WEBVTT

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 As we get the message today, I am reminded that we have an inclination to doubt other people.

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 So often when we hear people say things, there's part of us that goes,

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 hmm, I wonder what their motivation is.

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 I wonder what they're really trying to get.

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 And I was thinking about that.

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 I thought of some expressions that we often use in our speech that reflect this doubt,

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 this almost innate doubt that we have of others.

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 We're told to read the fine print.

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 We're told if it's too good to be true, it probably is.

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 Don't believe everything you hear.

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 And definitely don't believe it until you see it.

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 The check's in the mail.

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 And then we jokingly say, well, if the Internet said it, it must be true, right?

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 We're told there's no such thing as a free lunch.

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 And then, of course, after every political speech, fact check.

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 Because we have to see where they were lying and where they weren't.

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 And finally, an expression that's entered our speech over the last year or so, fake news.

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 That means we just doubt everything, doesn't it?

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 But in today's message, what we're going to find is that while it may be easy to doubt the words of other people,

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 there is someone whose words that we can trust.

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 And that is God.

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 We are going to find today that God keeps His promises.

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 So if you get one thing out of our message today, that's going to be it.

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 I want you to know that God keeps His promises.

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 An important part of our passage today is going to actually come from two weeks ago when we were in Genesis,

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 looking at earlier in chapter 12.

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 And so there is God's promise to Abraham in Genesis chapter 12.

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 And that's really going to become our tent for the message today.

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 So we're going to see our message today looking back to those earlier promises at the beginning of chapter 12.

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 So I'm going to read those for us.

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 This is at the beginning of chapter 12, beginning in verse 1.

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 And this, once again, is God speaking to Abraham and providing him these promises that we are going to talk about.

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 Now the Lord said to Abraham,

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 Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.

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 And I will make you a great nation.

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 And I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing.

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 I will bless those who bless you.

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 And him who dishonors you, I will curse.

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 And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

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 And also in chapter 12, there is a specific promise that is passed to Abraham concerning land that they will possess.

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 While Abraham and his household were passing through the land of Canaan,

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 God says to Abraham in verse 7,

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 To your offspring I will give this land.

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 We'll be coming back to these promises during the message today.

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 As we go into our message, the outline for today,

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 we have five points that we're going to be looking at.

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 We're going to be looking at first, promise honored.

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 We're going to then see second, promise expanded.

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 Third, promise empowered.

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 Four, promise guided.

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 And five, the fifth thing we'll look at,

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 will be the connection between Melchizedek and Jesus.

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 Let's look at number one, promise honored.

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 I'm going to begin reading for us in verse 10.

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 What I want you to focus on as I'm reading is this is Abraham and his wife as they are entering Egypt.

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 And so I want you to see Abraham's plan as he enters Egypt.

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 Now there was a famine in the land, so Abraham went down to Egypt to search on there,

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 for the famine was severe in the land.

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

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 I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance.

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 And when the Egyptians see you, they will say,

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 This is his wife!

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 And then they will kill me, but they will let you live.

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

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 and that my life may be spared for your sake.

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 If I was to retitle this section for a children's book,

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 I would title it this,

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 Abram's very bad plan.

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 Abram's plan is this.

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 He's going to enter the land.

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 He's going to present Sarai, his wife, as his sister,

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 which is a slight measure of truth.

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 Sarai is actually his half-sister.

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 So there's a little bit of truth there, not the right truth.

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 And then the next thing in Abram's plan is that

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 then the Egyptians won't kill him.

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 And the third thing,

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 Oh, Abram didn't make any provisions for Sarai.

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 Just going to let it and see how that goes for her.

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 And let's just pause for a moment.

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 So Sarai, as she is coming into Egypt,

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 is at least 65 years old.

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 So let that just kind of stay with you there.

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 So Sarai, apparently at 65 years old,

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 must be quite the stunner.

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 Abram is worried that people are going to kill him

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 so that they can have his wife.

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 Abram's plan unfolds as expected,

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 which is to say that his plan unfolds terribly.

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 Here's what happens with Abram.

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 Just as they plan,

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 Abram and his household enter into Egypt.

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 And just as he's predicted,

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 the Egyptians see Sarai,

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 and they think she is very beautiful.

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 She is so beautiful, in fact,

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 that we see in verse 15

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 that she is taken into Pharaoh's house.

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 And because Sarai is in Pharaoh's house,

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 we see that Pharaoh, we're told in verse 16,

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 dealt well with Abram.

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 So because Sarai is with Pharaoh,

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 Pharaoh says,

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 Hey, Abram, let's have a good relationship.

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 And as a result of this good relationship,

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 Abram is about collecting sheep,

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 and oxen, and servants,

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 and many other things.

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 And one of the things I want you to see

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 is in verse 16,

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 is that when it says that Abram had sheep and oxen,

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 that word had has the idea of came to be.

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 So by understanding as it came to be,

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 there is a direct linkage

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 between Pharaoh dealing well with Abram

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 as a result of Sarai being in Pharaoh's house.

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 So Abram is collecting these things

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 because Sarai is with Pharaoh.

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 And Sarai, while she's in Pharaoh's house,

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 we're not provided with the exact nature

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 of this relationship between Sarai and Pharaoh.

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 But we do know this.

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 We do know that Pharaoh thinks she is unmarried,

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 and Sarai has certainly been appropriated

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 into Pharaoh's house.

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 And Pharaoh has brought her into his household

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 for the purpose of making her his wife.

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 But while Sarai is in Pharaoh's household,

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 Pharaoh and the people with him,

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 we're told,

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 are afflicted with great plagues.

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 I told you this section was going to be

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 about promise honored.

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 And that's what I want us to see now,

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 is how God honors his promise to Abram.

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 In chapter 12, verse 3,

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 God promised to Abram.

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 He says,

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 Him who dishonors you,

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 I will curse.

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 And so what we have in this passage

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 is that Pharaoh, unknowingly,

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 has dishonored Abram

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 by taking Abram's wife,

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 and bringing her into his household

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 for the purpose of marrying her.

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 And while Pharaoh has made this act unknowingly,

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 God, nevertheless,

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 sends a plague upon Pharaoh and his household.

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 God is honoring that promise that he made,

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 that for someone who dishonors Abram,

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 that God will curse.

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 Pharaoh eventually learns

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 that Sarai is actually Abram's wife.

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 And we can see his response to this

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 there beginning in verse 19.

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 Pharaoh speaking says,

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 Why did you say,

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 She is my sister,

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 so that I took her for my wife?

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 Now then,

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 here is your wife.

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 Take her and go.

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 And Pharaoh gave orders concerning him.

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 And they sent him away with his wife

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 and all that he had.

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 And then Abram and his household

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 depart Egypt with his wife

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 and more enriched at Pharaoh's expense.

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 In this account,

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 we actually find Pharaoh acting more honorably

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 than Abram.

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 But despite that,

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 God continues to honor his promise

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 that he has given Abram,

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 that he will protect his family,

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 and that those who dishonor Abram,

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 God will curse.

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 As we think of our own lives,

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 what I want you to think

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 as you hear this passage today,

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 is I want you to think about Abram.

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 Abram, who is a great standard bearer of faith,

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 a patriarch of the faith.

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 But we see him in this passage

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 simply acting horribly.

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 There are simply no excuses

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 for Abram's actions in this passage.

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 And what I want us to think about for ourselves

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 is that we all fail.

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 But we need to not let these faults define us.

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 Each of us has spiritual failures.

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 Each of us has moments in life

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 when we can look back

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 and like Abram say,

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 I've acted poorly before God.

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 I've acted poorly before the people

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 I love the most.

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 And while there are certainly consequences

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 for our actions,

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 those actions need not define

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 who we become.

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 It is the schemes of the evil one

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 to remind us of our failures

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 and say that the failures will define us.

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 We can come and look and see the example of Abram here,

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 who despite his failure here,

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 will not let that failure define him.

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 In fact, as we see Abram grow and develop,

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 and even in our message today,

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 we see that Abram will be lauded for his faith,

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 his trust in God.

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 So I'd ask you today

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 to not let the failures of your past

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 cast long shadows into your future.

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 Each Sunday as we come and gather here during our service,

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 we have a time where we're able to confess our sins before God.

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 And we confess with the hope,

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 with the assurance,

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 that we will be forgiven.

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 Let me read a passage from you from 1 John 1.9.

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 If we confess our sins,

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 he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins

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 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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 The second thing I want us to look at today

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 is to see promise expanded.

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 So the second thing will be promise expanded.

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 Now, Abram is described in chapter 13, verse 2,

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 as very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.

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 Now, to the extent that his wealth is

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 our ill-begotten games from Egypt,

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 we do not know.

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 But nevertheless, Abram has many things.

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 And then a dispute arises

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 between the herdsmen of Abram

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 and the herdsmen of Lot.

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 Lot, who is his nephew,

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 who is part of his family.

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 And there's not enough land

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 for the herdsmen,

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 for Abram and Lot.

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 So Abram offers Lot the solution.

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 Beginning in verse 8, he says,

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 Let there be no strife between you and me,

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 and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen.

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 For we are kinsmen.

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 Is not the whole land before you?

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 Separate yourself from me.

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 If you take the left hand,

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 then I will go to the right.

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 Or if you go to the right hand,

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 then I will go to the left.

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 So Abram comes and gives Lot

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 the choice of lands.

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 He says, Lot,

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 we can't be in the same place.

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 It's not working out.

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 It's causing conflict.

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 You just decide where you want to go.

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 If you go that way,

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 I'm going here.

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 If you go here,

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 I'm going the other way.

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 Lot, your choice to make.

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 And then we see in verse 10

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 that Lot does indeed make his choice.

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 He chooses the Jordan Valley,

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 which is described as well watered everywhere,

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 like the garden of the Lord.

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 By appearance's sake alone,

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 Lot has chosen the better land.

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 Because he has chosen the land

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 that is well watered,

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 looks very fertile,

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 and looks like it will be a great place

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 for his herd to continue to expand.

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 But we're told also in the scripture

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 that as Lot moves into the Jordan Valley,

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 he eventually settles in Sodom.

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 And in verse 13,

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 reminds us of what is to come

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 and reminds us what is the case now

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 as Lot has come and settled in Sodom.

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 Because in verse 13,

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 the men of Sodom were described as wicked

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 and great sinners against the Lord.

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 Now I want us to pause for a moment

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 and I'm going to put this before you,

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 that I want you to be very wary

00:13:52.540 --> 00:13:54.720
 of making decisions

00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:57.600
 based upon appearances alone.

00:13:58.160 --> 00:14:00.680
 Let us be careful in making decisions

00:14:00.680 --> 00:14:02.580
 based upon appearances.

00:14:03.280 --> 00:14:05.379
 Lot in this case has made his decision

00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:08.980
 upon the land appearing well watered.

00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:10.780
 It looks good.

00:14:11.300 --> 00:14:13.300
 Yet we find that Lot is going to be living

00:14:13.300 --> 00:14:15.080
 among great sinners

00:14:15.080 --> 00:14:16.460
 against the Lord.

00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:20.900
 This is now the fourth instance

00:14:20.900 --> 00:14:23.120
 we've seen so far in Genesis

00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:25.360
 where people have made choices

00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:27.820
 based upon attractive appearances

00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:30.879
 and they have made the wrong choice.

00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:33.620
 So the third time this happened

00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:36.160
 was actually earlier in our passage today

00:14:36.160 --> 00:14:39.000
 where Pharaoh sees the beauty of Sarai

00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:41.360
 and eventually brings a plague upon his house.

00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:45.860
 The second time that we see this decision

00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:48.019
 being made upon appearances alone

00:14:48.019 --> 00:14:51.200
 comes from chapter 6, verse 2.

00:14:51.560 --> 00:14:52.600
 And I'm going to read that for you.

00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:56.080
 The sons of God saw that the daughters of man

00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:57.220
 were attractive

00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:59.180
 and they took them as their wives.

00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:01.259
 Any they chose.

00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:03.519
 Immediately after that,

00:15:03.980 --> 00:15:06.340
 God reduces the lifespan of people

00:15:06.340 --> 00:15:07.620
 to 120 years.

00:15:07.620 --> 00:15:08.879
 There's an immediate consequence

00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:10.019
 that's listed in the scripture

00:15:10.019 --> 00:15:14.060
 after the sons of God

00:15:14.060 --> 00:15:16.779
 began to marry the daughters of man.

00:15:17.320 --> 00:15:17.799
 And in fact,

00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:19.139
 soon after that,

00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:20.519
 the flood happens.

00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:22.379
 And finally,

00:15:22.460 --> 00:15:23.379
 the first instance

00:15:23.379 --> 00:15:24.360
 where we've seen people

00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:25.519
 making choices

00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:26.899
 based upon appearances

00:15:26.899 --> 00:15:28.519
 comes from the Garden of Eden

00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:30.259
 in chapter 3, verse 6.

00:15:30.940 --> 00:15:32.320
 So there in the garden we see,

00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:34.240
 So when the woman saw

00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:36.780
 that the tree was good for food

00:15:36.780 --> 00:15:41.020
 and that it was delightful to the eyes.

00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:44.180
 She goes about leading her

00:15:44.180 --> 00:15:45.260
 and Adam and Eve

00:15:45.260 --> 00:15:46.440
 then eat of the fruit

00:15:46.440 --> 00:15:48.360
 and the sin enters the world

00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:49.680
 and they're cast out of the garden.

