.480
 Abraham

00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:16.500
 we are invited

00:33:16.500 --> 00:33:17.059
 to have

00:33:17.059 --> 00:33:17.819
 a faith

00:33:17.819 --> 00:33:20.279
 in things

00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:20.920
 that are already

00:33:20.920 --> 00:33:22.019
 secured for us

00:33:22.019 --> 00:33:22.480
 things that are

00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:23.500
 already promised

00:33:23.500 --> 00:33:23.980
 for us

00:33:23.980 --> 00:33:24.900
 by God's

00:33:24.900 --> 00:33:25.720
 eternally beloved

00:33:25.720 --> 00:33:26.140
 son

00:33:26.140 --> 00:33:26.859
 Jesus

00:33:26.859 --> 00:33:29.420
 and that's why

00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:30.559
 the resurrected

00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:31.019
 Jesus

00:33:31.019 --> 00:33:31.859
 he blessed

00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:32.660
 his disciples

00:33:32.660 --> 00:33:33.660
 and he said

00:33:33.660 --> 00:33:35.019
 go make

00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:35.839
 disciples of all

00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:36.200
 the nations

00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:37.000
 go be a blessing

00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:38.000
 to all the peoples

00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:38.660
 of the earth

00:33:38.660 --> 00:33:39.480
 and know

00:33:39.480 --> 00:33:39.779
 that I'm

00:33:39.779 --> 00:33:40.060
 going to be

00:33:40.060 --> 00:33:40.920
 with you

00:33:40.920 --> 00:33:41.560
 every step

00:33:41.560 --> 00:33:41.980
 of the way

00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:42.259
 as you

00:33:42.259 --> 00:33:42.860
 complete that

00:33:42.860 --> 00:33:43.420
 task

00:33:43.420 --> 00:33:45.320
 and even

00:33:45.320 --> 00:33:46.120
 now friends

00:33:46.120 --> 00:33:49.519
 through the

00:33:49.519 --> 00:33:49.920
 church

00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:52.200
 the call

00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:52.680
 of God

00:33:52.680 --> 00:33:55.140
 the blessing

00:33:55.140 --> 00:33:55.660
 of God

00:33:55.660 --> 00:33:57.420
 the promises

00:33:57.420 --> 00:33:57.980
 of God

00:33:57.980 --> 00:33:59.440
 the life

00:33:59.440 --> 00:33:59.820
 of God

00:33:59.820 --> 00:34:00.420
 the salvation

00:34:00.420 --> 00:34:00.920
 of God

00:34:00.920 --> 00:34:01.980
 is extending

00:34:01.980 --> 00:34:02.940
 out all

00:34:02.940 --> 00:34:03.500
 over the world

00:34:03.500 --> 00:34:04.080
 right now

00:34:04.080 --> 00:34:04.500
 today

00:34:04.500 --> 00:34:07.339
 so friends

00:34:07.339 --> 00:34:08.719
 Abraham

00:34:08.719 --> 00:34:10.599
 built an altar

00:34:10.599 --> 00:34:11.159
 to the Lord

00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:11.920
 in a pagan

00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:12.519
 place full

00:34:12.519 --> 00:34:12.940
 of idols

00:34:12.940 --> 00:34:15.460
 and he made

00:34:15.460 --> 00:34:16.079
 proclamation

00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:16.679
 of the Lord

00:34:16.679 --> 00:34:17.119
 by name

00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:17.800
 to a majority

00:34:17.800 --> 00:34:18.599
 of unbelieving

00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:19.079
 people who

00:34:19.079 --> 00:34:19.579
 were opposed

00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:20.280
 to his faith

00:34:20.280 --> 00:34:22.360
 and that's

00:34:22.360 --> 00:34:22.940
 why he was

00:34:22.940 --> 00:34:23.320
 called

00:34:23.320 --> 00:34:24.139
 a friend

00:34:24.139 --> 00:34:24.579
 of God

00:34:24.579 --> 00:34:26.599
 and that's

00:34:26.599 --> 00:34:27.300
 how we too

00:34:27.300 --> 00:34:28.719
 can be called

00:34:28.719 --> 00:34:29.280
 friends

00:34:29.280 --> 00:34:30.539
 of God

00:34:30.539 --> 00:34:34.559
 the letter

00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:35.079
 of the Hebrews

00:34:35.079 --> 00:34:35.880
 chapter 11

00:34:35.880 --> 00:34:36.500
 says this

00:34:36.500 --> 00:34:36.739
 and I'll

00:34:36.739 --> 00:34:37.159
 close with

00:34:37.159 --> 00:34:37.659
 these words

00:34:37.659 --> 00:34:39.679
 it says

00:34:39.679 --> 00:34:40.259
 by faith

00:34:40.259 --> 00:34:40.779
 Abraham

00:34:40.779 --> 00:34:42.159
 made his

00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:42.559
 home in

00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:43.000
 the promised

00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:43.279
 land

00:34:43.279 --> 00:34:43.639
 like a

00:34:43.639 --> 00:34:44.059
 stranger

00:34:44.059 --> 00:34:44.559
 in a

00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:44.820
 foreign

00:34:44.820 --> 00:34:45.300
 country

00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:46.920
 for he

00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:47.300
 was looking

00:34:47.300 --> 00:34:47.759
 forward to

00:34:47.759 --> 00:34:48.119
 the city

00:34:48.119 --> 00:34:48.820
 with foundations

00:34:48.820 --> 00:34:49.639
 whose architect

00:34:49.639 --> 00:34:50.340
 and builder

00:34:50.340 --> 00:34:51.739
 is God

00:34:51.739 --> 00:34:53.460
 in the name

00:34:53.460 --> 00:34:53.840
 of the Father

00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:54.400
 Son and Holy

00:34:54.400 --> 00:34:54.759
 Spirit

00:34:54.759 --> 00:34:55.500
 Amen