WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.700 We've been going through scripture and we're actually, last week we started on a guy who 00:00:05.700 --> 00:00:13.280 ! Becomes the founding father of the faith almost in Abram. And he is also making choices. 00:00:13.900 --> 00:00:18.400 He actually makes the choice to leave his own father's house. And I talked last week about the pain 00:00:18.400 --> 00:00:24.539 of that. And he goes and he heads towards Canaan and he makes just this brave, brave choice. 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:29.560 And he leaves to a place where he doesn't know. God says, you go first and then I'll show you later. 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:37.340 How terrifying is that? But yet he goes, filled with faith. That's why righteousness was countered 00:00:37.340 --> 00:00:42.579 to him. And we see in multiple places in the New Testament, this guy is a righteous man, even though 00:00:42.579 --> 00:00:50.079 he makes a good choice, followed shortly by a bad choice. He goes to the place where God leads him 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:54.039 and suddenly things don't work out because there's enemies there and there's no food there. So he 00:00:54.039 --> 00:00:57.359 decides, well, you know what, God, I followed you at this point, but I'm going to take the wheel now 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:01.280 and I'm going to go my own way. So then he goes to Egypt and from there he makes a bad choice. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:06.239 I mean, just to say it's a bad choice is an understatement. He actually sacrifices his wife, 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:10.159 tells a lie and gives his wife to be in Pharaoh's harem. 00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:16.479 And then Pharaoh gets him out and says, what did you do? Why did you not tell me the truth? 00:01:17.379 --> 00:01:21.879 Interestingly, Abram gets rich by doing this because Pharaoh gives him so much favor because 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:29.359 he thinks Sarai is his brother, his sister. And so then he leaves Egypt more rich than when he first 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:34.819 came in. And so you see, it's all about choices that we make. And even though we made that choice 00:01:34.819 --> 00:01:39.139 for God many years ago, it doesn't mean that we're making the choice for God today. And what Christ 00:01:39.139 --> 00:01:43.639 says is actually every day, every day you decide to take up your cross and you follow me today, 00:01:43.639 --> 00:01:48.819 every moment of every hour, but that's hard. That's why we need people around us. That's why 00:01:48.819 --> 00:01:52.479 we need fathers to model that to us. That's why we need fathers to hold us accountable. That's why we 00:01:52.479 --> 00:01:57.560 need these people to help us make these decisions. And we're going to carry on and look at what the, 00:01:57.619 --> 00:02:02.780 where the story goes. And it is continually all about choices as well. Um, so we're going to be 00:02:02.780 --> 00:02:08.319 going through Genesis chapter 13 to 14. So I'm going to be going quite quick, quite quick. Uh, 00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:14.080 and so please do bear with me, open up your Bibles to Genesis chapter 13 to 14, and we're going to go 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:17.699 through, but maybe before that, what I will do is invite you to stand for the word of the Lord. 00:02:19.460 --> 00:02:20.379 Let me pray again. 00:02:26.860 --> 00:02:32.219 So God, our heavenly father, our perfect heavenly father who loves us in an 00:02:32.219 --> 00:02:37.340 unconditional perfect way. We thank you. We thank you for being here this morning. 00:02:37.900 --> 00:02:44.060 And we also thank you for this word, whether we've heard this all before, or whether it's 00:02:44.060 --> 00:02:49.079 all new, Lord, we pray that you would speak to us again. 00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:57.139 We thank you for your word. Genesis chapter 13. So Abram went up from Egypt, 00:02:57.139 --> 00:03:02.779 he and his wife and all that he had and lot with him into the Negev. Now, Abram was very rich in 00:03:02.779 --> 00:03:07.839 livestock in silver and in gold. And he journeyed on from the Negev as far as Bethel to the place 00:03:07.839 --> 00:03:12.459 where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and I, to the place where he had made an 00:03:12.459 --> 00:03:17.699 altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord. And lot who went with him 00:03:17.699 --> 00:03:22.379 also had flocks and herds and tents so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together 00:03:22.379 --> 00:03:26.819 for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between 00:03:26.819 --> 00:03:32.439 the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time, the Canaanites 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:38.919 and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, let there be no strife between you 00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:44.060 and me and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. It's not the whole land before 00:03:44.060 --> 00:03:48.780 you. Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right. If you take the 00:03:48.780 --> 00:03:53.560 right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley 00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:58.139 was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt in the direction 00:03:58.139 --> 00:04:03.879 of Zoar. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan 00:04:03.879 --> 00:04:08.979 Valley and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:14.280 while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:20.000 Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. Then the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:24.680 from him, lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are northward and southward and eastward 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:29.819 and westward. And for all the land that you see, I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I 00:04:29.819 --> 00:04:33.639 will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, 00:04:33.699 --> 00:04:37.720 your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, 00:04:37.779 --> 00:04:42.620 for I will give it to you. So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, 00:04:42.620 --> 00:04:47.439 which are at Hebron. And there he built an altar to the Lord. This is the word of the Lord. 00:04:48.780 --> 00:04:53.379 Please take a seat. So I didn't read chapter 14, mostly because I spared myself the embarrassment 00:04:53.379 --> 00:04:57.540 of all the names that we're going to go through. So I'm going to leave you to kind of fill those in 00:04:57.540 --> 00:05:03.879 later. But the story is this. He leaves Egypt, a very rich man. He has a very, very, very awkward 00:05:03.879 --> 00:05:08.959 car journey home with his wife. Because, you know, sorry about that. Sorry that I gave you up to the king 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:13.019 and then you have to stay there for quite a while, whilst I had to live in luxury and get more and 00:05:13.019 --> 00:05:18.319 more livestock and more and more people under my care. So they go home. They go back to Canaan. 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:22.539 And this is where we see something interesting happen. Well, let's just follow along. Verse 2, 00:05:23.079 --> 00:05:28.099 chapter 13. Abram was very rich in livestock and in silver and in gold. And he journeyed and he 00:05:28.099 --> 00:05:33.879 heads back to Canaan, verse 4, to the place where he had made an altar at the first. So he goes back to 00:05:33.879 --> 00:05:38.319 Canaan and then he sees the altar that he built first. What an interesting thing that would have 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:42.300 happened there. When you make decisions that are not really trusting God, you feel bad about them. 