00:15:50.360 --> 00:15:51.300
 All of it started

00:15:51.300 --> 00:15:53.660
 based upon appearances.

00:15:54.820 --> 00:15:56.360
 So the caution for us

00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:57.880
 is that we need to be wary

00:15:57.880 --> 00:15:59.420
 of making decisions

00:15:59.420 --> 00:16:01.560
 based upon appearances alone.

00:16:01.559 --> 00:16:04.500
 We might want to attend a school

00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:06.899
 because it has a very chic name.

00:16:08.019 --> 00:16:10.259
 We might choose a job

00:16:10.259 --> 00:16:11.839
 because the salary

00:16:11.839 --> 00:16:15.719
 begins with a very alluring figure.

00:16:17.019 --> 00:16:18.899
 We might change jobs

00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:20.719
 because that new job

00:16:20.719 --> 00:16:23.119
 offers some snazzy job title.

00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:24.579
 And it'll be nice to tell

00:16:24.579 --> 00:16:25.539
 the people around you

00:16:25.539 --> 00:16:27.859
 your new snazzy job title.

00:16:27.860 --> 00:16:31.159
 We might date a person

00:16:31.159 --> 00:16:33.019
 because that person

00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:34.879
 has appealing features.

00:16:35.500 --> 00:16:36.639
 You're looking at that person

00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:37.039
 and you're going,

00:16:37.560 --> 00:16:39.039
 that's a Sarai right there.

00:16:39.240 --> 00:16:40.659
 They look good now.

00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:41.940
 And when they're 65,

00:16:42.139 --> 00:16:43.180
 they're still going to look good.

00:16:43.320 --> 00:16:45.159
 And people will be envious of me.

00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:48.159
 Not the reason

00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:49.300
 to pick out someone to date.

00:16:49.800 --> 00:16:50.759
 I could go on and on.

00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:52.379
 But the point is

00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:53.720
 that we need to be wary

00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:54.899
 of making decisions

00:16:54.899 --> 00:16:56.960
 based upon appearances.

00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:57.600
 Otherwise,

00:16:58.019 --> 00:16:59.660
 we may find ourselves

00:16:59.660 --> 00:17:00.720
 similar to Lot

00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:02.759
 and that we are surrounded

00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:05.279
 by great wickedness.

00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:09.380
 We find that Lot

00:17:09.380 --> 00:17:10.279
 in his choice

00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:11.740
 actually excuse

00:17:11.740 --> 00:17:12.900
 the promise of God.

00:17:13.180 --> 00:17:13.700
 He walks away

00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:14.600
 from the promise of God.

00:17:15.700 --> 00:17:16.500
 Lot's enticement

00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:17.720
 towards the attractive land

00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:18.519
 has led him

00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:20.140
 into the Jordan Valley.

00:17:21.100 --> 00:17:22.220
 This is a problem

00:17:22.220 --> 00:17:24.960
 because in chapter 12

00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:26.079
 earlier,

00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:27.220
 Abram's family

00:17:27.220 --> 00:17:27.880
 was traveling

00:17:27.880 --> 00:17:28.740
 through Canaan,

00:17:29.579 --> 00:17:30.380
 the land that God

00:17:30.380 --> 00:17:31.259
 had promised them.

00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:32.980
 And we read this verse there

00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:34.340
 but I'll repeat it for you now.

00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:35.420
 In chapter 12,

00:17:35.460 --> 00:17:35.900
 verse 7,

00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:37.720
 God says to Abram,

00:17:37.819 --> 00:17:38.500
 to your offspring

00:17:38.500 --> 00:17:39.420
 I give this land,

00:17:39.480 --> 00:17:40.160
 that being Canaan,

00:17:40.340 --> 00:17:41.360
 the land that they are in.

00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:42.880
 And here in chapter 13,

00:17:43.340 --> 00:17:44.140
 we find that they are

00:17:44.140 --> 00:17:45.819
 in the exact same place.

00:17:46.660 --> 00:17:47.480
 That Abram and Lot

00:17:47.480 --> 00:17:48.460
 are not only back in Canaan

00:17:48.460 --> 00:17:50.100
 but in chapter 13,

00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:50.539
 verse 4,

00:17:50.600 --> 00:17:51.420
 we see to the place

00:17:51.420 --> 00:17:52.560
 where Abram first

00:17:52.560 --> 00:17:53.680
 made an altar.

00:17:54.519 --> 00:17:55.160
 They're back

00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:56.100
 in the exact same place

00:17:56.100 --> 00:17:56.860
 God has given them

00:17:56.860 --> 00:17:58.320
 the promise of the land.

00:18:00.019 --> 00:18:01.200
 And when that strife

00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:02.000
 emerges between

00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.100
 the herdsmen

00:18:03.100 --> 00:18:04.259
 of Lot and Abram,

00:18:05.900 --> 00:18:06.720
 and then Abram

00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:07.720
 gives Lot the choice.

00:18:07.800 --> 00:18:08.440
 Where do you choose?

00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:09.120
 Lot chooses

00:18:09.120 --> 00:18:10.019
 the Jordan Valley

00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:11.160
 which is not part

00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:11.980
 of the promised land

00:18:11.980 --> 00:18:12.480
 of Canaan.

00:18:13.560 --> 00:18:14.519
 He has left

00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:15.340
 the promised land

00:18:15.340 --> 00:18:16.400
 and he has chosen

00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:17.460
 the Jordan Valley

00:18:17.460 --> 00:18:18.680
 way over there.

00:18:19.100 --> 00:18:20.100
 They're in the exact

00:18:20.100 --> 00:18:20.759
 same spot

00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:21.279
 of the promise.

00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:23.700
 And Lot says,

00:18:23.940 --> 00:18:24.500
 I don't want

00:18:24.500 --> 00:18:25.460
 what you've given me.

00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:26.640
 I want something

00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:27.500
 over there

00:18:27.500 --> 00:18:28.980
 because it looks

00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:30.060
 better than what

00:18:30.060 --> 00:18:30.940
 you have given me here.

00:18:33.320 --> 00:18:34.300
 So while Lot

00:18:34.300 --> 00:18:36.519
 goes off

00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:37.360
 into the Jordan Valley,

00:18:38.019 --> 00:18:38.660
 Abram remains

00:18:38.660 --> 00:18:39.080
 in Canaan.

00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:43.200
 And after Lot leaves

00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:44.420
 and Abram,

00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:45.840
 still in the land

00:18:45.840 --> 00:18:46.200
 of Canaan,

00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:47.480
 we see in verses

00:18:47.480 --> 00:18:48.320
 14 and 15

00:18:48.320 --> 00:18:49.539
 that the original

00:18:49.539 --> 00:18:50.539
 promise of God

00:18:50.539 --> 00:18:51.220
 for the land

00:18:51.220 --> 00:18:51.720
 of Canaan

00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:52.460
 to Abram

00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:52.960
 and his family

00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:53.619
 is repeated.

00:18:53.619 --> 00:18:54.879
 But then we find

00:18:54.879 --> 00:18:55.619
 that promise

00:18:55.619 --> 00:18:56.480
 expanded.

00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:58.299
 That God actually

00:18:58.299 --> 00:18:59.859
 increases the promise

00:18:59.859 --> 00:19:00.700
 that he has given

00:19:00.700 --> 00:19:01.279
 Abram.

00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:03.059
 I want you to see

00:19:03.059 --> 00:19:04.259
 in verse 16

00:19:04.259 --> 00:19:04.960
 how this promise

00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:05.619
 is expanded.

00:19:06.619 --> 00:19:07.000
 God says,

00:19:07.220 --> 00:19:07.879
 I will make

00:19:07.879 --> 00:19:08.700
 your offspring

00:19:08.700 --> 00:19:09.599
 as the dust

00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:10.099
 of the earth

00:19:10.099 --> 00:19:11.399
 so that if anyone

00:19:11.399 --> 00:19:12.440
 can count the dust

00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:12.819
 of the earth,

00:19:13.099 --> 00:19:13.839
 your offspring

00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:15.720
 also can be counted.

00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:17.799
 So the promise

00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:18.500
 expands

00:19:18.500 --> 00:19:20.140
 from land

00:19:20.140 --> 00:19:21.440
 to now,

00:19:21.600 --> 00:19:22.160
 not only land

00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:23.279
 but innumerable

00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:23.860
 progeny.

00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:26.680
 And the key point

00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:27.420
 of when this promise

00:19:27.420 --> 00:19:28.440
 came is it was

00:19:28.440 --> 00:19:29.680
 noted specifically

00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:30.799
 after Lot

00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:31.500
 had separated

00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:31.960
 from him.

00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:33.360
 Lot missed out

00:19:33.360 --> 00:19:34.500
 on the expanded promise

00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:35.920
 because he wanted

00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:36.519
 to pursue

00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:37.779
 the enticing land

00:19:37.779 --> 00:19:38.380
 of the Jordan Valley.

00:19:41.100 --> 00:19:41.819
 Third thing

00:19:41.819 --> 00:19:42.600
 I want us to look at

00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:44.079
 is promised

00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:45.019
 in power.

00:19:45.539 --> 00:19:46.359
 So the third thing

00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:46.679
 will be

00:19:46.679 --> 00:19:47.399
 promised

00:19:47.399 --> 00:19:48.219
 in power.

00:19:50.199 --> 00:19:51.679
 Now chapter 14

00:19:51.679 --> 00:19:53.119
 begins with

00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:54.259
 a lengthy description

00:19:54.259 --> 00:19:55.779
 of kings

00:19:55.779 --> 00:19:56.459
 and battles.

00:19:57.139 --> 00:19:57.939
 I'll provide

00:19:57.939 --> 00:19:58.859
 a bit of a summary

00:19:58.859 --> 00:19:59.359
 for you.

00:19:59.919 --> 00:20:00.519
 And so you're

00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:01.059
 certainly welcome

00:20:01.059 --> 00:20:01.759
 to look along

00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:02.259
 in the scripture

00:20:02.259 --> 00:20:03.299
 but I'll provide

00:20:03.299 --> 00:20:03.779
 you a little bit

00:20:03.779 --> 00:20:04.740
 of what's taking place

00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:05.879
 here in this

00:20:05.879 --> 00:20:07.919
 part of the message

00:20:07.919 --> 00:20:08.199
 today.

00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:09.279
 So here in chapter 14.

00:20:10.059 --> 00:20:10.839
 So what we have

00:20:10.839 --> 00:20:11.599
 is that a group

00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:12.119
 of kings

00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:12.799
 has come from

00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:13.279
 the east

00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:13.859
 and they have

00:20:13.859 --> 00:20:14.859
 come on a

00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:16.259
 lengthy war party.

00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:17.199
 So they are not

00:20:17.199 --> 00:20:18.459
 here close to

00:20:18.459 --> 00:20:19.879
 where Abram

00:20:19.879 --> 00:20:20.539
 and Lot

00:20:20.539 --> 00:20:21.119
 are now.

00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:21.739
 They've come

00:20:21.739 --> 00:20:23.099
 from a far country

00:20:23.099 --> 00:20:24.139
 and now they have

00:20:24.139 --> 00:20:24.879
 come in on this

00:20:24.879 --> 00:20:25.500
 war party.

00:20:26.399 --> 00:20:27.099
 And they have

00:20:27.099 --> 00:20:28.759
 traveled around

00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:29.259
 the desert

00:20:29.259 --> 00:20:30.399
 and now as they

00:20:30.399 --> 00:20:31.199
 come into

00:20:31.199 --> 00:20:32.179
 this area

00:20:32.179 --> 00:20:33.119
 where Abram

00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:33.479
 and Lot

00:20:33.479 --> 00:20:33.939
 are located

00:20:33.939 --> 00:20:34.679
 they are going

00:20:34.679 --> 00:20:35.559
 to be traveling

00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:36.759
 along the east

00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:38.099
 side of the

00:20:38.099 --> 00:20:38.819
 Jordan River.

00:20:40.359 --> 00:20:41.159
 Now Canaan

00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:42.900
 and Abram's

00:20:42.900 --> 00:20:43.420
 location

00:20:43.420 --> 00:20:44.580
 is on the

00:20:44.580 --> 00:20:45.700
 west side

00:20:45.700 --> 00:20:46.660
 of the Jordan

00:20:46.660 --> 00:20:47.519
 River.

00:20:48.420 --> 00:20:49.140
 So Canaan

00:20:49.140 --> 00:20:50.880
 and Abram

00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:52.980
 are unaffected

00:20:52.980 --> 00:20:53.900
 by this war

00:20:53.900 --> 00:20:54.220
 party.

00:20:55.019 --> 00:20:55.779
 Lot on the

00:20:55.779 --> 00:20:56.279
 other hand

00:20:56.279 --> 00:20:57.540
 we are told

00:20:57.540 --> 00:20:58.300
 that he has

00:20:58.300 --> 00:20:59.480
 journeyed east

00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:00.820
 and he has

00:21:00.820 --> 00:21:01.800
 relocated himself

00:21:01.800 --> 00:21:02.759
 in his journey

00:21:02.759 --> 00:21:03.400
 east

00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:04.380
 into the Jordan

00:21:04.380 --> 00:21:04.820
 Valley

00:21:04.820 --> 00:21:06.000
 which is right

00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:06.900
 in the path

00:21:06.900 --> 00:21:07.980
 of this war

00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:08.500
 party that

00:21:08.500 --> 00:21:08.920
 is coming

00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:09.280
 through.

