WEBVTT 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:04.759 Please take your Bibles and open them up this morning to Genesis chapter 25. 00:00:05.339 --> 00:00:08.620 ! Made it about halfway through the book of Genesis, if you can believe it. 00:00:08.620 --> 00:00:15.339 Genesis chapter 25. We're going to be in verses 1 through 26 of Genesis 25 this morning. 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:20.300 Miss Ann shared in the Grow Class Hour that she's going to be a great grandma again. 00:00:20.839 --> 00:00:24.359 And we've got a lot of good baby name ideas here in this chapter. 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:27.879 So you can pass these along as you see fit. 00:00:27.879 --> 00:00:33.299 Genesis 25, 1 through 26. Let's stand this morning in honor of the reading of the Word of God. 00:00:39.979 --> 00:00:43.000 Abraham took another wife whose name was Keturah. 00:00:43.500 --> 00:00:49.359 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Midan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shua. 00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:52.299 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. 00:00:52.859 --> 00:00:56.480 The sons of Dedan were Asherim, Letushim, and Lumim. 00:00:56.479 --> 00:01:01.459 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Ephor, Hanak, and Abedah, and Eldah. 00:01:02.119 --> 00:01:03.799 All these were the children of Keturah. 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:06.879 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:10.120 But to the sons of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts. 00:01:10.459 --> 00:01:15.539 And while he was still living, he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country. 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:20.699 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years. 00:01:20.700 --> 00:01:28.420 Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 00:01:29.219 --> 00:01:37.579 Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar, the Hittite, east of Mamre, 00:01:38.060 --> 00:01:40.159 the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:43.300 There Abraham was buried with Sarah, his wife. 00:01:43.299 --> 00:01:48.519 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac, his son. 00:01:49.060 --> 00:01:51.200 And Isaac settled at Beir Lahairoi. 00:01:52.060 --> 00:01:58.319 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar, the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham. 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:02.400 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth. 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:13.740 Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael, and Kedar, Abdeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Duma, Massa, Hadad, Tima, Jatur, Nefish, and Kedema. 00:02:14.599 --> 00:02:19.259 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their villages and by their encampments. 00:02:19.640 --> 00:02:21.879 Twelve princes according to their tribes. 00:02:22.700 --> 00:02:26.319 These are the years of the life of Ishmael, 137 years. 00:02:26.900 --> 00:02:30.540 He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. 00:02:30.539 --> 00:02:36.060 They settled from Habilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. 00:02:36.620 --> 00:02:38.759 He settled over against all his kinsmen. 00:02:40.060 --> 00:02:43.359 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son. 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:50.519 Abraham fathered Isaac, and Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the Aramean, of Paddan Aram, 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:53.620 the sister of Laban, the Aramean, to be his wife. 00:02:54.340 --> 00:02:58.060 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. 00:02:58.060 --> 00:03:01.699 And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah, his wife, conceived. 00:03:02.580 --> 00:03:05.280 The children struggled together within her, and she said, 00:03:05.780 --> 00:03:07.840 If it is thus, why is this happening to me? 00:03:08.280 --> 00:03:10.099 So she went to inquire of the Lord. 00:03:10.920 --> 00:03:12.020 And the Lord said to her, 00:03:12.780 --> 00:03:18.259 Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided. 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:21.180 The one shall be stronger than the other. 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:25.120 The older shall serve the younger. 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:31.780 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of the Lord endures forever. 00:03:32.219 --> 00:03:38.920 Father, we pray now as we open up your word, would you speak once more through the preaching of your word. 00:03:39.020 --> 00:03:42.540 Help us to see your hand at work in all things. 00:03:43.659 --> 00:03:49.640 Help us to be amazed, Father, that you often decide and choose, not based on our wisdom, 00:03:49.639 --> 00:03:54.759 and not how we might do things, not how we would write it up, but Lord, according to your infinite wisdom. 00:03:54.959 --> 00:03:57.099 And we pray your name be praised this morning. 00:03:57.239 --> 00:03:58.059 We pray in Jesus' name. 00:03:58.799 --> 00:03:59.039 Amen. 00:03:59.939 --> 00:04:00.919 You may be seated. 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:11.859 Earlier this year, Warren Buffett announced his plans to step down as the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, 00:04:11.860 --> 00:04:17.480 saying that now at the age of 94, he finally felt like he was starting to slow down a little bit, 00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:20.699 and the time had come to appoint his successor. 00:04:21.460 --> 00:04:27.160 If you don't know who Warren Buffett is, Warren Buffett is just an icon in the business world, 00:04:27.319 --> 00:04:28.439 in the world of finance. 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:31.520 He's run Berkshire Hathaway for about 50 years, 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:40.319 and in that time, he has accumulated a net worth of about in the ballpark of $160 billion. 00:04:41.479 --> 00:04:43.299 That's billion with a B. 00:04:43.859 --> 00:04:45.019 Okay, that's astronomical. 00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:51.539 And the company itself, Berkshire Hathaway, has a market cap of over $1 trillion. 00:04:51.540 --> 00:04:56.920 And so you can imagine when you think about a transition like this, 00:04:57.319 --> 00:05:00.760 with as much as is at stake in a transition like this, 00:05:00.819 --> 00:05:06.120 the natural question, of course, is, well, who gets to be the heir? 00:05:07.320 --> 00:05:08.800 Who is up next? 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:12.120 Who's up next in the Berkshire Hathaway world? 00:05:12.300 --> 00:05:16.280 So as we close the chapter on Warren Buffett, who is the heir? 00:05:16.400 --> 00:05:17.580 And he didn't keep us waiting. 00:05:17.580 --> 00:05:21.460 He very quickly and publicly endorsed a man named Greg Abel. 00:05:21.540 --> 00:05:23.080 As his successor. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:26.819 He said that he knew that Abel was the right candidate 00:05:26.819 --> 00:05:31.360 when he saw how much more Greg Abel could accomplish in a 10-hour workday 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:35.760 than the 94-year-old Warren Buffett could accomplish in a 10-hour workday. 00:05:36.640 --> 00:05:42.100 He said that he is, by all accounts, the logical, reasonable choice. 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:43.879 He understands the business. 