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:45.360 You feel a little bit ashamed and embarrassed about them. And he heads back to the place where 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:50.079 he first worshipped God. And he sees this altar. He's like, oh. And then it's interesting. It says, 00:05:50.779 --> 00:05:56.159 and there Abram called upon the name of the Lord. So he wasn't calling upon the name of the Lord in 00:05:56.159 --> 00:06:00.199 Egypt because he was trying to take matters into his own hands. He was trying to save his own life. 00:06:00.860 --> 00:06:06.120 And now he comes back and he remembers that actually God's the one who provides for him every step of 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:10.899 the way. He remembers the time when he stood in worship. And from that moment, he actually goes back 00:06:10.899 --> 00:06:16.579 into worship himself. It's interesting because even though Abram didn't trust God and made decisions 00:06:16.579 --> 00:06:22.639 according to his own wisdom, yet God still blessed him. Isn't that interesting? Doesn't that remind you 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:28.399 that when we are faithless, God is still faithful? And so God still, despite his bad decisions, 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:31.860 still keeps blessing him. He must have been, what on earth just happened? 00:06:31.860 --> 00:06:38.180 I lied. I gave up my wife and yet somehow God still blessed me. I think that's you and I. I think 00:06:38.180 --> 00:06:42.379 that's you and I when we constantly make bad decisions about things and yet God somehow still 00:06:42.379 --> 00:06:47.240 has our back. He still has this net where he keeps caring for us and keeps providing for us. And we 00:06:47.240 --> 00:06:53.520 wonder, my goodness, God, what did we do to deserve this? And so what's the next appropriate response 00:06:53.520 --> 00:06:58.699 from there? It is to worship. So he then calls on the name of the Lord and he worships. But then something 00:06:58.699 --> 00:07:04.099 interesting happens. Even though we make bad decisions and then God has our back, there are 00:07:04.099 --> 00:07:10.339 still consequences to those bad decisions. All that wealth that he got from Egypt ends up being too 00:07:10.339 --> 00:07:18.399 much for the land to actually support. So what happens? A family feud. Lot's herdsmen and Abram's 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:23.219 herdsmen, they start fighting and arguing because they just have so much, there's nowhere to even put it. 00:07:23.220 --> 00:07:30.000 So they're starting to fight over places to put all their blessings, which tells me something else, 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:33.840 which is when God gives the blessing, then there will be a place to put it. But when he doesn't, 00:07:33.880 --> 00:07:38.220 and when we try and get it by our own means, then actually that's when we run into trouble. 00:07:39.020 --> 00:07:43.940 Interestingly, later, you'll have heard of a story about a lady called Hagar that again, 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:48.540 Abraham doesn't trust in God's provision and then uses another way. And guess where Hagar is from? 00:07:48.540 --> 00:07:53.200 Egypt. So you see some of the things that come from the places where we make wrong decisions 00:07:53.200 --> 00:07:59.520 come back to haunt us. And what we see here is a family feud between Abram and Lot. It's funny 00:07:59.520 --> 00:08:06.480 because this is a truly a first world problem. They're so rich, they have to fight. And we look 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:12.420 at that and go, that is so pathetic. That is such an ancient world thing, is it? Or do we see the rich 00:08:12.420 --> 00:08:18.080 fighting the rich here? How many times do we see wealthy families fighting in-house about what? 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:23.199 About money. And it's the same thing. And we see it happening right here. What's even more 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:27.879 interesting, if I keep going down, at the end of verse seven, at the time, the Canaanites and the 00:08:27.879 --> 00:08:33.139 Perizzites were dwelling in the land. The author's kind of just showing us here, hey, so these two 00:08:33.139 --> 00:08:36.579 rich people were fighting because of the things that they'd gained in a way that they shouldn't 00:08:36.579 --> 00:08:41.079 have done it. And yet now the people on the outside are looking in going, what are these guys doing? 00:08:42.539 --> 00:08:45.159 He almost just kind of goes out of his way. And yeah, and other people were watching. 00:08:45.159 --> 00:08:49.939 The Canaanites were there. The people outside of the house of God, the family of God, they were 00:08:49.939 --> 00:08:55.379 looking in going, what are these guys doing? And I just stopped there and go, how much of that happens 00:08:55.379 --> 00:09:02.659 in the church when the family of God fights over the blessings? And then the people on the outside 00:09:02.659 --> 00:09:08.939 look in and go, oh my goodness. So that's what following God looks like. It looks like hypocrisy. 00:09:08.940 --> 00:09:15.360 It looks like greed. It looks like selfishness. Isn't it interesting? Isn't it embarrassing? 00:09:16.360 --> 00:09:21.440 And yet here is the story. But thankfully, Abram has learned from his time in Egypt. And I think 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:25.280 he starts to make some good choices. So from here, he goes to his nephew, which by the way, 00:09:25.320 --> 00:09:31.080 who lost his father at a young age, and Abram takes him in and takes him away from home. And he says to 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:37.020 his nephew, like, hey, okay, it's too much. We are just too rich. Why don't we separate? Why don't you 00:09:37.019 --> 00:09:40.439 go one way and I go the other way? And you know what? Why don't you choose which way you want to go? 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:46.299 Isn't this interesting? Because if you think about Abram, he is the uncle. He is the senior person 00:09:46.299 --> 00:09:50.759 in this relationship. He would have had every right to say, look, I'm going to make the decision. 00:09:51.259 --> 00:09:54.379 I'm going to go this way. And then you go that way. And then we'll figure it out yourself. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:59.199 Right? And yet Abram decides, well, actually in this moment, I'm going to let you choose. Why does 00:09:59.199 --> 00:10:03.639 Abram do that? I think Abram does it because he realizes that the only one who provides, 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:08.179 the only one who can really trust is God. And he doesn't need to trust in his own eyes to see 00:10:08.179 --> 00:10:13.939 where is a good place to go. So he's like, look, you choose. And then I'll be okay with whatever, 00:10:14.319 --> 00:10:18.799 because I think I have learned. I'm the same guy that sacrificed my own wife out of fear of Pharaoh. 00:10:19.319 --> 00:10:25.740 I have learned my lesson. I'm going to let you choose. Some of us are having fights actually right 00:10:25.740 --> 00:10:31.159 now with our families. Some of us are having disagreements and conflict with the people that we love. 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:36.319 And we're like, actually, we might even be right. We might be even be entitled to certain things. 00:10:36.379 --> 00:10:41.419 We might even have the right to make these decisions. And maybe God's telling us, hey, 00:10:41.459 --> 00:10:46.059 do you trust me or do you trust yourself? Maybe there are things where you can actually take a 00:10:46.059 --> 00:10:51.519 step and you know what, it's not right, but guess who I trust? I trust in someone much far bigger. 00:10:51.740 --> 00:10:55.839 I don't need to fight for this for myself. I know that if God wants me to win this, then he will allow me 00:10:55.839 --> 00:11:00.139 to win this. And if he doesn't, then hey, it's up to him because I trust him. Maybe there's some of us who 00:11:00.139 --> 00:11:05.199 need to approach a family conflict and say, you know what? Let me lay aside my ego. Let me lay 00:11:05.199 --> 00:11:09.080 aside my status. Let me lay aside my right. Let me lay aside the fact that who is wrong or who is 00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:15.559 right. And let me just say that I trust in God. And so therefore you choose whichever way and I'm 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:22.960 still going to be okay. Maybe some of us need to learn a little bit from Abram here. Interestingly, 00:11:23.139 --> 00:11:27.159 then Lot's like, okay, well, don't mind if I do. And so then he looks, verse 10, 00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:32.019 and Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered. Let me stop there. 