00:21:10.280 --> 00:21:11.080
 And this

00:21:11.080 --> 00:21:11.820
 group of kings

00:21:11.820 --> 00:21:12.460
 that is coming

00:21:12.460 --> 00:21:13.019
 through and

00:21:13.019 --> 00:21:13.640
 raiding the

00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:13.960
 land

00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:15.500
 they eventually

00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:16.140
 arrive in

00:21:16.140 --> 00:21:16.480
 Sodom

00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.700
 and there in

00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:18.080
 Sodom

00:21:18.080 --> 00:21:19.220
 they claim

00:21:19.220 --> 00:21:19.980
 another victory

00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:21.220
 and in claiming

00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:21.880
 another victory

00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:22.640
 they will also

00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:23.480
 capture Lot.

00:21:24.320 --> 00:21:24.980
 Let me read

00:21:24.980 --> 00:21:25.480
 for us in

00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:26.259
 chapter 14

00:21:26.259 --> 00:21:26.960
 verses 11

00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:27.440
 and 12.

00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:29.380
 So the enemy

00:21:29.380 --> 00:21:30.340
 took all the

00:21:30.340 --> 00:21:30.900
 possessions of

00:21:30.900 --> 00:21:31.440
 Sodom and

00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:31.840
 Gomorrah

00:21:31.840 --> 00:21:32.600
 and all their

00:21:32.600 --> 00:21:33.400
 provisions and

00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:33.880
 went their way

00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:34.960
 and they also

00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:35.600
 took Lot

00:21:35.600 --> 00:21:36.660
 the son of

00:21:36.660 --> 00:21:37.420
 Abram's brother

00:21:37.420 --> 00:21:38.380
 who was dwelling

00:21:38.380 --> 00:21:39.460
 in Sodom

00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:40.400
 and his possessions

00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:41.380
 and went

00:21:41.380 --> 00:21:42.480
 their way.

00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:45.220
 We find that

00:21:45.220 --> 00:21:45.940
 Abram then

00:21:45.940 --> 00:21:46.940
 learns of

00:21:46.940 --> 00:21:47.900
 Lot's capture

00:21:47.900 --> 00:21:49.580
 and

00:21:49.580 --> 00:21:51.600
 in this

00:21:51.600 --> 00:21:52.440
 encounter

00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:53.680
 that is

00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:54.380
 taking place

00:21:54.380 --> 00:21:55.140
 there is a

00:21:55.140 --> 00:21:55.920
 great war

00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:56.620
 that is going

00:21:56.620 --> 00:21:57.340
 on.

00:21:57.620 --> 00:21:58.120
 In verse 9

00:21:58.120 --> 00:21:58.660
 it's described

00:21:58.660 --> 00:21:59.520
 as four kings

00:21:59.520 --> 00:22:00.120
 against five.

00:22:00.280 --> 00:22:00.880
 So this is a

00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:02.080
 significant conflict

00:22:02.080 --> 00:22:03.820
 but Abram

00:22:03.819 --> 00:22:04.279
 still has

00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:04.819
 learned of

00:22:04.819 --> 00:22:05.299
 Lot's capture

00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:05.480
 and has

00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:05.960
 decided he

00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:06.259
 is going

00:22:06.259 --> 00:22:06.740
 to do

00:22:06.740 --> 00:22:07.119
 something

00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:07.559
 about it.

00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:08.359
 He is going

00:22:08.359 --> 00:22:08.679
 to go

00:22:08.679 --> 00:22:09.279
 and retrieve

00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:09.879
 Lot and

00:22:09.879 --> 00:22:10.379
 bring him

00:22:10.379 --> 00:22:10.679
 back.

00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:11.500
 And what I

00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:11.919
 want us to

00:22:11.919 --> 00:22:12.919
 see is that

00:22:12.919 --> 00:22:13.639
 when Abram

00:22:13.639 --> 00:22:14.200
 goes about

00:22:14.200 --> 00:22:14.799
 this process

00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:15.759
 of retrieving

00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:16.519
 Lot from

00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:17.599
 this powerful

00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.279
 war party

00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:18.759
 and this

00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:19.480
 powerful group

00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:19.899
 of kings

00:22:19.899 --> 00:22:20.559
 that he is

00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:21.079
 going to be

00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:21.960
 promise

00:22:21.960 --> 00:22:22.859
 empowered.

00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:25.220
 I want you

00:22:25.220 --> 00:22:25.679
 to think back

00:22:25.679 --> 00:22:26.659
 to one of

00:22:26.659 --> 00:22:27.159
 the original

00:22:27.159 --> 00:22:28.159
 promises that

00:22:28.159 --> 00:22:28.700
 God gave

00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:29.200
 to Abram.

00:22:29.779 --> 00:22:30.259
 God says

00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:30.720
 to Abram

00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:31.799
 I will make

00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:32.480
 of you

00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:33.439
 a great

00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:34.180
 nation.

00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:37.259
 With this

00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:38.160
 idea of

00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:38.519
 Abram

00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:38.920
 who will

00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:39.320
 become

00:22:39.320 --> 00:22:39.900
 a great

00:22:39.900 --> 00:22:40.340
 nation.

00:22:42.539 --> 00:22:43.220
 Abram

00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:44.140
 begins

00:22:44.140 --> 00:22:45.080
 his expedition

00:22:45.080 --> 00:22:46.380
 into the

00:22:46.380 --> 00:22:46.960
 foray to

00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:47.360
 retrieve

00:22:47.360 --> 00:22:47.620
 Lot,

00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:48.080
 his family

00:22:48.080 --> 00:22:48.380
 member.

00:22:50.580 --> 00:22:50.980
 Now God

00:22:50.980 --> 00:22:51.440
 indeed does

00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:51.660
 say to

00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:51.880
 Abram

00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:52.200
 that I

00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:52.700
 will make

00:22:52.700 --> 00:22:53.240
 you a

00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:53.519
 great

00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:53.940
 nation.

00:22:55.559 --> 00:22:56.720
 But Abram

00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:57.440
 enters this

00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:58.200
 conflict here

00:22:58.200 --> 00:22:59.600
 to retrieve

00:22:59.600 --> 00:22:59.920
 Lot.

00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:00.920
 He enters

00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:01.460
 this conflict

00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:01.799
 that has

00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:02.200
 involved

00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:03.000
 nine kings

00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:03.559
 and he

00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:04.259
 is described

00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:05.960
 as Abram

00:23:05.960 --> 00:23:07.039
 the Hebrew.

00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:08.860
 Now this

00:23:08.860 --> 00:23:09.920
 is a strange

00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:10.460
 terminology

00:23:10.460 --> 00:23:11.019
 to find

00:23:11.019 --> 00:23:11.340
 here in

00:23:11.340 --> 00:23:11.900
 this place.

00:23:12.420 --> 00:23:12.880
 Abram

00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:13.500
 the Hebrew.

00:23:13.620 --> 00:23:14.000
 The reason

00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:14.500
 is that

00:23:14.500 --> 00:23:15.160
 Hebrew

00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:16.500
 refers to

00:23:16.500 --> 00:23:17.100
 descendants

00:23:17.100 --> 00:23:17.740
 of Jacob

00:23:17.740 --> 00:23:18.940
 who will

00:23:18.940 --> 00:23:19.519
 be renamed

00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:19.880
 Israel.

00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:20.420
 So Jacob

00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:20.720
 Israel

00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:21.059
 have the

00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:21.380
 same name.

00:23:21.640 --> 00:23:21.920
 Hebrew

00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:23.279
 is his

00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:23.680
 descendants.

00:23:24.200 --> 00:23:24.620
 So the

00:23:24.620 --> 00:23:25.079
 Hebrew

00:23:25.079 --> 00:23:25.840
 is really

00:23:25.840 --> 00:23:26.240
 the descendants

00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:26.720
 of Jacob

00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:27.259
 who are

00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:27.640
 the descendants

00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:28.160
 of Israel.

00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:29.820
 the thing

00:23:29.820 --> 00:23:30.640
 is that

00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:31.660
 Jacob

00:23:31.660 --> 00:23:32.700
 that's

00:23:32.700 --> 00:23:33.259
 Abram's

00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:33.960
 grandson.

00:23:34.900 --> 00:23:35.320
 There aren't

00:23:35.320 --> 00:23:35.820
 Hebrews

00:23:35.820 --> 00:23:36.800
 quite yet.

00:23:37.820 --> 00:23:38.300
 In fact

00:23:38.300 --> 00:23:38.580
 the next

00:23:38.580 --> 00:23:38.940
 person in

00:23:38.940 --> 00:23:39.100
 scripture

00:23:39.100 --> 00:23:39.320
 who is

00:23:39.320 --> 00:23:39.440
 going to

00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:39.519
 be

00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:39.880
 described

00:23:39.880 --> 00:23:40.160
 as a

00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:40.500
 Hebrew

00:23:40.500 --> 00:23:41.200
 is going

00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:41.440
 to be

00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:41.840
 Joseph.

00:23:41.960 --> 00:23:42.120
 That's

00:23:42.120 --> 00:23:42.400
 one of

00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:42.940
 Jacob's

00:23:42.940 --> 00:23:43.259
 sons.

00:23:43.880 --> 00:23:44.180
 So the

00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:44.620
 term

00:23:44.620 --> 00:23:45.160
 Hebrew

00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:45.900
 here in

00:23:45.900 --> 00:23:46.500
 chapter 14

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:47.120
 is an

00:23:47.120 --> 00:23:47.680
 anachronism.

00:23:47.779 --> 00:23:48.060
 It doesn't

00:23:48.060 --> 00:23:48.620
 quite fit

00:23:48.620 --> 00:23:49.080
 in place.

00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:50.420
 But what

00:23:50.420 --> 00:23:50.860
 that does

00:23:50.860 --> 00:23:51.440
 provide us

00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.000
 is it

00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:52.519
 does provide

00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:52.820
 us with

00:23:52.820 --> 00:23:53.420
 the description

00:23:53.420 --> 00:23:54.300
 of the

00:23:54.300 --> 00:23:54.660
 nation

00:23:54.660 --> 00:23:55.500
 that Abram's

00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:55.920
 descendants

00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:56.740
 will become.

00:23:56.740 --> 00:23:58.140
 Abram's

00:23:58.140 --> 00:23:58.420
 descendants

00:23:58.420 --> 00:23:59.180
 will become

00:23:59.180 --> 00:23:59.660
 a great

00:23:59.660 --> 00:24:00.099
 nation.

00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:02.980
 Abram

00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:03.440
 here in

00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:04.099
 chapter 14

00:24:04.099 --> 00:24:04.380
 though

00:24:04.380 --> 00:24:05.660
 is no

00:24:05.660 --> 00:24:06.339
 great

00:24:06.339 --> 00:24:06.960
 nation.

00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:09.500
 In fact

00:24:09.500 --> 00:24:09.900
 he is

00:24:09.900 --> 00:24:10.240
 described

00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:10.740
 as having

00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:12.220
 318

00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:13.220
 trained

00:24:13.220 --> 00:24:13.799
 men.

00:24:15.720 --> 00:24:16.319
 That

00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:16.940
 is not

00:24:16.940 --> 00:24:17.460
 a great

00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:18.039
 nation.

00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:19.079
 And when

00:24:19.079 --> 00:24:19.599
 you think

00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:20.380
 of let's

00:24:20.380 --> 00:24:21.880
 go and

00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:22.839
 try and

00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:23.740
 follow a

00:24:23.740 --> 00:24:24.700
 warring

00:24:24.700 --> 00:24:25.200
 group of

00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:26.019
 kings to

00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:26.539
 retrieve

00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:27.180
 part of

00:24:27.180 --> 00:24:27.359
 their

00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:27.859
 bounty,

00:24:28.579 --> 00:24:29.480
 I really

00:24:29.480 --> 00:24:29.839
 feel like

00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:30.160
 if you

00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:30.680
 can count

00:24:30.680 --> 00:24:31.240
 everybody

00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:31.500
 who is

00:24:31.500 --> 00:24:31.940
 going with

00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:32.099
 you,

00:24:32.460 --> 00:24:32.799
 that is

00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:33.279
 probably

00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:33.839
 a bad

00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:34.259
 sign.

00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:35.339
 So the

00:24:35.339 --> 00:24:35.720
 fact that

00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:36.200
 he knew

00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:36.539
 he had

00:24:36.539 --> 00:24:37.339
 318,

00:24:37.960 --> 00:24:38.639
 that is

00:24:38.639 --> 00:24:39.279
 almost as

00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:39.859
 disappointing

00:24:39.859 --> 00:24:40.259
 as thinking

00:24:40.259 --> 00:24:40.639
 you do

00:24:40.639 --> 00:24:40.859
 have

00:24:40.859 --> 00:24:41.599
 318,

00:24:41.700 --> 00:24:41.980
 that you

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:42.500
 could count

00:24:42.500 --> 00:24:43.019
 them all.

00:24:43.579 --> 00:24:43.960
 We missed

00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:44.200
 one.

00:24:44.299 --> 00:24:44.559
 Oh,

00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:45.240
 we did,

00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:45.599
 didn't we?

00:24:46.359 --> 00:24:46.799
 318.