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:46.140 He's well qualified. 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:47.700 He's reliable. 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:49.640 He's good with people. 00:05:49.820 --> 00:05:50.759 He's a great leader. 00:05:50.759 --> 00:05:51.759 He's a hard worker. 00:05:51.860 --> 00:05:55.060 By all accounts, he is the obvious choice. 00:05:55.379 --> 00:05:59.639 And, you know, that is how things ought to work in the world of business, 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:05.099 in the world of finance, especially with something this large and this massive, right? 00:06:05.139 --> 00:06:07.839 You would not want a dark horse candidate taking over. 00:06:08.459 --> 00:06:09.639 You don't want any surprises. 00:06:09.819 --> 00:06:12.899 You want to go with the reasonable, obvious choice. 00:06:12.899 --> 00:06:15.979 But that's in the world of finance. 00:06:15.980 --> 00:06:20.319 That's the way we tend to operate. 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:30.939 What we see in our passage this morning is that God's planning, God's choosing doesn't usually work this way. 00:06:30.939 --> 00:06:37.439 And we've seen in the book of Genesis that the Lord God is owner of all the earth. 00:06:37.560 --> 00:06:38.540 He's created it all. 00:06:38.620 --> 00:06:40.399 It all belongs to him by right. 00:06:40.500 --> 00:06:44.100 He's the owner of a much greater enterprise than Berkshire Hathaway. 00:06:44.100 --> 00:06:46.640 The Lord is king of all the world. 00:06:46.640 --> 00:06:55.740 And as king, he alone has the right to determine who might inherit this incredible fortune. 00:06:56.820 --> 00:07:03.379 But again, as we see in our passage this morning, he doesn't often choose as you and I might expect. 00:07:03.379 --> 00:07:07.480 Now our passage this morning is a transitional text. 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:12.199 We're closing the chapter on Abraham and now we're wondering naturally, 00:07:12.579 --> 00:07:16.180 well who will become heir of the promises God made to Abraham? 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:18.980 What will become of these promises? 00:07:19.180 --> 00:07:20.399 What will become of his inheritance? 00:07:20.620 --> 00:07:22.199 Who gets to be next up? 00:07:23.100 --> 00:07:26.899 And you can imagine how that would be an important question for the immediate family. 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:30.600 And it'll shape the family dynamics here for years to come. 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:36.560 But we should also recognize this morning, church, this is also an important question for us. 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:44.060 Who gets to be an heir of the promises made to Abraham? 00:07:45.300 --> 00:07:47.720 How is one made an heir? 00:07:48.860 --> 00:07:50.280 How does God choose? 00:07:50.379 --> 00:07:51.400 By what standard? 00:07:53.020 --> 00:07:58.320 I want us to see this morning three wrong answers to that question this morning. 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:01.079 This will be our outline if you're taking notes, help you follow along. 00:08:01.420 --> 00:08:02.759 Three wrong answers. 00:08:02.939 --> 00:08:07.040 Three ways we are not made heirs of the promises of God. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:09.279 First, first wrong answer. 00:08:09.500 --> 00:08:13.719 First, no one is made an heir by birth. 00:08:15.060 --> 00:08:18.039 No one is made an heir by birth. 00:08:18.100 --> 00:08:20.259 Look there starting in verse 1 with me. 00:08:20.259 --> 00:08:25.719 And we see here that after Sarah's death, Abraham, he married again. 00:08:25.779 --> 00:08:28.139 Even at his old age, he married again. 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:29.240 He had other children. 00:08:29.719 --> 00:08:31.860 And we have a whole new family line to trace here. 00:08:31.939 --> 00:08:32.939 A whole new family tree. 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:35.139 There's now six new children. 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:36.340 Seven grandchildren. 00:08:36.620 --> 00:08:38.240 Three great-grandchildren. 00:08:38.319 --> 00:08:39.659 I won't rehearse their names again. 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:40.779 I'll be merciful to you. 00:08:41.579 --> 00:08:45.480 But just think about how far we've come here in Abraham's life, right? 00:08:45.539 --> 00:08:48.240 I mean, it took a while for Abraham to start multiplying. 00:08:48.459 --> 00:08:51.860 But now, it's like his family tree is just, it's exploding. 00:08:52.860 --> 00:08:54.620 And do you remember what the problem used to be? 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:59.559 The problem used to be, he's looking around trying to find anybody to step up and be an heir, right? 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:02.639 But now, it's like he's got all sorts of children. 00:09:02.839 --> 00:09:04.740 They're multiplying like rabbits, okay? 00:09:04.740 --> 00:09:07.039 Children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren. 00:09:07.139 --> 00:09:11.200 God has blessed him and multiplied him greatly. 00:09:11.539 --> 00:09:17.279 But notice here the priority that he gives to Isaac. 00:09:18.060 --> 00:09:19.440 All these kids. 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:24.940 But, verse 5, it says Abraham gives all that he has to Isaac. 00:09:25.620 --> 00:09:25.940 Why? 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:29.340 Because, you remember, God has promised. 00:09:29.560 --> 00:09:33.580 It's through Isaac that your offspring shall be named. 00:09:33.580 --> 00:09:37.020 It's through Isaac that this promise will be continued. 00:09:37.180 --> 00:09:40.940 It's through Isaac, ultimately, that the promised Messiah will come. 00:09:41.920 --> 00:09:45.200 Verse 6 says that Abraham, yes, he gave gifts to his other kids. 00:09:45.259 --> 00:09:45.920 But then, look at this. 00:09:45.980 --> 00:09:47.560 He sends them away. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:50.020 Out of the promised land. 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:50.940 They go east. 00:09:51.080 --> 00:09:51.400 Why? 00:09:51.860 --> 00:09:57.980 Again, because God has promised this land to Abraham and to his descendants. 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:02.740 Not to all his physical descendants, but it is through Isaac. 00:10:02.740 --> 00:10:05.039 Abraham's looking ahead here. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:09.200 He doesn't want them competing and threatening Isaac's inheritance. 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:10.539 And so, off they go. 00:10:10.700 --> 00:10:11.899 And notice where they go, too. 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:13.659 Off to the east. 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:16.100 That has some echoes of Eden, doesn't it? 00:10:16.899 --> 00:10:20.000 You remember how Adam and Eve sinned against the Lord. 00:10:20.100 --> 00:10:22.139 They were in the promised land. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:24.519 This perfect garden paradise with the Lord. 00:10:24.740 --> 00:10:25.379 They sin. 00:10:25.460 --> 00:10:26.200 And where do they go? 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:28.540 Off to the east. 00:10:28.540 --> 00:10:38.940 Here, the sons of Abraham, physical descendants of Abraham, are sent out of the promised land to the east, away from the promises. 00:10:38.940 --> 00:10:53.140 Moses, as he compiles this book of Genesis, he's reminding us that the promises of God are now passing down to and through Isaac. 