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:40.679 Lot lifted up his eyes and saw. This is the same saw where Eve in Genesis 3 saw the fruit and decided 00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:45.219 it was good. This is the same saw in Genesis 6, where the sons of men were looking at the daughters 00:11:45.219 --> 00:11:50.059 of God and saying, I saw, I liked that person. I liked that woman. I want to take that woman for 00:11:50.059 --> 00:11:55.419 myself. It's this, how often do our eyes get us into trouble? How often do we look at something and 00:11:55.419 --> 00:11:59.559 deem it good ourselves? We want this ourselves and then therefore we take it. 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:06.179 Isn't that what the MTR station adverts are all for? As you walk through the tunnel and you see 00:12:06.179 --> 00:12:11.559 just advert after advert is you're encouraged to look and see and take and say, you want this. 00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:14.639 You don't even know what this is, but you want it and you need it. 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:22.460 How often do our eyes get us into trouble here? How often do our own, our own perceived wisdom get us 00:12:22.460 --> 00:12:27.980 into trouble when we look and see? And so then he says, you know what? I look and I see the valley. 00:12:28.199 --> 00:12:33.039 Now that is a good place. Why is it a good place? Lot looked at it and thought, hmm, this reminds me of 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:36.819 two places. One, it reminds me of the garden of the Lord, the garden of Eden. Even though he himself 00:12:36.819 --> 00:12:41.240 wasn't there, he actually was only not that many generations from people like Adam who was actually 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:45.980 there. So he would have heard stories about the garden of Eden. He's like, this is paradise. Look 00:12:45.980 --> 00:12:51.500 at that valley. Look at the waters. Look at the lush green pastures. That's going to be a good place 00:12:51.500 --> 00:12:57.000 where I continue to grow my wealth. He thinks it reminds him of the garden of Eden. He thinks it 00:12:57.000 --> 00:13:01.680 reminds him of paradise. He also thinks it reminds him of Egypt. Because remember, Lot was with Abram in 00:13:01.680 --> 00:13:06.379 Egypt while he was getting rich, while Sarai was still in Pharaoh's harem. So he would have 00:13:06.379 --> 00:13:11.580 accumulated lots of wealth and luxury himself. So he's like, that valley reminds me of what the 00:13:11.580 --> 00:13:19.559 garden of Eden is, I think, I hear. And also just my time in Egypt, the luxury. Man, look at that place. 00:13:20.179 --> 00:13:25.580 It looks like the rosewood. It looks like the peninsula. That's where I'm going to grow. 00:13:26.259 --> 00:13:30.679 That's where I'm going to be comfortable. And so he decides for himself, I'm going to go there. 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:37.199 Interestingly, as you look further, that is where Sodom and Gomorrah is. That's the direction of 00:13:37.199 --> 00:13:43.319 Sodom and Gomorrah. And what you see here is the slippery slope of sin. He says, I like that place. 00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:48.599 I see it. I think it's going to be good for me. I think it's good for my own luxury. And I'm going 00:13:48.599 --> 00:13:53.419 to move towards that direction. But first he starts at verse 11. He chose for himself all the Jordan 00:13:53.419 --> 00:13:58.279 Valley. And then he journeyed east. By the way, if you look at scripture, anytime anyone travels east, 00:13:58.279 --> 00:14:03.720 it's really not good news. And so what happens here is he heads, settled in the land of Canaan, 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:09.919 while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. It's interesting. 00:14:10.019 --> 00:14:13.279 This is the slippery slope of sin. You look at something and you see it and you want it, 00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:16.799 and then you start moving towards it. And you think, I'm going to be okay. Okay, look, 00:14:16.839 --> 00:14:21.740 the culture there is bad. Verse 13 says this, now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against 00:14:21.740 --> 00:14:26.399 the Lord. So he's like, look, I can see the people over there are really bad, but the valleys leading up to 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:29.699 it are actually really nice. So I'm going to go there and I'm just going to pitch my tent right 00:14:29.699 --> 00:14:34.459 here around the cities around it. And I'm going to be okay. Have we done that before? Where you look 00:14:34.459 --> 00:14:37.919 at something, you look at a company, you look at a career, you look at a relationship, you're like, 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:41.120 look, okay, that's not right. But you know what? I'm just going to get a little bit closer. 00:14:41.959 --> 00:14:46.220 You know, I'm not going to move there. I'm not going to actually stay there and become 00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:50.620 a citizen of Sodom. I'm just going to head that into that direction because I'm going to be okay. 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:55.500 You know what that's called? That's called compromise. That's called you trying to justify in your 00:14:55.500 --> 00:14:59.100 own heart, in your own flesh, things that you think are going to be good for you. And you're 00:14:59.100 --> 00:15:02.720 not looking at what God is saying. How many of us have tried that before? You know what? I will. 00:15:02.820 --> 00:15:07.840 Okay, look, I'll go out with my friends, but don't worry. I'm not going to drink. You know what? 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:11.100 What I'm going to do? I'm just going to be the guy that, you know what? I'll even take my Bible 00:15:11.100 --> 00:15:18.000 app on my phone. And you know what? You know what all my friends need? My friends just need someone 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:21.340 to hold their heads above the toilet when they are, when they are too drunk and they are vomiting. 00:15:21.740 --> 00:15:25.299 Maybe I'll help them. You know what? You know what? My friends are so bad. They're going to need someone 00:15:25.299 --> 00:15:28.019 to help them get home because they're going to be so out of shape. They're going to need someone 00:15:28.019 --> 00:15:32.319 who they can trust to take them home. You know what? So then I will go. How many of us have done that? 00:15:33.259 --> 00:15:38.539 How many of us had justified our actions to get closer and closer to Solomon and Gomorrah and just 00:15:38.539 --> 00:15:42.599 insist that we don't. But what you see here, he sees from afar, he heads in the direction, 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:47.620 he pitches tents in the nearby cities, but later in chapter 14, you see he's living right in the center 00:15:47.620 --> 00:15:54.859 of it. You might think that you're okay, but the reality is you're not okay. Many of you know that I turned 40 00:15:54.860 --> 00:15:59.300 last or this month still, it feels like a long time ago. The reason why it feels like a long time is 00:15:59.300 --> 00:16:05.320 because I committed to having only one McDonald's per month. That is my new pledge of health. 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:12.899 But my goodness, is it hard? My eldest, who's now off school, way too early in my opinion, 00:16:14.800 --> 00:16:17.200 we were having lunch the other day, he's like, I just want McDonald's. I was like, well, 00:16:17.220 --> 00:16:22.600 you can have McDonald's. Oh my goodness. I was sat next to him having my soup whilst he was eating 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:26.820 the hot wings, which I think are the best in the world. And the shake, shake fries, 00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:35.040 the seaweed shake, shake fries. And I was like, oh Lord. And so I actually had to move myself and 00:16:35.040 --> 00:16:39.080 sit somewhere else. But how many of us know that we shouldn't? And yeah, we're like, you know what, 00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:44.300 I'm just cool. I'm just going to hang out and sit next to you. Don't compromise. Don't compromise. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:50.240 Make good choices, people. So what happens there is he goes, and then we'll hear about him later. 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:56.039 Verse 14. But then the Lord said to Abram, okay, you lift up your eyes. And then he shows him the 00:16:56.039 --> 00:16:58.779 whole land. Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and east, southward 00:16:58.779 --> 00:17:03.580 and eastward and westward. What he's doing here, he's doing basically what maybe many years before 00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:10.160 Mufasa does to Simba, where he says, son, look, everything the light touches, everything the light 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:16.940 touches belongs to you. It's going to belong to you. How bold a statement is this? He's saying, 00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:21.019 everything that you see, everything the light touches and everything that you can lay your 00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:25.340 eyes on is going to be yours. What's even more interesting is you don't have a kid right now 00:17:25.340 --> 00:17:31.559 because Sarai is not able to bring you and provide you with this baby. And that's going to hold on a 00:17:31.559 --> 00:17:35.559 whole nother story later. But soon your offspring will be as the dust of the earth. Can you see the 00:17:35.559 --> 00:17:38.620 dust particles there? Can you count them? No, that's the point. You can't. You're going to have so 00:17:38.620 --> 00:17:42.640 many children. You're not even going to be able to count them. Can you, can you imagine how ridiculous 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:49.440 that promise is to Abram at that moment? So he's already given Lot the nice place. He now looks and 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:53.380 sees all of this and God says, look, I'm going to give you everything and I'll give you all the 00:17:53.380 --> 00:18:01.580 children you'll ever need. That's faith. That's him then going, okay, God, I can't see it, but I'm going 00:18:01.580 --> 00:18:06.100 to trust you. And then he keeps going. And then what happens after this, and this is the end of chapter 00:18:06.100 --> 00:18:11.420 13. So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he 00:18:11.420 --> 00:18:16.960 built an altar to the Lord. So again, just God promised him this land. So if I'm, if I'm Abram, 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:21.000 God, you promised me this land. I'm going to set up shop here. I'm going to build, I'm going to build 00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:25.100 the biggest house here that makes it most comfortable. And yet Abram doesn't. And we 00:18:25.100 --> 00:18:28.960 talked a little bit about this last week, even though he's in the promised land that God gave him, 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:34.320 he still only lives in tent. In Hebrews 11, we see why, that actually, even though he's in the land 00:18:34.320 --> 00:18:38.300 that God promised him, his eyes are now on something else. He's on, and it's verse six, I think, 00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:43.180 where his eyes are now on the city that's foundation. There is a foundation whose builder 00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:47.599 and designer is God. So he's looking beyond that. So that's why, even though he's in the promised 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:51.879 land, he still lives in a tent because he says, actually, God, this isn't my end goal. This isn't 00:18:51.879 --> 00:18:57.599 my end destination. And I referenced my conversation with Caleb last week, where we were talking about 00:18:57.599 --> 00:19:03.319 what is even home? Vancouver is home because it's beautiful. Or is Hong Kong home because it's 00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:08.879 convenient and the food until the humidity comes and slaps you in the face every two seconds. 00:19:10.639 --> 00:19:15.879 But then the truth is neither of them are home. We should live, we should make that choice to live 00:19:15.879 --> 00:19:20.659 in wherever we are, despite the comforts or lack of comforts, and still just live in tents. 00:19:21.939 --> 00:19:26.439 Why? Because we know that there's something far greater. There's going to be a combination of 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:31.259 Vancouver and Hong Kong. Can you imagine that? And maybe Hawaii too. I've never been, but I've 00:19:31.259 --> 00:19:38.480 been told it's paradise. But can we cast our eyes on something further? So what does he do again? He 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:42.720 builds an altar and then he worships again, even though he's not obtained it, even though he's still 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:47.559 living in a tent, he says, God, I worship you. Coincidentally, he goes to Hebron, which ends up 00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:52.420 being the place where in the future, a little baby is born and that baby ends up being King David. 00:19:52.420 --> 00:19:59.140 And so you see the story of how it's unfolding right here. Choices. What are the choices that we 00:19:59.140 --> 00:20:04.980 are making? We are allowed to use our eyes to see, but only when God tells us to, only when our vision 00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:11.400 is on what God is asking us to look at. Otherwise we are discerning with our own eyes. We are looking 00:20:11.400 --> 00:20:16.620 and discerning with our own minds. If you go all the way back, that's just mistrust of God. That's 00:20:16.620 --> 00:20:20.539 just Eve deciding the fruit's pretty good. I'm going to take it. I want to know what's right and wrong. 00:20:20.539 --> 00:20:27.659 So chapter 14, I'm going through pretty quick, right? 12. So keep up. And then what we see here 00:20:27.659 --> 00:20:32.480 is probably, well, the first war that is recorded in scripture. So let's just call it the first world 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:37.740 war for now. And what you see is something really interesting. And suddenly there's a whole list of 00:20:37.740 --> 00:20:42.299 names, which I will not go through. But what you see here, and I'll try and paint the picture. And 00:20:42.299 --> 00:20:47.139 honestly, as I was reading this, it reminded me of all the kind of the Chinese TVB episodes that I used 00:20:47.140 --> 00:20:52.500 to watch of all the battles with empires and kingdoms. And actually this chapter 14 could be 00:20:52.500 --> 00:20:57.820 made into a movie. And so what happens is, let me just try and briefly go through it. There is an 00:20:57.820 --> 00:21:02.500 Eastern empire. There is an Eastern empire that is very powerful. That is basically an alliance of 00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:10.100 four kings. Okay. And let's just tell you the name of the main king, which is Kedorlaoma. Kedorlaoma, 00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:15.700 king of Elam, is the head of the snake for this Eastern empire. If you fast forward to modern day, 00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:21.740 that is actually modern day in the area of Iraq and Iran. Okay. So an Eastern empire that is 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:28.779 incredibly powerful, four kings are ruling over five cities. Okay. Who have their own kings, 00:21:28.940 --> 00:21:33.860 but they are paying taxes to these four kings. Okay. So these five little kingdoms are basically 00:21:33.860 --> 00:21:39.539 under the authority of these four kings. Are we okay so far? Okay. So what happens is they've been 00:21:39.539 --> 00:21:44.380 paying taxes all these times, verse four, for 12 years, they have been serving King Kedorlaoma. 00:21:44.380 --> 00:21:49.600 And in the 13th year, they've decided they've had enough. The taxes are too high. Wait, why can't we 00:21:49.600 --> 00:21:55.960 run our own kingdoms? Why do we have to follow this Eastern empire? So they rebel. When they rebel, 00:21:56.160 --> 00:22:00.980 these four kings decide to come and clamp them out. So what happens is these four kings led by 00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:06.560 Kedorlaoma, they head towards the five rebel cities. Before they get to the rebel cities, actually, 00:22:06.740 --> 00:22:11.400 their strategy is that they would actually surround these rebel cities. So they will take, 00:22:11.400 --> 00:22:15.220 they will basically surround, so they actually go around the side. And whilst they're going around 00:22:15.220 --> 00:22:19.759 the side, there's actually another five nomadic tribes that they take over. So they were trying 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:23.960 to regain power of these five kingdoms, but in doing so, they not only get the five kingdoms, 00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:29.180 they actually get another six surrounding tribes around it. So these guys are powerful. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:35.560 And, but what happens is they encircle these rebel cities. And in the middle, what happens is these 00:22:35.560 --> 00:22:39.440 rebel cities, the five, if you look in verse eight, there's a list of them. The king of Sodom, 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:42.960 the king of Gomorrah, the king of Adma, the king of Zoboim, and the king of Bela, 00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:50.660 they are all the five rebel cities. So the Eastern empire surrounds them, takes over the tribes around, 00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:56.920 and then causes such fear that actually the five rebel cities, their kings, a lot of them actually 00:22:56.920 --> 00:23:03.380 die in a pit of tar. So it's a bad situation for them. But for the Eastern empire, it's great, 00:23:03.660 --> 00:23:09.279 because now they had five, and now they have 11. So this is a very, very powerful army is all we need to say. 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:18.320 But they make one mistake. They make one mistake. Chapter 14, verse 12. They also took Lot, 00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:24.380 the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom. Remember, the guy who saw from afar, 00:23:25.059 --> 00:23:31.600 but eventually ends up right in the heart of evil. He was dwelling in Sodom and his possessions and went 00:23:31.600 --> 00:23:38.259 their way. And here is where the story turns. So if this is a movie, that little, but that battle bit 00:23:38.259 --> 00:23:45.900 is probably the first 20 to 30 minutes. But then there's a scene where they take Lot, the nephew of 00:23:45.900 --> 00:23:52.019 Abram. And then suddenly it's this moment where Abram, who at this point probably looks a little 00:23:52.019 --> 00:24:01.660 bit like Liam Neeson. Okay. And he finds out, someone tells him that his nephew Lot has been taken by the 00:24:01.660 --> 00:24:10.359 evil, powerful Eastern empire. And Abram, remember Liam Neeson's face here. Every Liam Neeson movie applies. 00:24:10.359 --> 00:24:19.299 He looks and he goes, whoa, you can take all the other kingdoms, but you can't take my nephew. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:28.240 I have a set of skills and I will seek you and I will find you and I will kill you Eastern empire. 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:36.220 So I can take my nephew back is what he says. So what does Abram do? He takes 318 of his men. 00:24:37.079 --> 00:24:39.880 It's almost comical because on one hand you're like, oh, that's a lot of men. 00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:43.380 Remember we're dealing with one of those powerful empires of the time. 00:24:45.500 --> 00:24:48.640 It's not enough. It's almost comical that they wrote 318. 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:52.860 So this is just a little bit more than Sparta. 00:24:53.600 --> 00:24:58.820 And he takes these 318 herdsmen who were trained by Abram himself. 00:24:59.460 --> 00:25:03.060 But just stop there for a second. Why is Abram Liam Neeson? 00:25:04.100 --> 00:25:08.980 Why is Abram so courageous and so brave in going, you can't take my nephew. 00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:13.980 I'm going to come and get you. Remember, this is the same guy who gave up his wife 00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:20.759 to a Pharaoh who was actually a nice guy because Pharaoh ended up letting him take everything back. 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:24.779 But these evil kings, somehow he has the courage to stand up. 00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:26.860 You see, Abram is starting to grow. 00:25:27.819 --> 00:25:30.720 This founder of the faith is growing up before our eyes. 00:25:31.099 --> 00:25:33.099 He's starting to make choices. He's not going to be perfect. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:36.099 We're going to find out later. He doesn't always make good choices, 00:25:36.099 --> 00:25:38.940 but we start to see that he's learning how to trust in God. 00:25:38.940 --> 00:25:46.460 So he takes his 318 men and he goes and fights this eastern empire 00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:50.680 that now has 11 tribes, 11 kingdoms under its authority. 00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:53.600 And so then you see here, verse 14, 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:55.559 when Abram heard that his kingsmen had been taken captive, 00:25:55.660 --> 00:25:57.860 he led forth his trained men and he went in pursuit. 00:25:58.059 --> 00:26:00.860 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:03.140 and he surrounds them again at night. He jumps them. 00:26:03.299 --> 00:26:08.120 Remember that there's no electricity during that time of human history. 00:26:08.119 --> 00:26:09.899 So when it's nighttime, it's dark. 00:26:10.359 --> 00:26:13.699 So probably what happened is Abram with his 318 surround them, 00:26:13.979 --> 00:26:15.799 ambush them at night, cause confusion. 00:26:16.039 --> 00:26:17.519 Remember, these guys were evil people. 00:26:17.719 --> 00:26:19.559 So the likelihood is they've won this battle. 00:26:19.779 --> 00:26:20.819 They are completely high. 00:26:21.019 --> 00:26:21.739 They are celebrating. 00:26:21.899 --> 00:26:23.899 They are drunk and they are completely hungover. 00:26:24.619 --> 00:26:27.979 So then Abram with his 318 surround them at nighttime, ambush them. 00:26:28.039 --> 00:26:30.659 And what would have happened is they wouldn't be able to see who is who. 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:33.359 And so it probably just caused absolute chaos and carnage. 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:35.379 And that's probably how they ended up getting defeated. 00:26:35.380 --> 00:26:41.460 So Abram, this herdsman, this wealthy one, ends up defeating the whole Eastern empire. 00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:46.380 Isn't that amazing that if God is for you, then none can really be against. 00:26:47.020 --> 00:26:51.880 You can see suddenly Abram becomes so courageous that he launches this rescue mission just for his nephew. 00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:56.060 And we'll talk a little bit more about that later. 00:26:57.320 --> 00:26:58.280 And so he wins. 00:26:58.560 --> 00:26:59.300 He takes everything. 00:26:59.299 --> 00:27:02.480 He takes everything and he starts heading back. 00:27:02.599 --> 00:27:03.299 Verse 17. 00:27:03.720 --> 00:27:07.079 After his return from the defeat of Kedalohoma and the kings who were with him, 00:27:07.839 --> 00:27:13.139 as he's heading back with everything, his nephew and all the possessions of all the kingdoms, 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:20.480 two kings, two of the rebel city kings who were saved by Abram, they come out. 00:27:21.079 --> 00:27:24.419 They come out and meet him in the valley and they have a conversation with him. 00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:26.039 And this is where it gets really fascinating. 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:30.720 You have these two people who come representing two very different approaches to life. 00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:34.039 And they come and have two very different conversations to Abram. 00:27:34.380 --> 00:27:35.620 And they've made very different choices. 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:40.620 And Abram ends up making another choice here that we can see where his growth is coming from. 00:27:40.860 --> 00:27:42.580 So what happens first is, let's see. 00:27:43.740 --> 00:27:45.279 So, verse 17. 00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:48.240 The king of Sodom, whose name was Bera, by the way. 00:27:48.259 --> 00:27:49.900 If you look at the beginning of chapter 14. 00:27:50.360 --> 00:27:52.279 Bera, coincidentally, the word means evil. 00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:52.879 It means wicked. 00:27:53.619 --> 00:27:55.359 So the king of Sodom comes out. 00:27:56.139 --> 00:27:59.399 And then King Melchizedek also comes out. 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:01.259 Melchizedek, king of Salem. 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:02.259 Salem, the word means peace. 