00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:49.839
 But Abram

00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:50.400
 with his

00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:51.519
 318

00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.500
 trained men

00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:53.879
 will enter

00:24:53.879 --> 00:24:54.460
 the fray

00:24:54.460 --> 00:24:54.860
 like a

00:24:54.860 --> 00:24:55.059
 great

00:24:55.059 --> 00:24:55.420
 nation.

00:24:57.380 --> 00:24:58.500
 So Abram

00:24:58.500 --> 00:24:59.259
 pursues the

00:24:59.259 --> 00:24:59.660
 plundering

00:24:59.660 --> 00:25:00.700
 kings all

00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:01.160
 the way

00:25:01.160 --> 00:25:01.819
 to Dan,

00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:02.519
 which is

00:25:02.519 --> 00:25:03.120
 about 100

00:25:03.120 --> 00:25:03.720
 miles away,

00:25:03.799 --> 00:25:04.160
 probably a little

00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:04.620
 over 100

00:25:04.620 --> 00:25:04.960
 miles.

00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:05.880
 And there

00:25:05.880 --> 00:25:06.559
 in pursuing

00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:07.759
 those kings

00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:08.340
 all the way

00:25:08.340 --> 00:25:08.600
 to Dan,

00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:09.240
 he then

00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:09.759
 attacks

00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:10.420
 successfully.

00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:11.220
 And with

00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:11.720
 his small

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:12.259
 brand,

00:25:12.940 --> 00:25:13.360
 Abram

00:25:13.360 --> 00:25:14.019
 somehow

00:25:14.019 --> 00:25:14.720
 becomes the

00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:15.420
 pursuers

00:25:15.420 --> 00:25:16.420
 of these

00:25:16.420 --> 00:25:16.900
 kings.

00:25:17.900 --> 00:25:18.819
 So these

00:25:18.819 --> 00:25:19.539
 plundering

00:25:19.539 --> 00:25:20.200
 kings from

00:25:20.200 --> 00:25:20.720
 the east,

00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:22.160
 who were

00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:23.000
 once the

00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:23.460
 predator,

00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:24.400
 have now

00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:24.839
 become the

00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:25.160
 prey.

00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:27.740
 And the

00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:28.599
 new apex

00:25:28.599 --> 00:25:29.859
 predator is

00:25:29.859 --> 00:25:30.859
 named Abram.

00:25:31.559 --> 00:25:32.160
 Abram,

00:25:32.460 --> 00:25:33.019
 the alpha

00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:33.519
 predator.

00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:34.440
 He's got

00:25:34.440 --> 00:25:35.400
 318

00:25:35.400 --> 00:25:36.660
 trained men.

00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:37.660
 He's also

00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:38.039
 got some

00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:38.460
 allies.

00:25:39.240 --> 00:25:39.480
 More

00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:39.980
 importantly

00:25:39.980 --> 00:25:40.319
 though,

00:25:41.220 --> 00:25:41.680
 he has the

00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:42.440
 promise of

00:25:42.440 --> 00:25:42.720
 God.

00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:43.380
 The promise

00:25:43.380 --> 00:25:43.700
 of God

00:25:43.700 --> 00:25:44.000
 is this,

00:25:44.059 --> 00:25:44.559
 is Abram,

00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:45.140
 I will

00:25:45.140 --> 00:25:45.680
 make you

00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:46.279
 a great

00:25:46.279 --> 00:25:46.759
 nation.

00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:48.700
 Abram,

00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:49.680
 right now,

00:25:50.099 --> 00:25:50.880
 is warring

00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:51.819
 like a

00:25:51.819 --> 00:25:52.559
 great nation.

00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:53.439
 In fact,

00:25:54.200 --> 00:25:54.599
 Abram

00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:55.480
 keeps up

00:25:55.480 --> 00:25:55.980
 the pursuit

00:25:55.980 --> 00:25:56.899
 all the

00:25:56.899 --> 00:25:57.240
 way to

00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:57.659
 Hobah,

00:25:58.119 --> 00:25:58.599
 which is

00:25:58.599 --> 00:25:58.980
 north of

00:25:58.980 --> 00:25:59.480
 Damascus.

00:25:59.919 --> 00:26:00.220
 That's

00:26:00.220 --> 00:26:00.819
 another 50

00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:01.159
 miles.

00:26:01.679 --> 00:26:02.740
 Abram and

00:26:02.740 --> 00:26:03.399
 his band

00:26:03.399 --> 00:26:03.799
 of people

00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:04.700
 pursue those

00:26:04.700 --> 00:26:05.139
 kings

00:26:05.139 --> 00:26:06.399
 another 50

00:26:06.399 --> 00:26:06.740
 miles.

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:07.519
 And in

00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:08.179
 the process,

00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:08.859
 they're able

00:26:08.859 --> 00:26:09.519
 to retrieve

00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.539
 Lot and

00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:10.779
 the many

00:26:10.779 --> 00:26:11.220
 possessions.

00:26:13.240 --> 00:26:13.779
 One of

00:26:13.779 --> 00:26:14.039
 the things I

00:26:14.039 --> 00:26:14.299
 want us to

00:26:14.299 --> 00:26:14.619
 think about

00:26:14.619 --> 00:26:14.879
 is the

00:26:14.879 --> 00:26:15.339
 faith of

00:26:15.339 --> 00:26:15.579
 Abram.

00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:15.960
 It's one

00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:16.159
 of his

00:26:16.159 --> 00:26:16.759
 most notable

00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:17.279
 qualities.

00:26:18.139 --> 00:26:18.399
 He had

00:26:18.399 --> 00:26:18.679
 faith.

00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:19.419
 He truly

00:26:19.419 --> 00:26:20.319
 believes

00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:20.899
 God.

00:26:21.819 --> 00:26:22.200
 When he

00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:22.500
 went to

00:26:22.500 --> 00:26:22.839
 retrieve

00:26:22.839 --> 00:26:23.139
 Lot,

00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:24.319
 he needed

00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:25.059
 this

00:26:25.059 --> 00:26:25.720
 faith.

00:26:29.679 --> 00:26:30.240
 Without

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:30.859
 faith,

00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:31.159
 without

00:26:31.159 --> 00:26:31.659
 belief,

00:26:31.980 --> 00:26:32.379
 Abram,

00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:32.960
 the

00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:33.399
 Hebrew,

00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:34.899
 and his

00:26:34.899 --> 00:26:36.419
 318 train

00:26:36.419 --> 00:26:37.039
 bin had

00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:37.639
 no chance.

00:26:38.379 --> 00:26:38.919
 They had

00:26:38.919 --> 00:26:39.359
 no chance

00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:39.819
 by human

00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:40.179
 standards.

00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:40.939
 But with

00:26:40.939 --> 00:26:41.339
 belief,

00:26:42.200 --> 00:26:42.799
 with God's

00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:43.200
 provision,

00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:44.519
 Abram

00:26:44.519 --> 00:26:44.980
 defeated,

00:26:45.859 --> 00:26:46.220
 pursued,

00:26:46.419 --> 00:26:47.019
 and plundered

00:26:47.019 --> 00:26:48.319
 a group that

00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:49.259
 just ransacked

00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:50.720
 numerous nations.

00:26:51.819 --> 00:26:52.799
 So I

00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:53.099
 ask you

00:26:53.099 --> 00:26:53.359
 today,

00:26:54.279 --> 00:26:55.839
 how will

00:26:55.839 --> 00:26:56.319
 your faith

00:26:56.319 --> 00:26:56.679
 send you

00:26:56.679 --> 00:26:57.019
 forward?

00:26:58.059 --> 00:26:58.359
 We've

00:26:58.359 --> 00:26:59.179
 seen Abram

00:26:59.179 --> 00:26:59.939
 who was

00:26:59.939 --> 00:27:00.240
 able to

00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:00.659
 go forward

00:27:00.659 --> 00:27:01.200
 and accomplish

00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:02.039
 incredible

00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:02.679
 things,

00:27:03.179 --> 00:27:04.179
 an amazing

00:27:04.179 --> 00:27:04.759
 victory.

00:27:06.099 --> 00:27:06.759
 We know

00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:07.159
 that he is

00:27:07.159 --> 00:27:07.599
 a man of

00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:07.799
 faith.

00:27:09.399 --> 00:27:09.779
 So my

00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:10.200
 question for

00:27:10.200 --> 00:27:10.399
 you is,

00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:11.039
 how will

00:27:11.039 --> 00:27:11.879
 your faith

00:27:11.879 --> 00:27:13.019
 send you

00:27:13.019 --> 00:27:13.419
 forward?

00:27:14.460 --> 00:27:14.980
 The reality

00:27:14.980 --> 00:27:15.980
 is that many

00:27:15.980 --> 00:27:16.519
 followers of

00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:16.879
 God are

00:27:16.879 --> 00:27:17.419
 deficient in

00:27:17.419 --> 00:27:17.639
 faith.

00:27:18.639 --> 00:27:19.480
 And all of

00:27:19.480 --> 00:27:20.119
 us at some

00:27:20.119 --> 00:27:20.679
 point struggle

00:27:20.679 --> 00:27:21.240
 with faith.

00:27:21.819 --> 00:27:26.139
 as we

00:27:26.139 --> 00:27:27.019
 think of

00:27:27.019 --> 00:27:27.339
 this,

00:27:27.939 --> 00:27:28.379
 of people

00:27:28.379 --> 00:27:28.619
 who are

00:27:28.619 --> 00:27:29.159
 deficient in

00:27:29.159 --> 00:27:29.319
 faith,

00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:29.559
 and for

00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:29.939
 those of

00:27:29.939 --> 00:27:30.519
 us who

00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:30.980
 are struggling

00:27:30.980 --> 00:27:31.480
 with faith,

00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:33.240
 we find

00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:33.839
 ourselves

00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:34.899
 doubting the

00:27:34.899 --> 00:27:35.339
 possible,

00:27:36.679 --> 00:27:37.379
 fearful about

00:27:37.379 --> 00:27:38.000
 the unknown,

00:27:39.119 --> 00:27:39.700
 dwelling upon

00:27:39.700 --> 00:27:40.240
 obstacles.

00:27:41.639 --> 00:27:42.439
 While we're

00:27:42.439 --> 00:27:43.000
 lacking in

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:43.240
 trust,

00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:43.659
 we find

00:27:43.659 --> 00:27:44.139
 ourselves

00:27:44.139 --> 00:27:45.519
 waiting for

00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:46.159
 certainty to

00:27:46.159 --> 00:27:46.460
 act,

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:48.539
 needing more

00:27:48.539 --> 00:27:49.039
 coaxing,

00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:49.859
 needing more

00:27:49.859 --> 00:27:50.399
 assurances,

00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:50.480
 promises,

00:27:51.120 --> 00:27:52.019
 and all

00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:52.519
 the time

00:27:52.519 --> 00:27:53.420
 forgetting

00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:54.519
 the promises

00:27:54.519 --> 00:27:55.500
 of God.

00:27:56.500 --> 00:27:57.160
 And when we

00:27:57.160 --> 00:27:57.540
 do that,

00:27:58.120 --> 00:27:58.940
 we are never

00:27:58.940 --> 00:28:00.000
 realizing the

00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:00.560
 greatness that

00:28:00.560 --> 00:28:01.400
 God has

00:28:01.400 --> 00:28:02.240
 planned for

00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:02.660
 us.

00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:03.840
 And when you

00:28:03.840 --> 00:28:04.100
 do that,

00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:04.480
 you're not

00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:04.960
 realizing the

00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:05.380
 greatness that

00:28:05.380 --> 00:28:05.700
 God has

00:28:05.700 --> 00:28:06.080
 planned for

00:28:06.080 --> 00:28:06.320
 you.

00:28:06.800 --> 00:28:07.380
 When I do

00:28:07.380 --> 00:28:07.580
 that,

00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:08.140
 I am not

00:28:08.140 --> 00:28:08.660
 realizing the

00:28:08.660 --> 00:28:09.120
 greatness that

00:28:09.120 --> 00:28:09.560
 God has

00:28:09.560 --> 00:28:10.400
 planned for

00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:10.880
 me.

00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:11.880
 faithless

00:28:11.880 --> 00:28:12.880
 faithless,

00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:14.500
 and perhaps

00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:16.120
 most disappointing

00:28:16.120 --> 00:28:16.620
 of all,

00:28:17.620 --> 00:28:18.580
 is that when we

00:28:18.580 --> 00:28:19.660
 have people who

00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:20.200
 are faithless,

00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:21.240
 we have followers

00:28:21.240 --> 00:28:21.900
 of God who

00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:22.440
 are faithless,

00:28:22.940 --> 00:28:23.620
 they become

00:28:23.620 --> 00:28:24.320
 anchors to

00:28:24.320 --> 00:28:24.840
 those around

00:28:24.840 --> 00:28:25.180
 them,

00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:26.760
 holding others

00:28:26.760 --> 00:28:27.920
 back with

00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:28.320
 their endless

00:28:28.320 --> 00:28:28.940
 reservations,

00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:29.460
 doubts,

00:28:29.640 --> 00:28:29.880
 fears,

00:28:29.960 --> 00:28:30.440
 and concerns.