00:10:53.139 --> 00:10:58.620 This is a pretty huge moment here for the Jewish people. 00:10:58.740 --> 00:11:01.340 This is the death of a father of the faith. 00:11:01.460 --> 00:11:03.860 Abraham was a giant of the faith. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:06.460 He's a hero in the first portion of Genesis here. 00:11:06.539 --> 00:11:11.399 But now, in verses 7 through 11, we see that his time has come. 00:11:11.860 --> 00:11:15.480 He, like all of us, is tasting death. 00:11:16.179 --> 00:11:17.279 And we're moving on. 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:21.059 Abraham lives 175 years. 00:11:21.179 --> 00:11:24.100 He dies an old man full of years, verse 8 tells us. 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:29.240 Isaac and Ishmael bury their father in the cave that he purchased from Ephron. 00:11:29.439 --> 00:11:33.000 It's his only legal piece of property here in the promised land to this point. 00:11:34.199 --> 00:11:35.459 Abraham is gone. 00:11:36.419 --> 00:11:39.179 So again, the natural question is, 00:11:39.740 --> 00:11:42.779 Who gets to be the heir? 00:11:43.839 --> 00:11:45.939 Who is the next man up? 00:11:45.939 --> 00:11:46.779 And how do we know? 00:11:47.720 --> 00:11:48.959 How do we decide? 00:11:49.100 --> 00:11:50.319 By what standard? 00:11:51.639 --> 00:11:54.240 Abraham's already showed us his faith in God's promises. 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:56.480 He gave everything he had to Isaac. 00:11:56.579 --> 00:11:58.179 All his eggs are in this basket. 00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:00.139 But what will God do now? 00:12:00.220 --> 00:12:00.699 Verse 11. 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:06.620 We see this passing of the torch, so to speak, here after the death of Abraham. 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:07.120 It says, 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:12.959 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac, his son. 00:12:12.959 --> 00:12:15.860 Now, didn't we just list out about 100 different names? 00:12:15.860 --> 00:12:19.740 How many children does Abraham have at this point? 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:24.779 And yet, there's an undeniable priority here given to Isaac. 00:12:24.860 --> 00:12:25.440 Do you see it? 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:27.560 But why? 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:30.500 Why Isaac? 00:12:31.760 --> 00:12:33.460 What's so special about Isaac? 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:37.320 I mean, all these sons, they're all biological children of Abraham too. 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:38.920 Why not Ishmael? 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:40.340 Or Zimram? 00:12:40.460 --> 00:12:41.240 Or Jokshan? 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:42.800 Or all these other guys? 00:12:42.860 --> 00:12:43.560 What about Shua? 00:12:44.180 --> 00:12:46.300 We hardly even know these guys' names, right? 00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:48.299 But they're still children of Abraham, aren't they? 00:12:50.679 --> 00:12:54.079 Only according to the flesh. 00:12:55.659 --> 00:12:58.179 Here's the point that we need to understand here. 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:06.139 Physical descent from Abraham does not make you an heir of the promises made to Abraham. 00:13:06.139 --> 00:13:10.319 Paul picks up on this in Romans chapter 9. 00:13:10.460 --> 00:13:10.740 He says, 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:14.860 Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. 00:13:15.199 --> 00:13:19.000 Not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring. 00:13:19.319 --> 00:13:20.460 But, he quotes, 00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:25.139 Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 00:13:25.139 --> 00:13:33.439 The promises of God are not inherited by physical descent. 00:13:34.580 --> 00:13:39.319 Physical birth does not necessarily make you an heir of the promises. 00:13:39.539 --> 00:13:40.919 You all know I love basketball. 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:43.659 I follow the NBA pretty closely. 00:13:44.199 --> 00:13:46.939 But I think you all probably know what I'm about to share with you. 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:48.500 You know who LeBron James is, right? 00:13:49.179 --> 00:13:49.879 Okay, show of hands. 00:13:50.220 --> 00:13:51.639 Do you know who Bronny James is? 00:13:51.899 --> 00:13:52.539 Show of hands. 00:13:52.539 --> 00:14:01.199 Okay, LeBron made basketball history last season to be the first NBA player ever to play on the same team as his son, Bronny. 00:14:01.419 --> 00:14:01.879 Right? 00:14:02.039 --> 00:14:04.860 And no disrespect whatsoever to Bronny James. 00:14:05.599 --> 00:14:07.959 He is an excellent basketball player. 00:14:08.219 --> 00:14:09.719 Better than I've ever been, for sure. 00:14:10.379 --> 00:14:11.879 But he is not LeBron James. 00:14:13.199 --> 00:14:15.339 At the back of his jersey says James. 00:14:15.899 --> 00:14:18.839 Plays in the purple and gold just like his father does. 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:20.139 But you watch him play. 00:14:20.139 --> 00:14:23.600 Man, he is not the heir to his father's throne. 00:14:24.340 --> 00:14:27.740 When LeBron retires, I'm pretty sure LeBronny will probably go with him. 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:28.259 Right? 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:34.919 He's riding his father's coattails into the league and onto the Lakers. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:40.259 And we may laugh about that, but church, many people who profess the name of Christ 00:14:40.259 --> 00:14:44.879 are trying to ride their father's coattails into the kingdom. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:49.379 But we should know it doesn't work that way. 00:14:50.059 --> 00:14:53.639 Your father may have been an excellent Christian man. 00:14:53.740 --> 00:14:56.240 Your mother may have been an excellent Christian woman. 00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:59.379 You may have been raised up in a godly Christian home. 00:14:59.500 --> 00:15:01.320 And we praise God for that. 00:15:01.700 --> 00:15:06.080 But listen, that does not make you a Christian. 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:09.160 Man, I heard a stat this week. 00:15:09.220 --> 00:15:11.980 Al Mohler was answering a question in a Q&A. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:14.320 And so if his statistic is off, that's him. 00:15:14.400 --> 00:15:14.980 He had it off. 00:15:15.500 --> 00:15:16.400 But he said, quote, 00:15:16.540 --> 00:15:22.020 From the best we can tell, more than 90% of believers are children of believers. 00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:23.860 And that's incredible, isn't it? 00:15:23.860 --> 00:15:30.120 If you have come to faith in Christ, that will be an incredible blessing for your whole family. 00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:34.019 It's just a gift of proximity to the gospel. 00:15:34.220 --> 00:15:37.720 There's an incredible grace that comes from being part of a Christian family. 00:15:38.300 --> 00:15:39.639 You're around the gospel. 00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:41.460 You're around the word of God. 00:15:41.560 --> 00:15:43.440 You're around the community of faith. 