1 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:11,280 You have your Bible. Go and make your way to Genesis 2 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:14,120 chapter 15. We're going to split this 3 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,360 chapter into two sections this week and next week as you turn 4 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:21,320 to Genesis 15. I know this might sound odd for 5 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,720 me to say, but I I do think you're turning to one of the 6 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:26,680 greatest chapters in all the Bible. 7 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:29,480 That may sound weird because all of it's inspired, all of it's 8 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:33,040 perfect, all of it's profitable, and yet there are sections, 9 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:37,160 there are times you come to pieces of it on which the whole 10 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:40,720 message, the whole landscape of Scripture hinges. 11 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:45,240 And that's one of these places in Genesis 15 specifically. 12 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,640 When we get to verse 6, is it, is it going to give us a 13 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:52,560 viewpoint of the landscape of the message of the Bible? 14 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,720 That's going to help everything be clear and make sense. 15 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,560 And I think you'll see that as we get there to kind of help 16 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,960 maybe set up what I mean by that Genesis 15 verse 6 and what it's 17 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,599 going to do for us. Let me just introduce it with a 18 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,520 with a little story. As I've told you before, I like 19 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,280 stories of survival. And here is 1. 20 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:12,480 I got asked after the first service, did these young boys 21 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:13,760 survive this? They did all right. 22 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:15,520 If I don't say that at the end, they made it. 23 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:21,960 It was January 1991 and 19 year old David Scott and 20 year old 24 00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:27,480 Scott Power had a lifelong dream of going to the far north, out 25 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,480 in the wilderness and living off grid for one year. 26 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,080 Now you may just think they're crazy and they probably were all 27 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:36,200 right, but that was their dream. That was their goal. 28 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:40,200 They prepared, they planned, and they took a Bush plane into the 29 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,760 northern far reaches of Manitoba, Canada. 30 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:48,160 The closest town to where they were was Hudson Bay, which is 31 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,440 also known as the polar bear capital of the world. 32 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:53,880 So this is what they're encountering. 33 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,400 All right, so when they get dropped off, the plan is to land 34 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:00,720 by a small lake and then take a three mile hike from that 35 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:04,240 landing spot to the cabin that they anticipated being about a 36 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:08,120 three hour hike. The problem was after 8 hours of 37 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,840 hiking, it's now the middle of the night and no cabin. 38 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:21,200 Well the terrain they're in is flat, trees are thick, snow is 39 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:26,160 deep, and it's 30 below 0 where they stopped. 40 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,000 They only had their sleeping bags and not their tent because 41 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,920 they plan to sleep in the cabin and not their tent. 42 00:02:31,920 --> 00:02:35,040 They thought they'd go back for them later so they put one 43 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,920 sleeping bag on the ground and they both get in the other one 44 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,480 doing what they had to do to survive. 45 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:46,040 They continue to search for the cabin and finally on the 6th day 46 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,040 only one of them is able to search. 47 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,560 That's David. Because Scott's feet have turned 48 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,920 black with frostbite. David finally has an idea. 49 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:00,600 He sees up in front of him this large group of massively tall, 50 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,840 high rise spruce trees. And he thinks if I can just get 51 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,400 to the top of one of those, I might could see far enough to 52 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,880 Orient myself to the landscape. I might be able to get an 53 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,200 orientation and a handle on where I am and where the cabin 54 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,400 is, and we might could have a chance of survival. 55 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,120 But this might be my last decision because if I fall from 56 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:24,920 that tree, it's over. But it was the only option that 57 00:03:24,920 --> 00:03:27,000 he had. So he climbs to the top and sure 58 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,360 enough, he gets to the top and he can look out and see about 59 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,600 1/2 mile away there's a tiny lake. 60 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,360 And he says, surely I'm going to climb back down and then find 61 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,920 that lake on my map and then Orient where we are on this 62 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,160 river, where that lake is versus where the cabin is. 63 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,400 And sure enough, he does. They had been searching for five 64 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:49,200 days about a mile north of the cabin up river, but he had no 65 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:54,000 idea he was in the wrong spot until he could see from the 66 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:59,960 height of a tall spruce tree. Genesis 15-6 is like a massive 67 00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:02,280 high rise spruce tree of the Bible. 68 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,720 It's like a navigational beacon, if you will, allowing you to get 69 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,000 a site of the landscape, and not just the landscape of the Bible, 70 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,680 but maybe even to see where your own soul is in relation to where 71 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:17,320 the Bible says it should be. And if lost or disoriented, 72 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,240 figure out where you are in relation to where God wants you 73 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:25,520 to be in order to return to that place where God has His plan, 74 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,560 His purpose, and His will for your life. 75 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,840 The question this morning is really twofold #1 have you 76 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:33,320 believed by faith? There's a question I want you to 77 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,840 answer. And then #2 having believed by 78 00:04:35,840 --> 00:04:38,640 faith, if you have, are you living by faith? 79 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:43,080 Have you believed by faith? And are you living by faith? 80 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:46,120 Listen to Genesis chapter 15, beginning in verse one. 81 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:52,720 After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a 82 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:57,280 vision. Fear not Abram, I am your 83 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:03,080 shield. Your reward shall be very great 84 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,240 if we just stop right here and answer what? 85 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,600 What is after these things? What are these things? 