00:28:32.820 --> 00:28:33.680
 And in our

00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:34.020
 church,

00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.660
 what we need,

00:28:36.080 --> 00:28:36.980
 we need people

00:28:36.980 --> 00:28:38.680
 who are warriors

00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:39.200
 of faith,

00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:39.940
 people who

00:28:39.940 --> 00:28:40.480
 have great

00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:40.860
 faith,

00:28:41.059 --> 00:28:41.620
 because we

00:28:41.620 --> 00:28:42.100
 need people

00:28:42.100 --> 00:28:42.720
 who will be

00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:43.539
 trailblazers.

00:28:44.660 --> 00:28:46.059
 Abram was a

00:28:46.059 --> 00:28:46.819
 trailblazer.

00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:48.240
 He left his

00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:48.799
 home country,

00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:49.960
 traveling through

00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:50.480
 the world,

00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:51.380
 and we still

00:28:51.380 --> 00:28:51.840
 find him in

00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:52.860
 this nomadic

00:28:52.860 --> 00:28:53.500
 existence,

00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:54.720
 going into

00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:55.319
 places where

00:28:55.319 --> 00:28:55.940
 God is not

00:28:55.940 --> 00:28:56.120
 known.

00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:57.519
 He is a

00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:58.680
 trailblazer of

00:28:58.680 --> 00:28:59.039
 the faith,

00:28:59.340 --> 00:29:00.180
 and in our

00:29:00.180 --> 00:29:00.440
 church,

00:29:00.519 --> 00:29:01.000
 we need people

00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:01.500
 who will be

00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:02.400
 trailblazers

00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:03.279
 of the faith.

00:29:04.600 --> 00:29:05.340
 We need

00:29:05.340 --> 00:29:06.200
 people who

00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:07.600
 will go

00:29:07.600 --> 00:29:08.400
 forward by

00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:08.680
 faith.

00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:09.660
 Who will

00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:10.180
 make a way

00:29:10.180 --> 00:29:10.720
 for others

00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.120
 to know

00:29:11.120 --> 00:29:11.559
 Jesus.

00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:13.160
 And when we

00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:13.860
 look around

00:29:13.860 --> 00:29:14.160
 in our

00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:14.519
 communities,

00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:15.220
 there's not

00:29:15.220 --> 00:29:16.019
 other churches

00:29:16.019 --> 00:29:16.920
 doing this.

00:29:18.019 --> 00:29:19.059
 When we go

00:29:19.059 --> 00:29:19.779
 to where we

00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:20.180
 live,

00:29:20.220 --> 00:29:20.740
 and where we

00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:21.200
 work,

00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:22.039
 and where we

00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:22.799
 attend school,

00:29:23.620 --> 00:29:24.660
 there's not

00:29:24.660 --> 00:29:25.779
 other followers

00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:26.440
 of Jesus

00:29:26.440 --> 00:29:26.920
 there.

00:29:27.740 --> 00:29:28.460
 We need

00:29:28.460 --> 00:29:29.180
 trailblazers

00:29:29.180 --> 00:29:30.039
 to go and

00:29:30.039 --> 00:29:30.460
 get them.

00:29:31.160 --> 00:29:31.759
 Trailblazers

00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:32.340
 to tell them,

00:29:33.100 --> 00:29:33.480
 come,

00:29:34.180 --> 00:29:34.840
 come and

00:29:34.840 --> 00:29:35.680
 follow Jesus.

00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:37.920
 But if we

00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:38.259
 want to be

00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:39.200
 a trailblazer,

00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:40.340
 like Abram

00:29:40.340 --> 00:29:40.779
 was a

00:29:40.779 --> 00:29:41.440
 trailblazer,

00:29:41.640 --> 00:29:42.560
 we need

00:29:42.560 --> 00:29:43.279
 to have

00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:43.820
 faith.

00:29:45.180 --> 00:29:45.580
 So my

00:29:45.580 --> 00:29:45.980
 question for

00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:46.160
 you,

00:29:46.840 --> 00:29:47.440
 in this

00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:47.620
 year,

00:29:48.080 --> 00:29:48.480
 how has

00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:48.980
 your faith

00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:49.519
 sent you

00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:49.880
 forward?

00:29:50.539 --> 00:29:51.460
 Over these

00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:52.220
 five,

00:29:52.340 --> 00:29:52.779
 six months,

00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:53.299
 how has

00:29:53.299 --> 00:29:53.799
 your faith

00:29:53.799 --> 00:29:54.160
 sent you

00:29:54.160 --> 00:29:54.460
 forward?

00:29:55.820 --> 00:29:56.560
 What actions

00:29:56.560 --> 00:29:56.840
 have you

00:29:56.840 --> 00:29:57.259
 taken to

00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:57.880
 show faith

00:29:57.880 --> 00:29:58.680
 in God's

00:29:58.680 --> 00:29:59.000
 provision?

00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:02.019
 fourth point

00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:02.460
 for today

00:30:02.460 --> 00:30:02.740
 is going

00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:02.960
 to be

00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:03.500
 promise

00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:04.000
 guided.

00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:04.720
 So

00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:05.400
 promise

00:30:05.400 --> 00:30:05.960
 guided.

00:30:07.720 --> 00:30:08.359
 So

00:30:08.359 --> 00:30:08.920
 Abram

00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:09.420
 the Hebrew

00:30:09.420 --> 00:30:10.160
 returns

00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:10.680
 from victory,

00:30:11.059 --> 00:30:11.559
 and he

00:30:11.559 --> 00:30:12.019
 is met

00:30:12.019 --> 00:30:12.619
 by two

00:30:12.619 --> 00:30:13.079
 people.

00:30:13.900 --> 00:30:14.359
 So we

00:30:14.359 --> 00:30:15.039
 see Abram

00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:15.880
 in verse

00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:16.480
 17,

00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:17.279
 he is met

00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:17.660
 by the

00:30:17.660 --> 00:30:18.279
 king of

00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:18.619
 Sodom.

00:30:19.980 --> 00:30:20.619
 The

00:30:20.619 --> 00:30:20.880
 king of

00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:21.180
 Sodom

00:30:21.180 --> 00:30:22.079
 is king

00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:22.900
 where men

00:30:22.900 --> 00:30:23.980
 were wicked

00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:24.759
 and great

00:30:24.759 --> 00:30:25.220
 sinners

00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:26.619
 against God.

00:30:27.700 --> 00:30:28.119
 And at

00:30:28.119 --> 00:30:28.400
 the mention

00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:28.740
 of king

00:30:28.740 --> 00:30:29.079
 Sodom,

00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:29.740
 then Abram

00:30:29.740 --> 00:30:30.200
 is met

00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:30.920
 by another

00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:31.259
 king,

00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:32.460
 king

00:30:32.460 --> 00:30:33.259
 Melchizedek,

00:30:33.660 --> 00:30:34.039
 who was

00:30:34.039 --> 00:30:34.599
 king of

00:30:34.599 --> 00:30:35.839
 Salem and

00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:36.700
 priest of

00:30:36.700 --> 00:30:37.819
 God most

00:30:37.819 --> 00:30:38.299
 high.

00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:39.259
 And there

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:39.559
 in verse

00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:40.019
 18,

00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:40.599
 we find

00:30:40.599 --> 00:30:41.339
 that Melchizedek

00:30:41.339 --> 00:30:42.420
 brings bread

00:30:42.420 --> 00:30:43.019
 and wine

00:30:43.019 --> 00:30:43.960
 for Abram

00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:44.440
 and his

00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:44.779
 people.

00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:45.599
 This bread

00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:46.099
 and wine

00:30:46.099 --> 00:30:47.059
 reflects the

00:30:47.059 --> 00:30:47.940
 basic provisions

00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:48.420
 needed for

00:30:48.420 --> 00:30:48.579
 him.

00:30:48.940 --> 00:30:49.339
 I think in

00:30:49.339 --> 00:30:49.779
 our day,

00:30:49.859 --> 00:30:50.120
 we might

00:30:50.120 --> 00:30:50.440
 think of

00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:50.900
 someone bringing

00:30:50.900 --> 00:30:51.440
 sandwiches

00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:52.039
 and bottled

00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:52.660
 water for

00:30:52.660 --> 00:30:52.859
 us.

00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:53.960
 And there

00:30:53.960 --> 00:30:54.559
 Melchizedek

00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:55.160
 pronounces a

00:30:55.160 --> 00:30:55.960
 blessing over

00:30:55.960 --> 00:30:56.500
 Abram in

00:30:56.500 --> 00:30:57.380
 verses 19 and

00:30:57.380 --> 00:30:57.599
 20.

00:30:57.740 --> 00:30:58.120
 And here's

00:30:58.119 --> 00:30:58.559
 the blessing

00:30:58.559 --> 00:30:58.879
 that he

00:30:58.879 --> 00:30:59.419
 provides for

00:30:59.419 --> 00:30:59.699
 Abram.

00:30:59.699 --> 00:31:00.199
 He says,

00:31:00.679 --> 00:31:00.959
 blessed be

00:31:00.959 --> 00:31:01.599
 Abram by

00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:02.199
 God most

00:31:02.199 --> 00:31:02.459
 high,

00:31:02.779 --> 00:31:03.500
 possessor of

00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:03.919
 heaven and

00:31:03.919 --> 00:31:04.099
 earth,

00:31:04.459 --> 00:31:05.079
 and blessed

00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:05.759
 be God

00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:06.239
 most high,

00:31:06.379 --> 00:31:06.819
 who has

00:31:06.819 --> 00:31:07.539
 delivered your

00:31:07.539 --> 00:31:08.419
 enemies into

00:31:08.419 --> 00:31:09.039
 your hand.

00:31:10.159 --> 00:31:11.199
 Abram responds

00:31:11.199 --> 00:31:12.559
 to this blessing

00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:13.299
 and gives a

00:31:13.299 --> 00:31:14.219
 10% offering,

00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:15.359
 a tenth of

00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:15.879
 everything,

00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:17.759
 to this

00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:18.299
 priest,

00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:19.439
 to Melchizedek.

00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:19.500
 Melchizedek.

00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:21.840
 An interesting

00:31:21.840 --> 00:31:22.220
 thing about

00:31:22.220 --> 00:31:22.880
 Melchizedek is

00:31:22.880 --> 00:31:23.440
 that he

00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:24.000
 seems to

00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:24.480
 appear from

00:31:24.480 --> 00:31:25.660
 nowhere and

00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:26.279
 returns to

00:31:26.279 --> 00:31:26.640
 the same.

00:31:27.299 --> 00:31:27.720
 There's no

00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:28.140
 background

00:31:28.140 --> 00:31:28.620
 information,

00:31:28.700 --> 00:31:29.059
 no further

00:31:29.059 --> 00:31:29.620
 information is

00:31:29.620 --> 00:31:30.140
 provided on

00:31:30.140 --> 00:31:30.320
 him.

00:31:32.120 --> 00:31:32.740
 When did he

00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:33.100
 become a

00:31:33.100 --> 00:31:33.259
 priest?

00:31:33.360 --> 00:31:33.700
 How did he

00:31:33.700 --> 00:31:34.080
 become a

00:31:34.080 --> 00:31:34.320
 priest?

00:31:35.080 --> 00:31:35.620
 We're left

00:31:35.620 --> 00:31:36.200
 not with the

00:31:36.200 --> 00:31:36.620
 answers to

00:31:36.620 --> 00:31:37.100
 these questions.

00:31:37.360 --> 00:31:37.640
 But we'll

00:31:37.640 --> 00:31:38.279
 revisit this

00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:38.539
 later and

00:31:38.539 --> 00:31:38.820
 we'll talk

00:31:38.820 --> 00:31:39.180
 more of

00:31:39.180 --> 00:31:39.779
 Melchizedek in

00:31:39.779 --> 00:31:40.120
 a little bit.

00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:42.200
 And then

00:31:42.200 --> 00:31:42.620
 immediately

00:31:42.620 --> 00:31:44.140
 after Melchizedek,

00:31:44.299 --> 00:31:44.860
 the king of

00:31:44.860 --> 00:31:45.340
 Sodom is

00:31:45.340 --> 00:31:46.080
 brought back

00:31:46.080 --> 00:31:46.500
 into the

00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:46.740
 picture.

00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:47.339
 So once again

00:31:47.339 --> 00:31:47.700
 we've seen

00:31:47.700 --> 00:31:48.140
 the king of

00:31:48.140 --> 00:31:48.380
 Sodom

00:31:48.380 --> 00:31:48.740
 introduced,

00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:50.500
 king Melchizedek

00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:50.880
 comes in

00:31:50.880 --> 00:31:51.200
 place,

00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:51.740
 and now

00:31:51.740 --> 00:31:52.299
 king of

00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:52.799
 Sodom is

00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:53.359
 back here.

00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:54.960
 And the

00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.299
 king of

00:31:55.299 --> 00:31:55.839
 Sodom says

00:31:55.839 --> 00:31:56.120
 to Abram,

00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:56.680
 give me the

00:31:56.680 --> 00:31:57.079
 persons,

00:31:57.180 --> 00:31:57.500
 but take

00:31:57.500 --> 00:31:57.900
 the goods

00:31:57.900 --> 00:31:58.519
 for yourself.

00:32:00.059 --> 00:32:01.079
 Abram refuses

00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:02.079
 the king of

00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:02.420
 Sodom.