00:15:43.860 --> 00:15:46.320 And ordinarily, God will use this. 00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:47.759 Ordinarily, not always. 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:53.899 Ordinarily, God will use this in powerful ways in the lives of children of believers. 00:15:54.679 --> 00:16:01.700 But, please understand, proximity to Jesus does not save anyone. 00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:08.480 Proximity to a believing community does not save anyone. 00:16:09.700 --> 00:16:13.620 Having a Bible in your home does not save anyone. 00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:18.679 Having a father who is a pastor does not save anyone. 00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:24.120 Having a mother who is a faithful church member for generations does not save anyone. 00:16:24.700 --> 00:16:31.179 Having a long history, a Christian lineage in your family tree does not save anyone. 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:33.779 God has many children, no grandchildren. 00:16:33.779 --> 00:16:43.899 You must personally be born again into the kingdom of God. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:48.120 Natural descent does not make anyone an heir of the promises. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:49.980 That's the first wrong answer. 00:16:50.079 --> 00:16:50.519 Number two. 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:56.579 No one is made an heir by God's general blessing. 00:16:57.799 --> 00:17:00.799 His general blessing in their lives. 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:01.779 Look there to verse 12. 00:17:01.779 --> 00:17:04.500 We take a quick detour here. 00:17:04.879 --> 00:17:06.000 Away from Isaac. 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:06.899 And we get this. 00:17:07.180 --> 00:17:09.359 The generations of Ishmael. 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:12.899 And we get some clear reminders here of who Ishmael is. 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:16.299 He makes it pretty clear for us that he is not the heir. 00:17:16.420 --> 00:17:18.000 He is Abraham's son. 00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:18.920 Yes, physically. 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:22.019 He is Abraham's descendant. 00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:24.460 But verse 12, he says he is the son of the flesh. 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:29.339 This is the son whom Hagar, the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham. 00:17:29.339 --> 00:17:31.579 He is not the child of promise. 00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:37.119 But even so, just look how God's blessed Ishmael. 00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:40.539 And we saw this as we covered Ishmael's story. 00:17:41.220 --> 00:17:42.579 Twelve sons. 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:47.720 Twelve princes, it says, according to their tribes. 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:53.359 I mean, fathers, you all know how proud you are of your children if they just draw you a picture and hand it to you? 00:17:53.420 --> 00:17:55.720 It's like this is the greatest thing I've ever seen. 00:17:56.579 --> 00:17:56.779 Right? 00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:59.740 You are proud of the accomplishments of your children. 00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:05.519 Ishmael here is like, oh yeah, my sons, all twelve of them are princes. 00:18:06.120 --> 00:18:06.380 Right? 00:18:07.059 --> 00:18:07.700 Now some of them. 00:18:07.779 --> 00:18:09.039 No, all of them. 00:18:09.180 --> 00:18:10.200 Twelve princes. 00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:12.740 They are wildly successful. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:16.759 The Lord has blessed Ishmael and his family tremendously. 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:19.819 And again, all of this is fulfillment of promise, isn't it? 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:25.120 You remember how the Lord met Hagar out in the wilderness and promised her in chapter 16. 00:18:25.360 --> 00:18:31.620 He said, I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude. 00:18:31.619 --> 00:18:33.379 God's making good on his promise. 00:18:34.379 --> 00:18:37.219 You remember how he promised Abraham in chapter 17. 00:18:37.459 --> 00:18:39.979 He said, as for Ishmael, I've heard you. 00:18:40.099 --> 00:18:41.000 I've blessed him. 00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:44.259 I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. 00:18:44.599 --> 00:18:46.019 Listen to how specific this is. 00:18:46.379 --> 00:18:51.619 He shall father twelve princes and I will make him into a great nation. 00:18:52.439 --> 00:18:56.019 This is direct fulfillment of the promise of God. 00:18:56.199 --> 00:18:58.459 Twelve princes here from Ishmael. 00:18:58.460 --> 00:19:00.579 God says, I'm going to do this. 00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:02.140 I'm going to bless him greatly. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:08.559 But, he said all the way back in chapter 17, I will establish my covenant with Isaac. 00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:11.940 God never wavers on this. 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:14.279 He has made a distinction. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:16.279 He's going to bless Ishmael, yes. 00:19:17.180 --> 00:19:20.220 But that blessing does not make him an heir. 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:23.559 It becomes even more clear in chapter 22. 00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:27.019 You remember Isaac was born and Ishmael's laughing at him. 00:19:27.019 --> 00:19:31.220 He mocks his younger brother and Sarah doesn't like it, does she? 00:19:31.980 --> 00:19:33.980 So, prophetically, what does she say? 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:35.700 She cast him out. 00:19:35.819 --> 00:19:38.379 Cast out this slave woman with her son. 00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:45.879 For the son of the slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac. 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:46.819 Very clearly. 00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:49.759 God is blessing both. 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:53.400 But God is choosing one. 00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:58.319 Isaac over Ishmael. 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:00.759 Now, we hear that and we say, well, that's not fair. 00:20:02.579 --> 00:20:04.000 That's not equal. 00:20:04.259 --> 00:20:07.460 I grew up in the participation trophy generation. 00:20:07.819 --> 00:20:10.559 Where everybody gets a participation award. 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:11.299 Everything's even. 00:20:11.420 --> 00:20:11.980 Everything's equal. 00:20:12.099 --> 00:20:12.720 Everything's fair. 00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:14.500 This isn't about fair. 00:20:14.500 --> 00:20:22.859 God is working out a sovereign plan to redeem the world by Christ. 00:20:23.579 --> 00:20:33.420 God is working out a plan here for undeserved, unmerited, unearned, abounding grace to sinners. 00:20:34.299 --> 00:20:35.779 You know what fair would be, right? 00:20:37.059 --> 00:20:39.720 Fair would be no promise whatsoever. 00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:43.740 Fair would be no salvation whatsoever. 