00:28:02.779 --> 00:28:05.599 Melchizedek, the word itself means, the name itself means righteousness. 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:07.759 So you have a king of evil, Sodom. 00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:10.220 And then you have King Melchizedek, king of righteousness. 00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:13.519 They both approach Abram. 00:28:15.639 --> 00:28:18.559 Interestingly, Melchizedek isn't mentioned in the rebel cities before. 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:23.039 Actually, Melchizedek is a very mysterious character that actually goes all the way. 00:28:23.379 --> 00:28:25.440 You find a lot more about him in the New Testament. 00:28:25.919 --> 00:28:28.599 And actually, to this day, we still don't truly know who he is. 00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:32.779 If you look at Hebrews 5 to 7, you'll find a lot of information about this priestly king. 00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:34.299 So he wasn't just a king. 00:28:34.419 --> 00:28:35.339 And he wasn't just a priest. 00:28:35.720 --> 00:28:36.279 He was both. 00:28:37.720 --> 00:28:39.440 You also don't find him causing rebellion. 00:28:40.059 --> 00:28:43.240 So he's kind of a man of God, a king of God, who kind of is minding his own business. 00:28:44.180 --> 00:28:49.700 You also see in Psalm 110, a mention of this priest in the form of Melchizedek. 00:28:50.440 --> 00:28:52.160 So we don't really know much about him. 00:28:52.180 --> 00:28:53.700 And this is really the only interaction we see. 00:28:54.120 --> 00:28:58.840 So just imagine with me, Abram's coming with all the possessions from the war. 00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:00.880 And all the 318 men. 00:29:01.100 --> 00:29:03.039 And actually, he had some neighbors who actually helped him too. 00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:05.519 And then they were all walking. 00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:09.460 And then the king of Sodom, Bera, and the king, Melchizedek, they come towards him. 00:29:10.639 --> 00:29:12.019 Scripture then tells us what happens. 00:29:12.399 --> 00:29:13.859 Melchizedek is the one who speaks first. 00:29:14.099 --> 00:29:16.519 And so we'll follow what he says here. 00:29:17.659 --> 00:29:19.899 He comes and he brings out bread and wine. 00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:22.500 We're sat here going, oh, bread and wine. 00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:23.559 I know, that's the communion. 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:24.759 No, this wasn't the communion. 00:29:24.879 --> 00:29:27.559 This was actually, in his eyes, probably just actually feeding him. 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:29.720 Feeding the 318 men and the neighbors. 00:29:30.059 --> 00:29:30.379 Because why? 00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:31.659 Because they're probably exhausted. 00:29:31.980 --> 00:29:32.460 They're tired. 00:29:32.460 --> 00:29:36.579 This is just a goodwill gesture saying, hey, you guys must be exhausted and starving. 00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:37.500 Here's some food. 00:29:37.720 --> 00:29:38.579 Let me look after you. 00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:40.319 And then he actually comes out with a blessing. 00:29:40.900 --> 00:29:42.360 Remember, he's king and he's a priest. 00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:46.440 And he blessed him and said, blessed be Abram by God most high, possessor of heaven and earth. 00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:49.980 And blessed be God most high who has delivered your enemies into your hand. 00:29:50.900 --> 00:29:52.539 And then Abram gives him a tenth of everything. 00:29:53.620 --> 00:30:00.620 And so this king comes with gratitude, comes with food, comes with nourishment, and just blesses God. 00:30:00.619 --> 00:30:02.459 And what is he saying? 00:30:02.579 --> 00:30:04.719 He's like, Abram, you are a powerful, powerful man. 00:30:04.879 --> 00:30:08.159 But the reason why you're a powerful, powerful man is because you have the favor of God. 00:30:08.959 --> 00:30:10.359 You only won this because of God. 00:30:10.419 --> 00:30:11.719 And so I'm here just to acknowledge that. 00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:13.039 I'm here to give you bread and wine. 00:30:13.239 --> 00:30:14.139 This is a peace offering. 00:30:14.479 --> 00:30:17.959 This is me just saying thank you for saving me and my people. 00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:22.519 And Abram just reciprocates and he gives him a tenth of everything. 00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:27.799 But then you contrast that with the king of Sodom, Mbera. 00:30:28.759 --> 00:30:33.180 This is the guy who was in hiding, whose fellow kings died in the pit of tar. 00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:35.000 But somehow he managed to escape. 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:40.180 He's probably hiding in a cave for quite a while until he finds out from somewhere that this Eastern empire has been defeated. 00:30:40.420 --> 00:30:42.319 And he comes out and what's the first thing he says? 00:30:42.319 --> 00:30:47.899 Verse 21, the king of Sodom said to Abram, give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself. 00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:50.559 This guy just saved your life. 00:30:50.899 --> 00:30:52.079 This guy just saved your kingdom. 00:30:53.240 --> 00:31:02.659 And you have the audacity to walk out with your chest high saying, give me my people and I'll let you keep the things that you took. 00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:09.120 Can you see the two different, the contrasting spirits, the contrasting approaches that these two kings have? 00:31:11.320 --> 00:31:14.019 Barah comes with entitlement. 00:31:14.620 --> 00:31:16.279 He comes already with ambition. 00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:17.019 He's like, you know what? 00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:18.180 You can take the possessions. 00:31:18.300 --> 00:31:19.180 Those aren't that meaningful. 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:20.840 What I want are people to rule over. 00:31:21.120 --> 00:31:21.960 What I want is power. 00:31:23.320 --> 00:31:25.779 Give me my people back so I can rule over them so they can serve me. 00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:29.080 And you can have all the people. 00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:30.120 You see the entitlement. 00:31:30.120 --> 00:31:32.560 You see the cowardice. 00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:37.060 To not even be able to acknowledge that this person saved him and his people. 00:31:38.100 --> 00:31:39.860 And what he also comes out with is his transactions. 00:31:40.019 --> 00:31:41.259 You give me this and I'll give you this. 00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:44.720 As if he was in any place for any kind of negotiation. 00:31:46.300 --> 00:31:48.620 And yet you see that is the way of the wicked. 00:31:50.160 --> 00:31:51.759 When they don't show any gratitude. 00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:53.640 When they still feel they are entitled. 00:31:55.740 --> 00:31:58.480 And I wonder where we are as we look at these two kings. 00:31:58.480 --> 00:32:04.640 Because we too have been recipients of a rescue mission. 00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:08.320 When we approach the king who rescued us. 00:32:08.380 --> 00:32:09.259 The person who rescued us. 00:32:09.320 --> 00:32:10.800 Do we come with a spirit of gratitude. 00:32:11.280 --> 00:32:12.000 Of blessing. 00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:14.040 Of acknowledgement of how powerful he is. 00:32:14.600 --> 00:32:16.600 Or do we come with entitlement and say, okay, fine. 00:32:16.680 --> 00:32:17.280 You saved me now. 00:32:17.420 --> 00:32:18.340 Give me the things that I want. 00:32:18.339 --> 00:32:20.399 I wonder. 00:32:21.339 --> 00:32:23.359 I just wonder where we are. 00:32:24.299 --> 00:32:25.379 How do we approach God? 00:32:25.679 --> 00:32:29.199 Do we approach him saying, God, look, I know you saved my life from eternal fire. 00:32:30.159 --> 00:32:32.859 But what I'd really like is that girl. 00:32:32.859 --> 00:32:39.339 I know that I get to experience you and the joy that comes with being you. 00:32:39.399 --> 00:32:41.079 In your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. 