00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:04.120
 Abram says

00:32:04.120 --> 00:32:04.839
 to the king

00:32:04.839 --> 00:32:05.299
 of Sodom,

00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:05.839
 he says,

00:32:06.180 --> 00:32:06.980
 I have lifted

00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:08.059
 my hands to

00:32:08.059 --> 00:32:08.599
 the Lord,

00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:09.220
 God most

00:32:09.220 --> 00:32:09.579
 high,

00:32:09.900 --> 00:32:10.740
 possessor of

00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:11.120
 heaven and

00:32:11.120 --> 00:32:11.319
 earth,

00:32:11.740 --> 00:32:12.680
 that I would

00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:13.519
 not take a

00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:14.180
 thread or a

00:32:14.180 --> 00:32:14.799
 sandal strap or

00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:15.720
 anything that is

00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:16.039
 yours,

00:32:16.039 --> 00:32:16.859
 lest you

00:32:16.859 --> 00:32:17.159
 say,

00:32:17.579 --> 00:32:18.079
 I have

00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:18.879
 made Abraham

00:32:18.879 --> 00:32:19.379
 rich.

00:32:19.659 --> 00:32:20.159
 I will

00:32:20.159 --> 00:32:20.859
 take nothing

00:32:20.859 --> 00:32:21.899
 but what the

00:32:21.899 --> 00:32:22.399
 young men have

00:32:22.399 --> 00:32:23.279
 eaten and the

00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:23.720
 share of the

00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:24.920
 men who went

00:32:24.920 --> 00:32:25.720
 with me.

00:32:26.099 --> 00:32:26.740
 What we find

00:32:26.740 --> 00:32:27.379
 is that Abram

00:32:27.379 --> 00:32:29.259
 utterly refuses

00:32:29.259 --> 00:32:30.299
 the king of

00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:30.599
 Sodom.

00:32:31.420 --> 00:32:32.180
 Abram allows

00:32:32.180 --> 00:32:33.339
 zero relationship

00:32:33.339 --> 00:32:34.720
 between himself

00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:36.119
 and the king

00:32:36.119 --> 00:32:36.839
 of Sodom.

00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:38.619
 There are two

00:32:38.619 --> 00:32:41.019
 kings before

00:32:41.019 --> 00:32:41.480
 Abram,

00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:42.159
 and we almost

00:32:42.159 --> 00:32:43.079
 have this image

00:32:43.079 --> 00:32:43.539
 that's being

00:32:43.539 --> 00:32:44.299
 provided here of

00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:45.099
 these two kings

00:32:45.099 --> 00:32:46.299
 simultaneously

00:32:46.299 --> 00:32:47.240
 vying for

00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:47.819
 Abram's

00:32:47.819 --> 00:32:48.199
 allegiance.

00:32:49.759 --> 00:32:50.599
 The question

00:32:50.599 --> 00:32:50.839
 is,

00:32:50.899 --> 00:32:51.379
 with which

00:32:51.379 --> 00:32:52.839
 king will

00:32:52.839 --> 00:32:53.379
 Abram

00:32:53.379 --> 00:32:54.099
 associate?

00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:56.000
 As we think

00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:56.459
 of the idea

00:32:56.459 --> 00:32:57.199
 of promise

00:32:57.199 --> 00:32:57.799
 guiding,

00:32:58.559 --> 00:32:59.879
 we see the

00:32:59.879 --> 00:33:00.559
 choice before

00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:00.939
 Abram,

00:33:01.819 --> 00:33:02.480
 thinking of

00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:02.939
 the promise

00:33:02.939 --> 00:33:03.319
 that he has

00:33:03.319 --> 00:33:03.980
 received from

00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:04.259
 God,

00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:06.379
 that God

00:33:06.379 --> 00:33:06.779
 has told

00:33:06.779 --> 00:33:07.019
 Abram,

00:33:07.139 --> 00:33:07.439
 I will

00:33:07.439 --> 00:33:07.939
 bless you

00:33:07.939 --> 00:33:08.599
 and make

00:33:08.599 --> 00:33:09.099
 your name

00:33:09.099 --> 00:33:09.879
 great so

00:33:09.879 --> 00:33:10.500
 that you

00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:11.240
 will be

00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:11.959
 a blessing.

00:33:11.960 --> 00:33:13.400
 between these

00:33:13.400 --> 00:33:14.000
 two kings,

00:33:14.059 --> 00:33:14.460
 which one

00:33:14.460 --> 00:33:15.000
 will provide

00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:15.259
 that?

00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:16.980
 Here's the

00:33:16.980 --> 00:33:17.279
 king of

00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:17.720
 Sodom who

00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:18.279
 has daily

00:33:18.279 --> 00:33:18.759
 provisions,

00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:19.319
 a blessing,

00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:19.960
 and guess

00:33:19.960 --> 00:33:20.120
 what?

00:33:20.220 --> 00:33:20.740
 Abram's still

00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:21.019
 going to have

00:33:21.019 --> 00:33:21.420
 to give

00:33:21.420 --> 00:33:22.059
 him stuff.

00:33:23.900 --> 00:33:24.440
 And then we

00:33:24.440 --> 00:33:24.660
 have the

00:33:24.660 --> 00:33:24.960
 king of

00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:25.340
 Sodom who

00:33:25.340 --> 00:33:25.640
 lives in

00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:26.019
 the lush

00:33:26.019 --> 00:33:26.500
 land and

00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:26.980
 offers to

00:33:26.980 --> 00:33:27.340
 bestow

00:33:27.340 --> 00:33:28.039
 great wealth

00:33:28.039 --> 00:33:28.759
 on Abram.

00:33:30.500 --> 00:33:31.400
 Which king

00:33:31.400 --> 00:33:32.720
 will receive

00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:33.620
 Abram's

00:33:33.620 --> 00:33:34.039
 allegiance?

00:33:36.180 --> 00:33:36.900
 Abram roundly

00:33:36.900 --> 00:33:37.360
 rejects the

00:33:37.360 --> 00:33:37.640
 king of

00:33:37.640 --> 00:33:37.920
 Sodom.

00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:39.220
 He says,

00:33:39.220 --> 00:33:39.500
 you're not

00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:39.680
 going to

00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:39.960
 make me

00:33:39.960 --> 00:33:40.259
 rich.

00:33:40.860 --> 00:33:41.360
 I'm not

00:33:41.360 --> 00:33:41.620
 taking

00:33:41.620 --> 00:33:42.079
 anything

00:33:42.079 --> 00:33:42.539
 from you.

00:33:42.819 --> 00:33:43.460
 We have

00:33:43.460 --> 00:33:43.920
 no

00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:44.539
 relationship.

00:33:45.420 --> 00:33:45.799
 So the

00:33:45.799 --> 00:33:46.299
 king of

00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:46.579
 Sodom,

00:33:46.819 --> 00:33:47.440
 that place

00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:47.720
 who was

00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:48.079
 great

00:33:48.079 --> 00:33:48.400
 sinners

00:33:48.400 --> 00:33:48.700
 against

00:33:48.700 --> 00:33:48.920
 God,

00:33:49.180 --> 00:33:49.360
 Abram

00:33:49.360 --> 00:33:49.559
 says,

00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:49.900
 we are

00:33:49.900 --> 00:33:51.140
 not in

00:33:51.140 --> 00:33:51.640
 relationship.

00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:52.460
 We're

00:33:52.460 --> 00:33:52.720
 certainly

00:33:52.720 --> 00:33:53.360
 not friends

00:33:53.360 --> 00:33:54.759
 and there's

00:33:54.759 --> 00:33:55.059
 going to be

00:33:55.059 --> 00:33:55.819
 no exchange

00:33:55.819 --> 00:33:56.240
 of goods

00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:56.900
 between us.

00:33:58.100 --> 00:33:58.400
 Abram

00:33:58.400 --> 00:33:58.940
 trusts God.

00:33:59.579 --> 00:34:00.100
 He trusts

00:34:00.100 --> 00:34:00.920
 that God

00:34:00.920 --> 00:34:01.660
 will bless

00:34:01.660 --> 00:34:01.980
 him and

00:34:01.980 --> 00:34:02.360
 make his

00:34:02.360 --> 00:34:02.559
 name

00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:02.799
 great.

00:34:03.059 --> 00:34:03.319
 And since

00:34:03.319 --> 00:34:03.700
 Abram

00:34:03.700 --> 00:34:04.220
 trusts that

00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:04.519
 God

00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:05.079
 will bless

00:34:05.079 --> 00:34:05.400
 him and

00:34:05.400 --> 00:34:05.759
 make his

00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:05.920
 name

00:34:05.920 --> 00:34:06.100
 great,

00:34:06.240 --> 00:34:06.539
 then he

00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:06.860
 doesn't

00:34:06.860 --> 00:34:07.339
 need to

00:34:07.339 --> 00:34:07.839
 rely upon

00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:08.280
 the king

00:34:09.219 --> 00:34:09.679
 that

00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:10.159
 happen.

00:34:12.099 --> 00:34:12.659
 Fifth thing

00:34:12.659 --> 00:34:12.959
 I want us

00:34:12.959 --> 00:34:13.219
 to see is

00:34:13.219 --> 00:34:13.539
 the connection

00:34:13.539 --> 00:34:14.239
 between Jesus

00:34:14.239 --> 00:34:15.739
 and Melchizedek.

00:34:18.759 --> 00:34:19.199
 Melchizedek

00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:20.019
 is not

00:34:20.019 --> 00:34:20.239
 mentioned

00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:20.539
 again in

00:34:20.539 --> 00:34:20.799
 the Old

00:34:20.799 --> 00:34:21.039
 Testament.

00:34:21.099 --> 00:34:21.239
 He's

00:34:21.239 --> 00:34:21.459
 mentioned

00:34:21.459 --> 00:34:22.119
 here in

00:34:22.119 --> 00:34:22.319
 Genesis

00:34:22.319 --> 00:34:22.859
 chapter 12.

00:34:22.939 --> 00:34:23.159
 He's not

00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:23.319
 mentioned

00:34:23.319 --> 00:34:23.519
 again in

00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:23.719
 the Old

00:34:23.719 --> 00:34:23.919
 Testament,

00:34:24.239 --> 00:34:24.939
 save for

00:34:24.939 --> 00:34:25.539
 a reference

00:34:25.539 --> 00:34:26.000
 in Psalm

00:34:26.000 --> 00:34:26.359
 110.

00:34:27.279 --> 00:34:27.539
 But

00:34:27.539 --> 00:34:28.279
 interestingly,

00:34:29.059 --> 00:34:29.379
 the book

00:34:29.379 --> 00:34:29.959
 of Hebrews

00:34:29.959 --> 00:34:31.399
 provides a

00:34:31.399 --> 00:34:31.980
 lengthy

00:34:31.980 --> 00:34:33.719
 description

00:34:33.719 --> 00:34:34.500
 of Melchizedek.

00:34:35.339 --> 00:34:35.799
 And if

00:34:35.799 --> 00:34:36.000
 you want

00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:36.419
 to turn

00:34:36.419 --> 00:34:37.039
 to Hebrews

00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:37.559
 7 in your

00:34:37.559 --> 00:34:38.159
 Bible now,

00:34:38.439 --> 00:34:38.639
 speak

00:34:38.639 --> 00:34:46.859
 a second

00:34:46.859 --> 00:34:47.219
 sermon.

00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:47.920
 I don't

00:34:47.920 --> 00:34:48.460
 think anyone

00:34:48.460 --> 00:34:49.139
 wants that

00:34:49.139 --> 00:34:49.819
 right now.

00:34:50.319 --> 00:34:50.799
 So we're

00:34:50.799 --> 00:34:51.159
 just going to

00:34:51.159 --> 00:34:51.579
 provide a

00:34:51.579 --> 00:34:52.039
 little snippet

00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:52.460
 for you

00:34:52.460 --> 00:34:54.159
 of what's

00:34:54.159 --> 00:34:54.779
 taking place

00:34:54.779 --> 00:34:55.079
 in this

00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:55.779
 uniqueness of

00:34:55.779 --> 00:34:56.279
 Melchizedek

00:34:56.279 --> 00:34:56.779
 and how

00:34:56.779 --> 00:34:57.759
 Jesus is

00:34:57.759 --> 00:34:58.579
 like Melchizedek.

00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:02.059
 So in

00:35:02.059 --> 00:35:03.980
 just before the

00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:04.659
 last verse of

00:35:04.659 --> 00:35:05.179
 chapter 6,

00:35:05.239 --> 00:35:05.679
 so right before

00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:06.299
 chapter 7,

00:35:06.300 --> 00:35:07.680
 we find

00:35:07.680 --> 00:35:08.380
 that Jesus,

00:35:08.680 --> 00:35:09.480
 Jesus by

00:35:09.480 --> 00:35:09.660
 the way,

00:35:09.740 --> 00:35:10.700
 he's living

00:35:10.700 --> 00:35:12.240
 about 2,000

00:35:12.240 --> 00:35:13.019
 years after

00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:13.580
 Melchizedek.

00:35:14.019 --> 00:35:14.620
 So their

00:35:14.620 --> 00:35:15.320
 time frame is

00:35:15.320 --> 00:35:16.519
 nothing at all

00:35:16.519 --> 00:35:17.039
 related.

00:35:17.420 --> 00:35:17.760
 So we can

00:35:17.760 --> 00:35:18.080
 think of

00:35:18.080 --> 00:35:19.539
 us to

00:35:19.539 --> 00:35:19.840
 Jesus,

00:35:19.960 --> 00:35:20.240
 it's kind

00:35:20.240 --> 00:35:20.380
 of like

00:35:20.380 --> 00:35:20.860
 Jesus to

00:35:20.860 --> 00:35:21.360
 Melchizedek.