00:20:43.740 --> 00:20:49.519 Fair would be no blessing whatsoever to any kind of sinner like us. 00:20:49.620 --> 00:20:50.759 That would be fair. 00:20:52.099 --> 00:20:59.140 But even so, here he says, I'm going to make a nation of the son of the slave woman also because he's your offspring. 00:20:59.339 --> 00:21:01.420 I'm going to bless Ishmael greatly. 00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:03.859 I'm going to fulfill every promise to him. 00:21:04.099 --> 00:21:05.599 He's going to live a long life. 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:13.219 But notice, just like the other sons of Abraham, they go and live outside the promised land. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:13.779 Where do they go? 00:21:14.639 --> 00:21:17.539 They go off to Shur in the direction of Assyria. 00:21:17.699 --> 00:21:19.000 Yes, they are blessed. 00:21:19.419 --> 00:21:25.199 But that general blessing of God does not make them heirs. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:29.279 You remember the term for this. 00:21:29.360 --> 00:21:30.259 We've seen it before. 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:34.160 Ishmael benefits from what we call common grace. 00:21:35.559 --> 00:21:36.539 Common grace. 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:47.420 This is the goodness of God and the blessing, totally undeserved blessing, that God shows to all people, believer and non-believer alike. 00:21:47.420 --> 00:21:51.180 Like every single person on the planet benefits from God's common grace. 00:21:51.539 --> 00:21:52.380 You know how I know? 00:21:53.100 --> 00:21:54.720 The sun came up this morning. 00:21:56.700 --> 00:22:03.140 Jesus tells us in Matthew 5.45, the Lord makes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good. 00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:07.080 He sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 00:22:07.340 --> 00:22:08.720 This is called common grace. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:18.759 He blesses all sorts of people with life, with breath, with good gifts like laughter and family and homes and possessions. 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:25.799 Many non-believers will gather with their loved ones this week and give lip service of how thankful they are for God's blessings. 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:33.700 That's not fairness. 00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:36.339 That's common grace. 00:22:36.339 --> 00:22:39.500 The wages of sin is what? 00:22:40.539 --> 00:22:41.079 It's death. 00:22:42.159 --> 00:22:44.439 Our sins have earned us judgment. 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:47.179 And yet, here we are. 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:49.500 Every moment his wrath is delayed. 00:22:49.699 --> 00:22:50.839 That's common grace. 00:22:51.919 --> 00:22:57.179 In every place where the Lord restrains evil and restrains sin, that is common grace. 00:22:57.480 --> 00:23:02.299 God pours out this blessing on the righteous and the unrighteous alike. 00:23:03.579 --> 00:23:05.579 The word says in Psalm 145, 00:23:05.579 --> 00:23:06.859 The Lord is good to all. 00:23:07.699 --> 00:23:10.740 His mercy is over all that he has made. 00:23:11.399 --> 00:23:14.379 But, let me be clear. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:20.039 This grace alone is not enough to save you. 00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:27.819 God's general blessings alone in your life are not enough to save you. 00:23:27.899 --> 00:23:29.480 I mean, church, would you just look at where we live? 00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:35.180 We live in a place that's just abounding in God's common grace blessings, don't we? 00:23:35.180 --> 00:23:38.500 Everywhere we turn, there is beauty. 00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:42.740 This little section of the world that we live in, man, it is absolutely gorgeous. 00:23:42.840 --> 00:23:44.100 There's blessings all around. 00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:45.299 The coast is right here. 00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:48.759 You can go out and see the ocean just about any time you'd like. 00:23:48.840 --> 00:23:50.779 You can go walk in the forest if that's your thing. 00:23:50.779 --> 00:23:55.240 Many people here in town are wealthier than you could possibly imagine. 00:23:55.420 --> 00:23:58.779 And life is pretty much just one big blessing, isn't it? 00:23:59.539 --> 00:24:05.879 Afternoons out on the boat, around a golf or two, go meet with your financial advisor at night, a little sweet tea, and call it a day. 00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:14.900 And many people would give lip service to a God who has blessed them with all these things. 00:24:17.040 --> 00:24:20.540 There's a danger here that we need to be aware of. 00:24:21.820 --> 00:24:33.760 It is so easy to be fooled into thinking that because I have so much, because God has blessed me, that must mean all is well between me and God. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:43.559 God, please understand, God's common grace blessings do not make you an heir of eternal blessings. 00:24:45.819 --> 00:24:47.299 Ishmael was greatly blessed. 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:55.019 Ishmael had everything he could ask for, riches, successful sons, a large family, lots of land, long life. 00:24:55.640 --> 00:24:58.920 But he was not an heir of the promises. 00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:01.319 Friend, we don't want to be like Ishmael, do we? 00:25:01.319 --> 00:25:10.339 We don't only want to be blessed in ways that only matter in this life and will not last into eternity. 00:25:11.539 --> 00:25:13.639 Has God given you life? 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:14.799 Praise the Lord. 00:25:15.659 --> 00:25:19.599 As we think about all his blessings this week, has God given you health? 00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:20.779 Praise God. 00:25:21.500 --> 00:25:23.519 Has he given you success in your job? 00:25:23.659 --> 00:25:24.960 Praise the Lord. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:25.980 Has he given you a home? 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:27.399 Has he given you family? 00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:30.220 Has God filled your life with good things? 00:25:31.080 --> 00:25:32.160 Praise God. 00:25:32.200 --> 00:25:33.120 Of course he has. 00:25:33.940 --> 00:25:35.740 We have so much to be thankful for. 00:25:35.840 --> 00:25:39.980 But friend, that is not enough to save you. 00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:46.480 These are gifts from God, but they are not saving gifts of God. 00:25:46.600 --> 00:25:47.860 Ask again instead. 00:25:48.860 --> 00:25:50.860 Has God given me the gift of faith? 00:25:50.859 --> 00:25:56.599 Has he given me faith in Christ that says he's my salvation? 00:25:57.659 --> 00:26:00.000 He's my only hope, not my stuff. 00:26:01.459 --> 00:26:04.939 Has God granted you the gift of repentance from your sin? 00:26:05.059 --> 00:26:06.699 Do you hate your sin? 00:26:06.779 --> 00:26:10.159 Not are you perfect, but are you waging war against your sin? 00:26:10.339 --> 00:26:11.819 If he's done that, praise him. 00:26:11.819 --> 00:26:18.139 Has he given you love for the Lord and love for the church, his people? 00:26:18.299 --> 00:26:25.279 Do you believe that God is worthy of all your praise and all your love and all your devotion, all your worship? 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:28.559 That you exist for him and not the other way around? 00:26:30.419 --> 00:26:32.119 Has God given you a new heart? 