00:32:41.479 --> 00:32:45.159 But I really just want to satisfy myself tonight. 00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:46.259 That's all it is. 00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:50.599 I wonder whether we come with that spirit of entitlement. 00:32:51.679 --> 00:32:54.799 If you keep pulling the thread of what sin is. 00:32:55.500 --> 00:32:57.159 We always get back to the same place. 00:32:57.319 --> 00:32:58.299 Just a mistrust of God. 00:32:59.379 --> 00:33:02.500 God, I don't trust that you'll actually give me what I want or what I need. 00:33:02.859 --> 00:33:04.159 So I'm going to go take it for myself. 00:33:05.240 --> 00:33:07.759 Or do we come with the spirit of King Melchizedek? 00:33:08.759 --> 00:33:09.959 With gratitude and worship. 00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:13.839 Abram, interestingly, makes a good decision again. 00:33:15.219 --> 00:33:19.059 So when Abram receives the offer, the transaction from the king of Sodom, 00:33:20.059 --> 00:33:21.399 Abram says this, verse 22. 00:33:21.559 --> 00:33:24.879 I have lifted my hand to the Lord, most God, most high, possessor of heaven and earth, 00:33:25.139 --> 00:33:28.379 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, 00:33:28.459 --> 00:33:30.319 lest you say I have made Abram rich. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:34.419 Whereas Lot compromised, Abram does not. 00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:36.200 He's like, I don't want any of your stuff. 00:33:36.980 --> 00:33:41.000 I don't want you to even think that I'm where I am because of you. 00:33:41.639 --> 00:33:43.839 I am not going to compromise at all. 00:33:44.200 --> 00:33:51.019 You see, I think Abram has the strength and resilience to resist the king of Sodom's offer 00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:55.259 because he's already satisfied by the bread and wine that came from King Melchizedek. 00:33:55.259 --> 00:34:00.799 He's already satisfied with the worship that comes and he realizes where this is all from. 00:34:00.920 --> 00:34:01.539 So he refuses. 00:34:01.879 --> 00:34:03.940 He doesn't need the distractions. 00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:05.359 He doesn't need the deception. 00:34:05.640 --> 00:34:08.519 He doesn't need the entitlement of what the world can offer. 00:34:09.980 --> 00:34:12.960 And so he resists and he says, thank you, but no thank you. 00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:17.820 But do let the neighbors who have helped us out, let them have what they had, 00:34:18.119 --> 00:34:20.000 let them eat what they need to do and let them go. 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:21.760 And then that's where the story ends. 00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:26.119 Can you see these stories, whether it's Abram a lot, 00:34:27.059 --> 00:34:29.139 whether it's the Eastern Empire and the rebel cities, 00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:32.280 or whether it's King Bera or King Melchizedek, 00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:34.599 can you see life is just about choices? 00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:38.739 Life is just about us making the choices to trust God or to not trust God. 00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:41.239 It goes all the way back to Genesis chapter three, 00:34:41.360 --> 00:34:43.940 when God says to the serpent that there will be two groups of people, 00:34:44.139 --> 00:34:45.420 one that trust me and one that don't. 00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:47.159 And that's all it is. 00:34:48.079 --> 00:34:51.400 And I wonder whether we can take the stories from today and go, 00:34:51.760 --> 00:34:54.619 well, where are the compromises that I'm having in my life? 00:34:54.800 --> 00:34:57.320 Where are the places where I'm deciding, you know what, God, I can't trust you, 00:34:57.360 --> 00:34:58.579 so I'm just going to make my own decisions, 00:34:58.960 --> 00:35:00.659 and I'm going to take matters into my own hands. 00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:03.579 You know, I'm just going to compromise a little bit. 00:35:03.659 --> 00:35:04.960 You know, that looks way better. 00:35:05.079 --> 00:35:06.260 I want that instead. 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:08.740 Instead of going to God, God, show me where to look. 00:35:09.159 --> 00:35:11.340 Because you know best, your thoughts and your ways are higher than mine. 00:35:12.200 --> 00:35:13.079 You show me. 00:35:13.559 --> 00:35:14.579 I think I've learned enough. 00:35:14.579 --> 00:35:17.900 I've sang the goodness of God enough now to know that all my life, 00:35:18.219 --> 00:35:19.019 you have been faithful. 00:35:19.819 --> 00:35:22.039 And that your goodness and your mercy will follow me, 00:35:22.319 --> 00:35:23.440 and not the other way around. 00:35:24.319 --> 00:35:27.819 Can we be in that place where we can make those choices and say, 00:35:27.880 --> 00:35:30.860 today, God, not even just today, this morning, God, 00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:32.159 I'm going to trust you. 00:35:32.239 --> 00:35:35.259 I'm walking back into my office, dealing with my boss, 00:35:35.719 --> 00:35:36.799 and I'm going to trust you. 00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:41.319 Take whatever you want, colleagues who are fighting with me in this dog-eat-dog world. 00:35:41.320 --> 00:35:45.420 Take whatever you want, because my chosen portion is from God. 00:35:45.960 --> 00:35:48.000 Because I have no good thing apart from him. 00:35:48.640 --> 00:35:50.840 So I'm just going to trust, and you do whatever you want. 00:35:51.820 --> 00:35:54.940 Can we make those choices that Abram did? 00:35:54.940 --> 00:35:58.860 It's interesting. 00:35:58.860 --> 00:36:02.400 These stories, they're just almost mythical. 00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:04.220 They're so far-fetched almost. 00:36:04.519 --> 00:36:05.840 And you wonder why they're even here. 00:36:06.240 --> 00:36:07.559 And I happen to believe this book, 00:36:07.660 --> 00:36:10.059 this is why we just simply go through this book when we preach, 00:36:10.400 --> 00:36:13.480 is because I think all of this book points to one thing, one person. 00:36:14.120 --> 00:36:15.680 That is the person of Jesus Christ. 00:36:15.679 --> 00:36:20.960 You see the trust that Abram has here is in God. 00:36:22.799 --> 00:36:26.879 You see that he doesn't rely on his own eyes, but he looks to something further. 00:36:27.539 --> 00:36:31.179 And then you see when he sees his nephew who didn't do that way, 00:36:31.619 --> 00:36:32.799 and actually needed rescuing, 00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:35.279 what you then see is the foreshadowing of a rescue mission, 00:36:35.619 --> 00:36:38.659 where one person was willing to sacrifice his comfort 00:36:38.659 --> 00:36:41.219 to go and save his nephew out of love. 00:36:41.219 --> 00:36:44.980 And what we see there is Jesus doing the same thing. 00:36:46.339 --> 00:36:48.019 It's laid out in Philippians 2. 00:36:48.939 --> 00:36:50.339 Jesus, though, who was in the form of God, 00:36:50.399 --> 00:36:52.619 did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 00:36:52.679 --> 00:36:54.739 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, 00:36:55.179 --> 00:36:56.419 being born in the likeness of men. 00:36:56.799 --> 00:36:59.319 He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, 00:36:59.739 --> 00:37:01.219 even death on a cross. 00:37:02.019 --> 00:37:05.759 Abram was just foreshadowing what Jesus would do for us. 00:37:07.980 --> 00:37:10.459 Sacrificing, putting everything at risk to go and save one. 00:37:10.460 --> 00:37:12.980 When actually, he could have gone to Lot and said, 00:37:13.059 --> 00:37:13.579 well, you know what? 00:37:13.820 --> 00:37:14.619 He made his choice. 00:37:15.360 --> 00:37:16.019 Sucks to be him. 00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:17.519 You know, I tried. 00:37:18.380 --> 00:37:19.039 But he didn't. 00:37:20.320 --> 00:37:22.139 And thank God Jesus didn't do that with us. 00:37:24.639 --> 00:37:25.599 Sucks to be those guys. 00:37:25.720 --> 00:37:27.940 Look, I've made my presence known. 00:37:28.340 --> 00:37:29.240 Romans 1, it says this. 00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:33.000 You look at creation, it's pretty hard to say that no one created this. 00:37:34.079 --> 00:37:35.559 The beauty of the world, nature. 