00:35:21.620 --> 00:35:22.320
 It's a long

00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:22.519
 time.

00:35:23.539 --> 00:35:24.280
 But nevertheless,

00:35:24.480 --> 00:35:24.960
 despite that

00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:25.660
 great distance

00:35:25.660 --> 00:35:26.039
 of time,

00:35:26.560 --> 00:35:27.019
 we describe

00:35:27.019 --> 00:35:27.940
 that Jesus

00:35:27.940 --> 00:35:28.580
 is described

00:35:28.580 --> 00:35:29.420
 as after the

00:35:29.420 --> 00:35:30.060
 order of

00:35:30.060 --> 00:35:30.740
 Melchizedek.

00:35:30.739 --> 00:35:31.319
 And that

00:35:31.319 --> 00:35:31.739
 phrasing,

00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:33.619
 after the

00:35:33.619 --> 00:35:34.000
 order of

00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:34.500
 Melchizedek,

00:35:34.719 --> 00:35:35.419
 actually comes

00:35:35.419 --> 00:35:35.899
 from a

00:35:35.899 --> 00:35:36.579
 prophecy in

00:35:36.579 --> 00:35:37.119
 Psalm 110.

00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:38.059
 So it's kind

00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:38.319
 of these

00:35:38.319 --> 00:35:38.599
 things are

00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:39.119
 being brought

00:35:39.119 --> 00:35:39.500
 together.

00:35:41.039 --> 00:35:42.219
 And one

00:35:42.219 --> 00:35:42.500
 of the things

00:35:42.500 --> 00:35:43.019
 I also want

00:35:43.019 --> 00:35:43.519
 us to see

00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:44.439
 in understanding

00:35:44.439 --> 00:35:45.019
 that Jesus

00:35:45.019 --> 00:35:45.579
 as this

00:35:45.579 --> 00:35:46.379
 priest after

00:35:46.379 --> 00:35:46.679
 the order

00:35:46.679 --> 00:35:47.219
 of Melchizedek

00:35:47.219 --> 00:35:47.859
 is the role

00:35:47.859 --> 00:35:48.339
 of a priest.

00:35:48.679 --> 00:35:49.219
 So a priest

00:35:49.219 --> 00:35:49.739
 is someone who

00:35:49.739 --> 00:35:50.539
 mediates the

00:35:50.539 --> 00:35:51.799
 relationship between

00:35:51.799 --> 00:35:52.659
 God and

00:35:52.659 --> 00:35:53.019
 people.

00:35:53.919 --> 00:35:55.219
 So that's in

00:35:55.219 --> 00:35:56.519
 our church,

00:35:56.659 --> 00:35:57.119
 so we don't

00:35:57.119 --> 00:35:57.839
 have priests.

00:35:57.840 --> 00:35:59.360
 We have

00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:00.000
 pastors who

00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:00.579
 are leading

00:36:00.579 --> 00:36:01.079
 us along

00:36:01.079 --> 00:36:01.460
 the way.

00:36:02.460 --> 00:36:03.100
 It has to

00:36:03.100 --> 00:36:03.980
 do with our

00:36:03.980 --> 00:36:04.980
 understanding of

00:36:04.980 --> 00:36:06.440
 that relationship

00:36:06.440 --> 00:36:07.160
 between us

00:36:07.160 --> 00:36:07.460
 and God.

00:36:07.660 --> 00:36:07.960
 Whereas in

00:36:07.960 --> 00:36:08.440
 some churches

00:36:08.440 --> 00:36:08.740
 they would

00:36:08.740 --> 00:36:09.360
 have priests,

00:36:09.579 --> 00:36:09.900
 so someone

00:36:09.900 --> 00:36:10.180
 who is

00:36:10.180 --> 00:36:10.980
 mediating that

00:36:10.980 --> 00:36:11.320
 difference.

00:36:12.400 --> 00:36:12.680
 So when

00:36:12.680 --> 00:36:14.820
 Jesus is a

00:36:14.820 --> 00:36:15.240
 priest,

00:36:15.640 --> 00:36:16.300
 Melchizedek is

00:36:16.300 --> 00:36:16.760
 also a

00:36:16.760 --> 00:36:16.860
 priest.

00:36:17.100 --> 00:36:17.300
 They're

00:36:17.300 --> 00:36:17.780
 mediating the

00:36:17.780 --> 00:36:18.120
 relationship

00:36:18.120 --> 00:36:18.720
 between God

00:36:18.720 --> 00:36:19.079
 and people.

00:36:19.420 --> 00:36:20.100
 So Hebrews

00:36:20.100 --> 00:36:21.240
 6 explains the

00:36:21.240 --> 00:36:22.059
 uniqueness of

00:36:22.059 --> 00:36:22.640
 Melchizedek.

00:36:22.940 --> 00:36:23.700
 Melchizedek is

00:36:23.700 --> 00:36:24.840
 indeed a unique

00:36:24.840 --> 00:36:25.900
 figure in the

00:36:25.900 --> 00:36:26.140
 scripture.

00:36:26.139 --> 00:36:28.039
 So one of

00:36:28.039 --> 00:36:28.379
 the things with

00:36:28.379 --> 00:36:28.920
 Melchizedek,

00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:29.719
 his name means

00:36:29.719 --> 00:36:30.279
 righteousness.

00:36:31.159 --> 00:36:31.739
 He's the king

00:36:31.739 --> 00:36:32.259
 of righteousness.

00:36:32.619 --> 00:36:35.039
 Melchizedek is

00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:36.019
 also the king

00:36:36.019 --> 00:36:36.460
 of Salem.

00:36:36.739 --> 00:36:37.299
 Salem means

00:36:37.299 --> 00:36:37.719
 peace.

00:36:38.219 --> 00:36:38.960
 Melchizedek is

00:36:38.960 --> 00:36:39.659
 the king of

00:36:39.659 --> 00:36:39.940
 peace.

00:36:40.299 --> 00:36:41.239
 Melchizedek lacks

00:36:41.239 --> 00:36:42.179
 a genealogy.

00:36:42.539 --> 00:36:42.879
 There's no

00:36:42.879 --> 00:36:43.719
 beginning, no

00:36:43.719 --> 00:36:44.319
 begin, no

00:36:44.319 --> 00:36:45.460
 begin, no

00:36:45.460 --> 00:36:45.779
 end.

00:36:46.179 --> 00:36:46.719
 And it's said

00:36:46.719 --> 00:36:48.299
 that he continues

00:36:48.299 --> 00:36:49.359
 as a priest

00:36:49.359 --> 00:36:51.579
 forever, like

00:36:51.579 --> 00:36:52.099
 the Son of

00:36:52.099 --> 00:36:52.339
 God.

00:36:53.059 --> 00:36:53.379
 In fact,

00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:55.019
 Melchizedek in

00:36:55.019 --> 00:36:56.119
 Hebrews 7 is

00:36:56.119 --> 00:36:57.239
 perceived as

00:36:57.239 --> 00:36:58.199
 greater than

00:36:58.199 --> 00:36:58.839
 Abraham.

00:36:59.239 --> 00:37:00.079
 Abraham and

00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:00.619
 Abram, our

00:37:00.619 --> 00:37:01.119
 character from

00:37:01.119 --> 00:37:01.559
 today, are the

00:37:01.559 --> 00:37:02.259
 exact same

00:37:02.259 --> 00:37:02.619
 person.

00:37:03.359 --> 00:37:04.380
 So Melchizedek

00:37:04.380 --> 00:37:05.319
 is perceived as

00:37:05.319 --> 00:37:06.199
 greater than

00:37:06.199 --> 00:37:06.779
 Abram.

00:37:06.980 --> 00:37:07.259
 And that's

00:37:07.259 --> 00:37:07.619
 almost a

00:37:07.619 --> 00:37:08.179
 sacrilegious

00:37:08.179 --> 00:37:08.799
 claim to

00:37:08.799 --> 00:37:09.859
 make at

00:37:09.859 --> 00:37:10.259
 this point

00:37:10.259 --> 00:37:10.519
 in time.

00:37:10.599 --> 00:37:10.799
 In fact,

00:37:11.079 --> 00:37:12.980
 Jesus insinuates

00:37:12.980 --> 00:37:13.859
 his superiority

00:37:13.859 --> 00:37:15.480
 to Abram, to

00:37:15.480 --> 00:37:16.400
 Abraham, and

00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:16.940
 people start to

00:37:16.940 --> 00:37:17.880
 get rocks to

00:37:17.880 --> 00:37:18.440
 begin about the

00:37:18.440 --> 00:37:18.859
 process of

00:37:18.859 --> 00:37:19.339
 killing him.

00:37:22.099 --> 00:37:24.559
 So Melchizedek

00:37:24.559 --> 00:37:25.339
 is greater than

00:37:25.340 --> 00:37:26.460
 Abram, because

00:37:26.460 --> 00:37:27.500
 Abram has

00:37:27.500 --> 00:37:28.260
 subjected himself

00:37:28.260 --> 00:37:28.820
 to him by

00:37:28.820 --> 00:37:30.160
 pain, a

00:37:30.160 --> 00:37:30.720
 tenth of

00:37:30.720 --> 00:37:31.380
 those spoils,

00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:33.500
 and also

00:37:33.500 --> 00:37:35.600
 Abram's

00:37:35.600 --> 00:37:36.360
 lineage, because

00:37:36.360 --> 00:37:37.280
 the people who

00:37:37.280 --> 00:37:38.980
 follow Abram are

00:37:38.980 --> 00:37:39.519
 part of his

00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:40.220
 lineage, and

00:37:40.220 --> 00:37:40.620
 that's part of

00:37:40.620 --> 00:37:41.180
 the nation of

00:37:41.180 --> 00:37:41.559
 Israel.

00:37:41.960 --> 00:37:42.340
 They have

00:37:42.340 --> 00:37:42.720
 subjected

00:37:42.720 --> 00:37:43.800
 themselves through

00:37:43.800 --> 00:37:44.780
 Abraham also to

00:37:44.780 --> 00:37:45.300
 Melchizedek.

00:37:45.579 --> 00:37:46.039
 We see that

00:37:46.039 --> 00:37:47.079
 Melchizedek is

00:37:47.079 --> 00:37:48.480
 greater than the

00:37:48.480 --> 00:37:49.780
 great priest out

00:37:49.780 --> 00:37:50.620
 of the law.

00:37:50.860 --> 00:37:51.460
 So the law has

00:37:51.460 --> 00:37:52.280
 provided priests

00:37:52.280 --> 00:37:54.960
 through the line

00:37:54.960 --> 00:37:55.880
 of Aaron, but

00:37:55.880 --> 00:37:56.780
 Melchizedek is

00:37:56.780 --> 00:37:57.800
 greater than

00:37:57.800 --> 00:37:58.320
 these.

00:37:58.600 --> 00:37:59.060
 We see that

00:37:59.060 --> 00:38:00.220
 Jesus is like

00:38:00.220 --> 00:38:01.160
 Melchizedek.

00:38:02.540 --> 00:38:03.300
 And Hebrews

00:38:03.300 --> 00:38:04.080
 7 begins

00:38:04.080 --> 00:38:04.880
 explaining that

00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:06.180
 Jesus is a

00:38:06.180 --> 00:38:06.740
 priest like

00:38:06.740 --> 00:38:07.280
 Melchizedek.

00:38:07.480 --> 00:38:07.680
 This is

00:38:07.680 --> 00:38:08.260
 specifically

00:38:08.260 --> 00:38:09.320
 described as

00:38:09.320 --> 00:38:10.300
 in the order

00:38:10.300 --> 00:38:11.120
 of Melchizedek.

00:38:11.260 --> 00:38:11.940
 He is not a

00:38:11.940 --> 00:38:12.460
 priest of the

00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:12.780
 law.

00:38:13.360 --> 00:38:13.620
 That's what

00:38:13.620 --> 00:38:14.140
 Hebrews would

00:38:14.140 --> 00:38:14.280
 say.

00:38:14.340 --> 00:38:15.060
 Jesus is not

00:38:15.060 --> 00:38:15.620
 in the line of

00:38:15.620 --> 00:38:16.120
 priests in the

00:38:16.120 --> 00:38:16.680
 law, but

00:38:16.680 --> 00:38:17.519
 rather a priest

00:38:17.519 --> 00:38:18.160
 of the order

00:38:18.160 --> 00:38:19.140
 of Melchizedek.

00:38:19.139 --> 00:38:20.759
 And so

00:38:20.759 --> 00:38:21.460
 Jesus doesn't

00:38:21.460 --> 00:38:22.599
 come from a

00:38:22.599 --> 00:38:23.299
 priestly lineage.

00:38:23.699 --> 00:38:24.239
 He comes from

00:38:24.239 --> 00:38:25.679
 Judah, who is

00:38:25.679 --> 00:38:26.319
 not the priest

00:38:26.319 --> 00:38:26.500
 line.

00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:27.179
 Levi is the

00:38:27.179 --> 00:38:27.579
 priest line.