00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:37.339 This is a work of God's saving grace. 00:26:38.339 --> 00:26:40.220 His special grace. 00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:49.140 And unless God does this in your life, all the common grace blessings in the world will not matter one bit in the end. 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:53.720 So, physical birth makes no one an heir. 00:26:55.140 --> 00:27:01.400 Good things, blessings from God in your life don't necessarily make you an heir. 00:27:01.559 --> 00:27:04.240 And third, wrong answer here. 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:08.700 Third, no one is made an heir by worldly standards. 00:27:10.220 --> 00:27:12.660 Or you could say by human wisdom. 00:27:14.140 --> 00:27:15.779 Look there, starting in verse 19. 00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:18.420 And here, we're shifting the attention now. 00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:23.059 This is going to be the trajectory for several chapters here of the book of Genesis now. 00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:25.360 We're in the generations of Isaac. 00:27:25.559 --> 00:27:26.860 We had that brief detour. 00:27:27.299 --> 00:27:29.600 The generations of Ishmael, but he's not the focus. 00:27:29.940 --> 00:27:31.620 Isaac now is going to get the attention. 00:27:31.619 --> 00:27:35.899 And just remember where we are with Isaac's story. 00:27:36.139 --> 00:27:36.359 Right? 00:27:36.439 --> 00:27:40.919 So, last time we saw Isaac, he was getting ready to receive his new bride. 00:27:41.419 --> 00:27:47.000 And now, at the age of 40, Isaac is praying for his wife because she's barren. 00:27:47.939 --> 00:27:49.059 Now, isn't that interesting? 00:27:50.639 --> 00:27:54.919 You know, they're struggling with the same exact issue that faced Abraham and Sarah. 00:27:54.920 --> 00:28:01.140 And now, it's facing Isaac and Rebecca. 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:04.440 How in the world are we supposed to have children? 00:28:04.980 --> 00:28:10.340 How in the world is this promise supposed to be passed down through my line when we can't reproduce? 00:28:11.300 --> 00:28:17.759 If we can't have children, if the wife is barren, how will God's promise through Isaac will your offspring be named? 00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:19.620 How is that going to happen? 00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:21.420 God, it's physically impossible. 00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:30.300 And again, just like with Abraham and Sarah, that is exactly the point. 00:28:31.320 --> 00:28:33.539 You know, sometimes these lessons need to be repeated, don't they? 00:28:33.600 --> 00:28:34.420 We forget. 00:28:35.160 --> 00:28:35.900 We need a reminder. 00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:40.680 These promises of God cannot be achieved by human effort. 00:28:41.860 --> 00:28:45.860 The promises of God cannot be earned by human striving. 00:28:46.820 --> 00:28:50.259 You can't do anything physically in your flesh to bring it about. 00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:55.279 So God providentially closes Rebecca's womb to teach this lesson. 00:28:55.720 --> 00:29:01.599 I am the one who graciously and sovereignly fulfills my purposes. 00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:06.839 Will you trust me even when you can't do anything about it in your own flesh? 00:29:08.339 --> 00:29:12.319 And so Isaac prays in verse 21, says the Lord granted his prayer. 00:29:12.680 --> 00:29:14.259 And Rebecca, his wife, conceives. 00:29:14.259 --> 00:29:15.039 He conceives. 00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:18.960 And oh, by the way, surprise, there's two in the womb. 00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:22.819 You go from being barren, now we got twins. 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:29.319 And it says these two children in the womb are fighting with each other in the womb. 00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:32.019 And Rebecca is feeling that tension within her. 00:29:32.119 --> 00:29:35.859 And you know how when a woman's pregnant, you can sometimes feel the baby kick. 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:38.299 It's kind of like that, except they're kicking each other, right? 00:29:38.299 --> 00:29:40.779 And they're trying to tear each other apart in there. 00:29:41.240 --> 00:29:43.839 And she prays and she says, why is this happening? 00:29:45.099 --> 00:29:49.399 God tells her, two nations are in your womb. 00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:54.079 Two peoples from within you shall be divided. 00:29:54.299 --> 00:29:59.659 The one shall be stronger than the other and the older shall serve the younger. 00:29:59.799 --> 00:30:00.919 Now notice what God just did. 00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:12.000 God, before these two boys are even born, lays out their future. 00:30:13.080 --> 00:30:14.840 Two nations are in your womb. 00:30:14.940 --> 00:30:16.759 He lays out how they're going to interact. 00:30:16.860 --> 00:30:18.240 He says they're going to be divided. 00:30:18.560 --> 00:30:20.420 He tells her exactly what's going to happen. 00:30:20.519 --> 00:30:22.620 They're fighting now because mom, get used to it. 00:30:22.620 --> 00:30:24.019 They're going to be fighting their whole life. 00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:27.560 How can God say this? 00:30:27.559 --> 00:30:35.480 Now hopefully we know by now, God is not just looking into the looking glass of the future. 00:30:35.679 --> 00:30:40.859 He's not just gazing into a crystal ball and seeing what may or may not happen. 00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:45.940 Our God, the God of the book of Genesis, is omnipotent. 00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:49.339 Meaning he is all powerful to do as he pleases. 00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:52.200 He is omniscient. 00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:53.919 Meaning he is all knowing. 00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:57.059 He knows the beginning from the end. 00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:58.159 The end from the beginning. 00:30:58.159 --> 00:30:59.839 He is omnipresent. 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:03.099 His presence is everywhere at all times. 00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:11.980 In fact, he's just as fully present one billion years in the future for us as he is right now in this present moment. 00:31:12.119 --> 00:31:13.179 He is eternal. 00:31:14.079 --> 00:31:16.599 Meaning he stands outside of time. 00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:23.019 God can reveal the future like this because God is the sovereign author of the future. 00:31:23.019 --> 00:31:27.339 Rebecca just gives like an advanced copy of the chapter that's about to be written. 00:31:29.180 --> 00:31:34.740 God reveals the future of these two children, but he also shares something shocking here, doesn't he? 00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:39.700 The older will serve the younger. 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:42.240 Now, God, what are you saying? 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:48.839 That would be absolutely stunning to Rebecca, wouldn't it? 00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:50.500 What do you mean? 00:31:50.620 --> 00:31:50.960 Why? 00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:53.059 That's totally backwards. 