00:37:36.139 --> 00:37:38.260 He's like, look, I've made myself known through creation. 00:37:38.360 --> 00:37:39.920 If they don't choose me, they don't choose me. 00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:44.440 And God says, no, I love them that much that I'm still going to go chase after them. 00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:50.400 I'm still going to send my son on a rescue mission to save them from the evil empire. 00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:52.559 Now we get to choose. 00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:55.579 Do we choose to follow the king of evil? 00:37:55.780 --> 00:37:58.519 Or do we choose to follow the king of righteousness? 00:37:59.440 --> 00:38:04.680 Do we stay entitled and keep asking God for transactions and negotiations? 00:38:04.679 --> 00:38:09.179 Or do we just go to him with gratitude and worship and build altars and say, God, you lead the way. 00:38:09.279 --> 00:38:10.039 Everything is yours. 00:38:10.759 --> 00:38:11.539 I trust you. 00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:13.599 It's funny. 00:38:13.799 --> 00:38:17.000 King Melchizedek, as he comes with the bread and wine to feed the men, 00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:24.519 what he doesn't realize is that many, many years later, there's another man that sits holding bread and holding wine. 00:38:28.039 --> 00:38:31.599 Talking about the moment where he's going to complete the rescue mission. 00:38:32.860 --> 00:38:34.360 Where he's going to head to the cross. 00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:39.159 Break down any dividing walls of hostility between people or between people and God. 00:38:39.159 --> 00:38:42.319 And he's going to preach peace and bring them all back. 00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:52.440 And he uses the bread and he uses the wine to say we are now in communion again with God. 00:38:55.219 --> 00:38:57.899 Can you see that these stories are just pointing to Jesus? 00:38:59.119 --> 00:39:02.859 Can you see that our stories also point to Jesus? 00:39:03.639 --> 00:39:07.199 Can you look back and see your story and go, man, Jesus. 00:39:09.159 --> 00:39:11.339 And if you can't, don't worry. 00:39:11.399 --> 00:39:12.539 That's my prayer for all of us. 00:39:13.279 --> 00:39:14.819 That just like Abram, we would grow. 00:39:16.420 --> 00:39:19.779 Just like Abram, we would start to make better choices. 00:39:20.639 --> 00:39:23.960 That every day we'd become more aware that every circumstance, 00:39:23.960 --> 00:39:30.940 whether it's simply choosing a fund to invest in or a place to go for dinner or a career to choose, 00:39:31.139 --> 00:39:36.219 every decision we make, if we did it from a place where, God, I just obey and I just trust you. 00:39:39.159 --> 00:39:43.359 Then we will see the goodness of God completely shower over us. 00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:48.319 And we know that because it's the same God that gave his own son to die for us. 00:39:50.539 --> 00:39:52.960 Let's spend a final moment of reflection now. 00:39:53.819 --> 00:40:01.460 Whether it's to look back and go, God, wow, all those decisions have been about me trusting or obeying you. 00:40:01.460 --> 00:40:01.860 I'm sorry. 00:40:01.860 --> 00:40:03.000 I'm sorry. 00:40:03.840 --> 00:40:06.280 I often regularly choose the wrong way. 00:40:10.940 --> 00:40:12.780 The grace here is that God doesn't really mind. 00:40:14.240 --> 00:40:15.220 It's like my children. 00:40:16.460 --> 00:40:17.960 When they come to me, they've made mistakes. 00:40:18.079 --> 00:40:21.860 All I want is for them just to come to tell me, 00:40:22.240 --> 00:40:25.199 to be willing to embrace and hug me. 00:40:25.199 --> 00:40:31.099 Or you look at the present right now and go, I am trapped between two decisions. 00:40:31.439 --> 00:40:32.960 I'm trapped in a family feud. 00:40:33.219 --> 00:40:35.159 I am trapped in which investments to make. 00:40:35.199 --> 00:40:36.919 I am trapped to see which way to go. 00:40:36.939 --> 00:40:38.139 I'm trapped in all these things. 00:40:38.419 --> 00:40:39.480 Why don't you decide today? 00:40:39.539 --> 00:40:41.919 I'm just going to make the choice that allows me to trust God more. 00:40:42.419 --> 00:40:44.319 Which of these is me trusting God? 00:40:44.519 --> 00:40:46.239 And which of these is me trusting myself? 00:40:46.480 --> 00:40:47.659 Or me trusting my boss? 00:40:47.759 --> 00:40:48.599 Or trusting my career? 00:40:48.699 --> 00:40:49.359 Or trusting my field? 00:40:49.399 --> 00:40:50.119 Or trusting the markets? 00:40:50.219 --> 00:40:51.019 Or trusting my friendships? 00:40:51.379 --> 00:40:53.119 Which of these is me trusting God? 00:40:53.119 --> 00:40:54.419 Let me choose that way today. 00:40:55.199 --> 00:40:58.939 Because if we choose that way, 00:41:00.359 --> 00:41:04.000 God's promise to Abram extends to us. 00:41:04.859 --> 00:41:05.939 That's the beauty of it. 00:41:07.259 --> 00:41:08.739 It's not even just the juice. 00:41:10.359 --> 00:41:11.419 It's to all of us. 00:41:12.659 --> 00:41:13.819 Should we choose the trust? 00:41:14.199 --> 00:41:15.639 Spend a moment now just to reflect. 00:41:16.419 --> 00:41:17.980 And then the worship team will lead us in a song. 00:41:17.980 --> 00:41:18.039 Amen. 00:41:25.199 --> 00:41:33.960 So Lord, we build our altar this morning to you. 00:41:34.619 --> 00:41:36.159 We call upon your name. 00:41:38.559 --> 00:41:39.759 The God of Abraham. 00:41:44.199 --> 00:41:45.460 The God of promises. 00:41:45.460 --> 00:41:54.079 And we're coming on to the truth that you and your promises, 00:41:54.300 --> 00:41:56.000 there is only a yes and an amen. 00:41:57.260 --> 00:41:57.699 Why? 00:41:57.840 --> 00:41:58.599 Because of Jesus. 00:41:59.679 --> 00:42:02.960 So we put our faith in him. 00:42:03.800 --> 00:42:05.480 Our anchor to the ground. 00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:11.420 So that whether it's decisions at work or in the family, 00:42:12.820 --> 00:42:14.420 or in any aspect of our lives, 00:42:15.059 --> 00:42:19.219 we need only ask one question. 00:42:24.500 --> 00:42:26.260 Lord, would you help us trust you more? 00:42:26.260 --> 00:42:33.800 And maybe we finish now with just asking that question one final time. 00:42:35.820 --> 00:42:37.380 You know what battles you face. 00:42:37.560 --> 00:42:39.220 Maybe it's not against an Eastern empire. 00:42:39.640 --> 00:42:42.620 Maybe it's not to do with a business feud. 00:42:43.080 --> 00:42:43.900 Or maybe it is. 00:42:46.900 --> 00:42:48.280 Why don't we, as his children, 00:42:50.840 --> 00:42:54.400 ask our loving, powerful father, 00:42:54.400 --> 00:43:00.240 how can we trust you more today? 00:43:01.840 --> 00:43:04.579 Let's just spend a moment to wait on him. 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.579 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.579 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.579 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.579 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.579 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.579 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.579 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.579 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.579 00:43:04.579 --> 00:43:04.579 00:43:24.400 --> 00:43:31.380 As a church, would we be commissioned to go, 00:43:31.619 --> 00:43:32.039 to scatter, 00:43:32.980 --> 00:43:33.740 and trust 00:43:33.740 --> 00:43:36.639 that we would make choices, 00:43:37.019 --> 00:43:38.160 the small ones and the big ones, 00:43:38.240 --> 00:43:39.320 to trust in him today? 00:43:40.559 --> 00:43:42.119 If the mistrust of God 00:43:42.119 --> 00:43:44.639 is what caused us to head down this slippery slope, 00:43:45.639 --> 00:43:47.559 may I cast a vision in front of you 00:43:47.559 --> 00:43:49.019 today? 00:43:49.420 --> 00:43:50.420 What if we all 00:43:50.420 --> 00:43:52.139 chose to trust him again? 00:43:52.139 --> 00:43:59.099 I think the curse of sin would be reversed. 00:44:00.699 --> 00:44:02.519 If we chose to trust him and his love, 00:44:03.119 --> 00:44:04.940 then his love covers the multitude of sins. 00:44:05.059 --> 00:44:05.940 It drives out the fear. 00:44:09.599 --> 00:44:11.779 Could we just leave here being people of trust? 00:44:15.359 --> 00:44:16.819 May the Lord bless you and keep you. 00:44:16.940 --> 00:44:19.199 May his favour shine upon you. 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.359 --> 00:44:19.359 00:44:19.360 --> 00:44:20.360 Amen.