00:38:28.619 --> 00:38:30.039
 And Jesus

00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:31.940
 becomes a

00:38:31.940 --> 00:38:33.699
 priest, not

00:38:33.699 --> 00:38:34.339
 because of his

00:38:34.339 --> 00:38:34.839
 lineage, not

00:38:34.839 --> 00:38:35.299
 because of his

00:38:35.299 --> 00:38:36.460
 birth, but

00:38:36.460 --> 00:38:36.940
 through the

00:38:36.940 --> 00:38:37.759
 power of an

00:38:37.759 --> 00:38:38.599
 indestructible

00:38:38.599 --> 00:38:40.239
 life, like

00:38:40.239 --> 00:38:40.920
 Melchizedek.

00:38:41.579 --> 00:38:42.460
 And we see

00:38:42.460 --> 00:38:43.500
 here in Hebrews

00:38:43.500 --> 00:38:43.920
 they would say

00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:44.699
 that Jesus has

00:38:44.699 --> 00:38:45.420
 fulfilled the

00:38:45.420 --> 00:38:47.000
 prophecy in

00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:47.960
 Psalm 110.

00:38:47.960 --> 00:38:48.179
 name.

00:38:49.440 --> 00:38:50.139
 Thus the

00:38:50.139 --> 00:38:50.860
 prophecy is

00:38:50.860 --> 00:38:51.119
 this.

00:38:51.260 --> 00:38:51.720
 It's repeated

00:38:51.720 --> 00:38:52.099
 here in

00:38:52.099 --> 00:38:52.679
 Hebrews 7

00:38:52.679 --> 00:38:53.099
 21.

00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:53.900
 The Lord

00:38:53.900 --> 00:38:54.500
 has shown,

00:38:54.760 --> 00:38:55.119
 and while

00:38:55.119 --> 00:38:55.679
 not change

00:38:55.679 --> 00:38:56.039
 his mind,

00:38:56.460 --> 00:38:58.079
 you are a

00:38:58.079 --> 00:38:59.079
 priest forever.

00:39:00.900 --> 00:39:01.800
 Jesus is a

00:39:01.800 --> 00:39:02.300
 priest who is

00:39:02.300 --> 00:39:03.300
 able to

00:39:03.300 --> 00:39:05.019
 continue forever.

00:39:05.940 --> 00:39:06.480
 Some priests

00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:07.360
 will die, other

00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:08.019
 priests will die.

00:39:08.300 --> 00:39:08.980
 Jesus, however,

00:39:09.300 --> 00:39:09.820
 will not.

00:39:10.119 --> 00:39:11.460
 And as so, he

00:39:11.460 --> 00:39:12.400
 is able to

00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:13.980
 constantly bring

00:39:13.980 --> 00:39:15.159
 us to God, to

00:39:15.159 --> 00:39:15.679
 stand in the

00:39:15.679 --> 00:39:16.720
 way, so that we

00:39:16.720 --> 00:39:17.579
 have a path

00:39:17.579 --> 00:39:18.519
 before God, to

00:39:18.519 --> 00:39:19.699
 mediate that

00:39:19.699 --> 00:39:20.880
 relationship that

00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:21.880
 we have with

00:39:21.880 --> 00:39:22.159
 God.

00:39:22.559 --> 00:39:23.639
 Jesus serves

00:39:23.639 --> 00:39:24.480
 forever as our

00:39:24.480 --> 00:39:25.920
 priest, mediating

00:39:25.920 --> 00:39:26.639
 our relationship

00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:27.159
 with God.

00:39:28.019 --> 00:39:28.539
 And because of

00:39:28.539 --> 00:39:29.039
 the righteousness

00:39:29.039 --> 00:39:30.099
 that Jesus has,

00:39:31.239 --> 00:39:31.980
 he can establish

00:39:31.980 --> 00:39:33.139
 peace between

00:39:33.139 --> 00:39:34.380
 God and us.

00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:36.159
 As we think of

00:39:36.159 --> 00:39:37.360
 our own lives, we

00:39:37.360 --> 00:39:39.739
 like Abraham, have

00:39:39.739 --> 00:39:41.840
 two kings vying

00:39:41.840 --> 00:39:42.840
 for our allegiance.

00:39:45.440 --> 00:39:47.179
 Abraham had,

00:39:47.179 --> 00:39:49.079
 Melchizedek, the

00:39:49.079 --> 00:39:50.119
 king of Sodom, both

00:39:50.119 --> 00:39:50.980
 vying for his

00:39:50.980 --> 00:39:51.339
 allegiance.

00:39:52.639 --> 00:39:53.379
 We are on that

00:39:53.379 --> 00:39:53.619
 end.

00:39:53.759 --> 00:39:55.119
 But Jesus, who is

00:39:55.119 --> 00:39:55.859
 in the order of

00:39:55.859 --> 00:39:56.659
 Melchizedek, Jesus,

00:39:56.960 --> 00:39:57.539
 the king of

00:39:57.539 --> 00:39:58.639
 righteousness, the

00:39:58.639 --> 00:40:00.399
 king of peace, he

00:40:00.399 --> 00:40:01.779
 stands ready as a

00:40:01.779 --> 00:40:02.759
 priest to bring us

00:40:02.759 --> 00:40:03.819
 to the most high

00:40:03.819 --> 00:40:04.219
 God.

00:40:05.279 --> 00:40:06.519
 Jesus comes offering

00:40:06.519 --> 00:40:07.859
 our provisions of

00:40:07.859 --> 00:40:08.819
 bread and wine.

00:40:08.820 --> 00:40:08.920
 God.

00:40:11.080 --> 00:40:12.740
 And as Abraham came

00:40:12.740 --> 00:40:14.460
 to Melchizedek, we

00:40:14.460 --> 00:40:15.800
 too must come to

00:40:15.800 --> 00:40:16.800
 Jesus with an

00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:17.000
 honor.

00:40:17.460 --> 00:40:18.400
 We must come giving

00:40:18.400 --> 00:40:19.360
 of ourselves, giving

00:40:19.360 --> 00:40:20.039
 of our life.

00:40:21.220 --> 00:40:22.080
 But Jesus stands

00:40:22.080 --> 00:40:23.260
 ready to receive us.

00:40:23.460 --> 00:40:24.280
 We're told in Romans

00:40:24.280 --> 00:40:25.960
 10 verse 9, if you

00:40:25.960 --> 00:40:26.700
 confess with your

00:40:26.700 --> 00:40:28.019
 mouth that Jesus is

00:40:28.019 --> 00:40:29.600
 Lord and believe in

00:40:29.600 --> 00:40:30.320
 your heart that God

00:40:30.320 --> 00:40:31.039
 raised him from the

00:40:31.039 --> 00:40:32.940
 dead, you will be

00:40:32.940 --> 00:40:33.640
 saved.

00:40:34.120 --> 00:40:36.660
 Jesus stands ready to

00:40:36.660 --> 00:40:37.620
 receive us.

00:40:37.619 --> 00:40:38.639
 But there is another

00:40:38.639 --> 00:40:40.639
 king who wants our

00:40:40.639 --> 00:40:41.219
 allegiance.

00:40:42.259 --> 00:40:42.739
 And that other

00:40:42.739 --> 00:40:43.719
 king is the king of

00:40:43.719 --> 00:40:44.099
 Sodom.

00:40:45.779 --> 00:40:47.039
 Just like the king of

00:40:47.039 --> 00:40:48.359
 Sodom enticed Abraham,

00:40:48.619 --> 00:40:49.500
 and just like the king

00:40:49.500 --> 00:40:51.679
 of Sodom was able to

00:40:51.679 --> 00:40:52.599
 entice other people

00:40:52.599 --> 00:40:53.519
 such as Lot with that

00:40:53.519 --> 00:40:54.779
 lush land, the king of

00:40:54.779 --> 00:40:55.639
 Sodom stands there

00:40:55.639 --> 00:40:57.000
 ready to entice us

00:40:57.000 --> 00:40:57.319
 now.

00:40:58.900 --> 00:40:59.839
 The king of Sodom

00:40:59.839 --> 00:41:01.000
 entices us with that

00:41:01.000 --> 00:41:02.880
 appealing and

00:41:02.880 --> 00:41:04.099
 attractive looking future.

00:41:05.239 --> 00:41:06.259
 Offers a chance to

00:41:06.259 --> 00:41:07.380
 indulge in our baseless

00:41:07.380 --> 00:41:07.840
 passions.

00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:11.660
 But like Sodom itself,

00:41:11.900 --> 00:41:12.800
 this king of Sodom,

00:41:13.420 --> 00:41:14.740
 this vile king, is

00:41:14.740 --> 00:41:16.119
 filled with sin and

00:41:16.119 --> 00:41:16.360
 death.

00:41:17.579 --> 00:41:18.400
 And like Sodom

00:41:18.400 --> 00:41:19.019
 takes destruction,

00:41:19.400 --> 00:41:20.240
 this king of Sodom

00:41:20.240 --> 00:41:22.460
 offers us a path that

00:41:22.460 --> 00:41:23.519
 will lead to our own

00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:23.920
 destruction.

00:41:25.619 --> 00:41:26.059
 Wow.

00:41:26.940 --> 00:41:28.579
 King of Sodom, the land

00:41:28.579 --> 00:41:29.380
 looks pretty good now.

00:41:30.180 --> 00:41:31.180
 It looks pretty good

00:41:31.180 --> 00:41:32.780
 now, but it will lead to

00:41:32.780 --> 00:41:33.920
 a path of destruction.

00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:35.980
 So which king will gain

00:41:35.980 --> 00:41:36.760
 your fealty?

00:41:38.480 --> 00:41:39.820
 Will it be King Jesus,

00:41:40.079 --> 00:41:41.360
 who stands ready to

00:41:41.360 --> 00:41:41.840
 receive it?

00:41:42.659 --> 00:41:44.280
 Or it will be the king

00:41:44.280 --> 00:41:46.659
 of Sodom, who offers

00:41:46.659 --> 00:41:49.059
 a temporarily enticing

00:41:49.059 --> 00:41:51.740
 place, but a place that

00:41:51.740 --> 00:41:52.880
 leads to destruction?

00:41:52.880 --> 00:41:55.780
 These two kings are at war.

00:41:56.860 --> 00:41:58.119
 King Jesus and the king of

00:41:58.119 --> 00:41:58.880
 Sodom are at war.

00:41:59.900 --> 00:42:01.160
 They cannot be reconciled.

00:42:01.780 --> 00:42:02.860
 There are no dual

00:42:02.860 --> 00:42:03.800
 allegiances allowed.

00:42:06.519 --> 00:42:08.079
 So which will gain your

00:42:08.079 --> 00:42:08.360
 allegiance?

00:42:08.360 --> 00:42:11.220
 The good news for you is

00:42:11.220 --> 00:42:12.579
 that King Jesus is ready

00:42:12.579 --> 00:42:13.460
 to welcome you.

00:42:15.320 --> 00:42:16.720
 We are told, if we confess

00:42:16.720 --> 00:42:18.079
 with our mouth that Jesus

00:42:18.079 --> 00:42:19.559
 is Lord, and believe in

00:42:19.559 --> 00:42:20.519
 your heart that God raised

00:42:20.519 --> 00:42:21.860
 him from the dead, you

00:42:21.860 --> 00:42:24.400
 will be saved.

00:42:25.660 --> 00:42:27.059
 So as you think of that

00:42:27.059 --> 00:42:28.460
 battle that's taking place

00:42:28.460 --> 00:42:29.760
 within your own life now,

00:42:30.680 --> 00:42:32.559
 which king will gain your

00:42:32.559 --> 00:42:32.920
 allegiance?

00:42:34.099 --> 00:42:35.400
 You cannot have hope.

00:42:36.539 --> 00:42:37.440
 There is King Jesus,

00:42:37.440 --> 00:42:38.960
 for the kingdom of Sodom.

00:42:39.820 --> 00:42:40.700
 Let me pray this.

00:42:43.860 --> 00:42:45.220
 God, we become

00:42:45.220 --> 00:42:47.920
 thankful for the great

00:42:47.920 --> 00:42:50.059
 example of faith that we

00:42:50.059 --> 00:42:51.440
 have in our favor.

00:42:52.280 --> 00:42:53.720
 God, pray that we too

00:42:53.720 --> 00:42:55.200
 might be able to model

00:42:55.200 --> 00:42:56.880
 that faith and live out

00:42:56.880 --> 00:42:58.480
 that faith in our love.

00:42:59.119 --> 00:43:00.340
 God, we pray for each of

00:43:00.340 --> 00:43:01.940
 us that indeed our

00:43:01.940 --> 00:43:03.480
 allegiance would go to

00:43:03.480 --> 00:43:03.880
 Jesus.

00:43:04.519 --> 00:43:05.720
 God, for those who are

00:43:05.720 --> 00:43:06.539
 struggling with that

00:43:06.539 --> 00:43:07.420
 decision this morning,

00:43:07.440 --> 00:43:08.820
 God, we pray that your

00:43:08.820 --> 00:43:10.380
 spirit would continue to

00:43:10.380 --> 00:43:11.460
 minister to them, and

00:43:11.460 --> 00:43:12.760
 continue to show them the

00:43:12.760 --> 00:43:14.179
 truth, God, that perhaps

00:43:14.179 --> 00:43:14.900
 even this morning,

00:43:15.179 --> 00:43:16.320
 decisions might be made

00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:17.500
 to follow Jesus.

00:43:17.880 --> 00:43:18.880
 We ask all of this now.

00:43:19.220 --> 00:43:19.619
 Amen.

00:43:19.619 --> 00:43:20.619
 Amen.