00:31:53.259 --> 00:31:55.240 That's not how we do things. 00:31:55.839 --> 00:31:58.180 That would be totally unthinkable in this culture. 00:31:58.400 --> 00:32:00.460 The oldest is the next son up. 00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:02.240 He's the rightful heir. 00:32:02.680 --> 00:32:04.359 He's the obvious choice. 00:32:04.819 --> 00:32:05.960 He comes out first. 00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:11.720 So logic, reason, cultural norms, everything would tell you that he ought to be the heir. 00:32:11.819 --> 00:32:15.600 The younger ought to serve the older, not the other way around. 00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:19.400 But God says, that's not how I'm going to do it. 00:32:20.940 --> 00:32:22.640 I created these children. 00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:25.420 I formed them. 00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:28.360 I rule over them. 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:32.039 I have purposes for them. 00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:37.759 Is it not within the rights of God, the creator, to choose one and not the other? 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:39.859 And guess what? 00:32:40.839 --> 00:32:44.399 I am not choosing based on your wisdom. 00:32:48.579 --> 00:32:51.720 God's wisdom is not our wisdom. 00:32:51.940 --> 00:32:54.720 God often chooses in ways that surprise us, doesn't he? 00:32:56.740 --> 00:32:59.500 This is what we call election. 00:32:59.500 --> 00:33:05.579 Now, you say that word and some people get chills up and down their spine, okay? 00:33:06.240 --> 00:33:08.519 It kind of gives people the heebie-jeebies, right? 00:33:08.619 --> 00:33:09.019 Election. 00:33:09.619 --> 00:33:10.740 But it's a biblical word. 00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:11.579 It's not a bad word. 00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:12.579 It's a biblical word. 00:33:13.180 --> 00:33:15.359 And it means exactly what it sounds like. 00:33:15.460 --> 00:33:16.819 Election is choosing. 00:33:17.039 --> 00:33:18.819 When you hold an election, what do you do? 00:33:18.900 --> 00:33:21.720 You choose one candidate and not the other. 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:23.279 That's election. 00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:28.759 Well, here, God chooses Jacob and not Esau. 00:33:28.759 --> 00:33:35.200 In fact, this story here in the Old Testament is meant to teach us some of the origins of the people of Israel. 00:33:35.339 --> 00:33:39.180 Pretty soon, this little baby named Jacob, he's going to grow up and get a new name. 00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:39.799 What's it going to be? 00:33:40.940 --> 00:33:41.379 Israel. 00:33:42.180 --> 00:33:44.759 And who is Israel here in the Old Testament? 00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:47.819 They are God's chosen people. 00:33:48.859 --> 00:33:52.319 Usually, if you ask somebody, if they get the heebie-jeebies with that word election, 00:33:52.460 --> 00:33:53.619 well, who's Israel? 00:33:53.900 --> 00:33:54.879 It's God's chosen people. 00:33:54.880 --> 00:33:57.380 Of course they are, right? 00:33:57.560 --> 00:33:57.940 Yes. 00:33:58.760 --> 00:34:01.100 How did they get to be God's chosen people? 00:34:01.220 --> 00:34:03.100 Well, we see it right here. 00:34:03.240 --> 00:34:06.480 God miraculously formed them. 00:34:06.580 --> 00:34:07.860 This was not the effort of man. 00:34:07.940 --> 00:34:09.000 This was the work of God. 00:34:09.300 --> 00:34:11.740 God graciously chose them. 00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:13.440 That was not the doing of Jacob. 00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:14.700 That was the work of God. 00:34:14.940 --> 00:34:19.380 God elected them and made them heirs of his promises. 00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:24.539 And again, Paul picks this up in Romans 9. 00:34:24.640 --> 00:34:27.840 He makes this connection for us abundantly clear. 00:34:27.960 --> 00:34:32.400 He says, again, not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. 00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:36.619 Not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring. 00:34:37.160 --> 00:34:40.260 But through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 00:34:40.260 --> 00:34:45.580 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, 00:34:45.920 --> 00:34:49.460 but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 00:34:50.380 --> 00:34:52.160 For this is what the promise said. 00:34:52.240 --> 00:34:53.660 He's quoting our passage. 00:34:54.380 --> 00:34:58.260 About this time next year, I will return and Sarah shall have a son. 00:34:58.520 --> 00:35:03.980 And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:08.420 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad, 00:35:09.019 --> 00:35:12.760 in order that God's purpose of election might continue, 00:35:13.460 --> 00:35:16.579 not because of works, but because of him who calls, 00:35:17.240 --> 00:35:21.159 she was told the older will serve the younger. 00:35:22.619 --> 00:35:29.579 We can look here to the Old Testament and see this undeniable truth in the life of Israel. 00:35:29.579 --> 00:35:35.000 God's choosing, his electing, is a miracle of his grace. 00:35:36.420 --> 00:35:38.679 Apart from any human effort. 00:35:40.179 --> 00:35:44.239 And often contrary to human wisdom. 00:35:46.420 --> 00:35:52.639 But church, we also can look here and see a picture of what God has done in us. 00:35:54.319 --> 00:35:57.819 And the incredible truth is, if you are in Christ, 00:35:57.820 --> 00:36:04.420 if you are a Christian, God has done this same exact work in us. 00:36:04.580 --> 00:36:06.059 How did you become a Christian? 00:36:07.500 --> 00:36:09.160 If you are a Christian, 00:36:10.200 --> 00:36:11.820 it is because God, 00:36:12.660 --> 00:36:15.559 in his infinite and glorious wisdom, 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:17.300 formed you, 00:36:17.880 --> 00:36:19.960 and chose you in Christ, 00:36:20.460 --> 00:36:22.280 before the foundation of the world. 00:36:23.120 --> 00:36:25.700 God caused you to be born again. 00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:28.319 He has made you his people. 00:36:28.659 --> 00:36:31.399 He has covenanted himself to you in love. 00:36:31.659 --> 00:36:37.039 He has appointed you as an heir of all the promises of God in Christ. 00:36:37.159 --> 00:36:37.839 Praise God. 00:36:41.159 --> 00:36:42.480 You, of all people. 00:36:44.379 --> 00:36:47.279 You just look around and don't answer this out loud, right? 00:36:47.280 --> 00:36:50.800 Do we look like the obvious choice to you? 00:36:53.040 --> 00:36:55.140 To be heirs of all the world. 00:36:57.280 --> 00:36:58.640 Co-heirs with Christ. 00:37:00.980 --> 00:37:02.580 Rulers of the new creation. 00:37:04.460 --> 00:37:07.060 Heirs of all the eternal blessings of God. 00:37:07.340 --> 00:37:11.200 Those who get to spend eternity in the presence of the living Christ. 00:37:11.640 --> 00:37:13.500 Do we look like who the world would choose? 00:37:13.500 --> 00:37:18.119 That's not how we would draw it up. 00:37:18.900 --> 00:37:21.099 We would all go undrafted in that draft. 00:37:23.420 --> 00:37:25.000 If it were up to human reason. 00:37:25.199 --> 00:37:25.659 But friend, 00:37:26.139 --> 00:37:29.260 God does not make choices 00:37:29.260 --> 00:37:31.579 based on human wisdom. 00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:32.300 Praise God. 00:37:35.559 --> 00:37:37.019 Consider your calling, brothers. 00:37:37.239 --> 00:37:37.860 1 Corinthians. 00:37:37.860 --> 00:37:42.500 Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 00:37:43.300 --> 00:37:44.740 Not many were powerful. 00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:47.079 Not many were of noble birth. 00:37:47.860 --> 00:37:52.539 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:37:53.620 --> 00:37:57.220 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:37:57.219 --> 00:38:01.079 God chose what is low and despised in the world. 00:38:01.139 --> 00:38:02.359 Even the things that are not. 00:38:02.480 --> 00:38:04.480 To bring to nothing the things that are. 00:38:04.759 --> 00:38:05.039 Why? 00:38:05.259 --> 00:38:08.599 So that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:12.679 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus. 00:38:12.819 --> 00:38:15.339 Because of him you are in Christ Jesus. 00:38:15.759 --> 00:38:18.139 Because of him you are in Christ Jesus. 00:38:18.139 --> 00:38:21.379 Who became to us wisdom from God. 00:38:21.739 --> 00:38:24.839 Righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 00:38:25.239 --> 00:38:26.299 So that as it is written, 00:38:26.420 --> 00:38:29.480 Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. 00:38:32.980 --> 00:38:35.179 God's choices are often surprising, aren't they? 00:38:36.940 --> 00:38:43.199 But it's in this way that his glory and his grace are magnified. 00:38:43.460 --> 00:38:45.420 Not in the strong and the capable. 00:38:45.420 --> 00:38:48.260 But in the weak and the needy. 00:38:49.300 --> 00:38:52.000 Not in those that have no need for a savior. 00:38:52.180 --> 00:38:56.480 But in those who by his grace see their desperate need for Christ. 00:38:59.500 --> 00:39:00.599 Now you may ask, 00:39:01.240 --> 00:39:03.200 How do I know if he's chosen me? 00:39:05.180 --> 00:39:07.619 How do I know if I belong to him? 00:39:07.700 --> 00:39:09.619 How do I know if I'm an heir? 00:39:10.659 --> 00:39:11.500 That's a good question. 00:39:12.960 --> 00:39:14.680 Let me turn it back to you. 00:39:16.240 --> 00:39:18.300 Do you say in your heart, 00:39:18.579 --> 00:39:20.159 Of course God would choose me. 00:39:21.880 --> 00:39:23.800 I'm the obvious choice. 00:39:25.360 --> 00:39:27.180 Born into a Christian family. 00:39:27.280 --> 00:39:28.539 My dad was a believer. 00:39:29.860 --> 00:39:32.099 God has blessed me so much in my life. 00:39:32.180 --> 00:39:33.559 I'm sure I'm right with him. 00:39:33.619 --> 00:39:34.800 I got everything I need. 00:39:34.900 --> 00:39:36.740 I saved grace before every meal. 00:39:36.739 --> 00:39:45.759 Or are you in absolute all that God would show mercy to a sinner like you? 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:51.220 Are you amazed at the love of God for you? 00:39:52.220 --> 00:39:57.600 That he would send Christ his son to live and to die and to rise for you? 00:39:57.599 --> 00:39:58.639 I tell you church, 00:39:58.960 --> 00:40:03.619 That type of response is a work of God's special grace. 00:40:03.619 --> 00:40:08.159 Do you have the spirit within you? 00:40:09.420 --> 00:40:11.679 Causing your heart to leap at the truth, 00:40:11.839 --> 00:40:15.380 To leap at the glory of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:40:15.380 --> 00:40:16.820 Paul says in Romans 8, 00:40:16.820 --> 00:40:22.240 The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. 00:40:22.539 --> 00:40:24.940 And if children, then heirs. 00:40:25.980 --> 00:40:28.140 Fellow heirs with Christ, he says. 00:40:28.539 --> 00:40:30.000 Provided we suffer with him, 00:40:30.860 --> 00:40:34.000 That we also may be glorified with him. 00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:36.659 Do you have that assurance by his spirit? 00:40:38.699 --> 00:40:44.900 If not, then friend, what keeps you this moment from turning from your sins 00:40:44.900 --> 00:40:46.659 And putting your faith in Christ? 00:40:48.099 --> 00:40:52.539 The invitation of the gospel is extended broadly 00:40:52.539 --> 00:40:56.980 To any and everyone who would turn from their sins and come to Christ. 00:40:57.320 --> 00:40:58.579 You too will be forgiven, 00:41:00.159 --> 00:41:00.960 Adopted, 00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:05.920 Made heirs of every gospel promise with him. 00:41:10.119 --> 00:41:11.199 Warren Buffet 00:41:11.199 --> 00:41:15.840 Chose his heir because of his outstanding qualifications. 00:41:16.179 --> 00:41:19.440 He's smart, he's educated, he's successful, 00:41:19.699 --> 00:41:21.260 He knows what he's doing. 00:41:21.539 --> 00:41:23.519 This makes sense in the world of business, 00:41:23.659 --> 00:41:25.860 But church, not so with us. 00:41:27.760 --> 00:41:29.519 We are chosen by grace. 00:41:30.960 --> 00:41:34.639 And in him, in Christ, 00:41:35.220 --> 00:41:39.720 We are infinitely richer than Warren Buffet. 00:41:39.719 --> 00:41:44.939 $160 billion, man, that's a drop in the bucket. 00:41:46.079 --> 00:41:48.799 Compared to the riches of our inheritance in Christ. 00:41:48.939 --> 00:41:49.719 Do you believe this? 00:41:49.719 --> 00:41:59.739 The only way anyone is made an heir is if, as 1 Peter tells us, 00:42:00.419 --> 00:42:10.719 According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 00:42:10.719 --> 00:42:17.119 To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. 00:42:17.119 --> 00:42:26.619 Kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 00:42:26.619 --> 00:42:30.440 Church, as you gather around the table this week and eat some turkey. 00:42:32.019 --> 00:42:35.839 When it comes to be your turn to list off what are you thankful for this year. 00:42:35.840 --> 00:42:48.900 I challenge you to turn to Ephesians 1 and read how God has blessed you in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. 00:42:48.900 --> 00:42:53.780 Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. 00:42:54.480 --> 00:42:57.440 That we should be holy and blameless before him. 00:42:57.720 --> 00:43:02.760 In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ. 00:43:03.039 --> 00:43:05.280 According to the purpose of his will. 00:43:05.599 --> 00:43:10.579 To the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved. 00:43:11.760 --> 00:43:14.320 How in him we have obtained an inheritance. 00:43:14.639 --> 00:43:17.200 We have obtained it as already ours. 00:43:17.199 --> 00:43:24.619 Having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. 00:43:24.899 --> 00:43:30.159 So that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 00:43:30.919 --> 00:43:35.619 Would you share and give thanks how in him you also when you heard the word of truth. 00:43:36.539 --> 00:43:42.619 The gospel of your salvation and believed in him were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. 00:43:42.619 --> 00:43:49.000 Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it. 00:43:49.319 --> 00:43:52.719 To the praise of his glory. 00:43:55.119 --> 00:43:55.799 Father. 00:44:01.179 --> 00:44:04.719 All glory and honor and praise. 00:44:05.319 --> 00:44:07.579 All thanksgiving is owed to you. 00:44:07.579 --> 00:44:11.960 Lord if we are an heir of your promises. 00:44:11.960 --> 00:44:14.719 It is because of your work and your grace alone. 00:44:14.900 --> 00:44:16.119 We praise you for it. 00:44:17.079 --> 00:44:21.840 Lord we pray that you would receive all praise and honor and glory in us. 00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:24.099 And in this church. 00:44:25.159 --> 00:44:28.759 We pray thanking you for the work of Christ on our behalf. 00:44:30.179 --> 00:44:32.019 We pray all this in Jesus name. 00:44:32.980 --> 00:44:33.239 Amen. 00:44:33.239 --> 00:44:33.340 Amen. 00:44:33.340 --> 00:44:33.400 Amen. 00:44:33.400 --> 00:44:33.400