86 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:14,280 Well, these things are a little thing that Abram plus 318 men 87 00:05:14,280 --> 00:05:19,440 did against an army of a coalition of four kings, if you 88 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,400 remember, from the east that had swept through the Jordan Valley, 89 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,960 reclaiming the land and the people that had rebelled against 90 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,280 them. That included the abduction of 91 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:30,520 Lot, his nephew, and his entire family. 92 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:35,480 So Abram plus his 318 against an army of no doubt thousands 93 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:40,000 miraculously as an underdog in a stunning should never happened 94 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:43,600 by night raid and all the next day doesn't just say they 95 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,320 slipped in and slept out, it's and slipped out. 96 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,200 It means that they went in and wiped them out and then 97 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:50,920 slaughtered them all the next day. 98 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:53,720 Why? Because Abram was with God and 99 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,160 God was all Abram needed. You remember us saying that last 100 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,000 week Lot was away from the will of God and about lost 101 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,000 everything. But Abram is with God and God is 102 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,640 with Abraham, and God is all that he needs. 103 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,200 So after these things, and of course these things include the 104 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,720 fact that Abram, if you remember, took all those things 105 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:14,800 that he had and gave a tent. He gave a tithe to the king and 106 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:19,160 priest of Salem by the name of Melchizedek in an honor, in an 107 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:22,320 act of honor and blessing to the Lord who had provided him the 108 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:24,840 victory. And then perhaps even more 109 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:30,280 stunning is he takes the 90% that's left and gives it back to 110 00:06:30,280 --> 00:06:33,080 the wicked king of Sodom, basically saying, listen, I'm 111 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,160 not going to let any wicked man take any credit for what God 112 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:38,520 could only provide me. Take all your stuff back. 113 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:40,720 That's not what I'm after. It's not what I want. 114 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:44,560 I'm not after earthly riches. I'm after heaven's blessing and 115 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,000 God's promises. So it's after these things. 116 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,360 And then it says the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. 117 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:53,840 Fear not Abram, I am your shield. 118 00:06:53,960 --> 00:07:00,520 Your reward shall be very great. Abram with 318 men versus 119 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:02,960 thousands should have been afraid y'all. 120 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:09,880 But he wasn't. Abram and his men saw were 121 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,640 reward and he could have sought reward from an earthly reward 122 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,120 standpoint from a wicked king. But he didn't. 123 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:20,320 And as a result God speaks to confirm his promises to Abram. 124 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:25,320 And it sounds like this, Abram, keep living fearlessly. 125 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,080 Abram, as I promised you, I will protect you. 126 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:36,520 I am your shield as you succeeded with as a group of 319 127 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,880 against thousands. Because Abram, I'm your 128 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,120 deliverer. I am your protector. 129 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,520 The promise, the reward that I promised you is infinitely 130 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,480 greater than any earthly reward you gave back to that wicked 131 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,440 king. So Abram, the word that Abram 132 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:55,600 hears here from God is a word also that God wants us to hear, 133 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,360 that He has spoken to us as well as Christ followers. 134 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,000 As the New Testament makes clear, and this is the first 135 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,760 thing in your notes I want you to see, the Christian life is a 136 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:09,640 call to live fearlessly. The Christian life is a call to 137 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:14,520 live fearlessly. God is looking for men and 138 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,880 women, boys and girls, who will fear not. 139 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:21,840 In fact, the Bible makes it very clear. 140 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,320 Second Timothy chapter one, verse 7. 141 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:30,000 The Bible says I God says I've not given you a spirit of but of 142 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,640 power and of love and a sound mind. 143 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,640 I've not, I've not verified this, but scholars say that fear 144 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:42,039 not or do not fears written approximately 365 times in the 145 00:08:42,039 --> 00:08:44,280 Bible, once for every single day. 146 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:47,640 I've heard one person say, well, they counted 366, including once 147 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:48,680 for leap year. I don't know. 148 00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:51,160 I haven't done that myself, but I just know it's close enough 149 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,800 that that's got to that, that that's no accident that God's 150 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,920 looking for people who will fear him and fear nothing else. 151 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,080 For that is the secret of living fearlessly when you've been 152 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:04,000 conquered by a greater fear, which is a fear of God. 153 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,440 That's the secret to living fearlessly in the face of 154 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:11,600 anything else. Can I ask you this morning, what 155 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,560 do you fear? Do you find yourself living with 156 00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:18,400 worry or facing anxiety? Is there something that you 157 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,320 dread? What do you fear you see? 158 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:25,280 To fear God is to see God for who he really is. 159 00:09:25,680 --> 00:09:29,000 It is to see him as holy and completely trustworthy. 160 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,200 It is to see him as the one who is all powerful and in total 161 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,480 control. And if he's if he's in control 162 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,080 and he's good, which he is, he can be trusted. 163 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,080 We fear, are called to fear God alone, which allows us to live 164 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:43,800 without fear in the face of anything else. 165 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:46,720 Y'all as believers, let me just remind you, we can live 166 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:51,800 fearlessly because God has promised to be our shield. 167 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:57,840 Jesus remember, is our shield. Don't forget against the wages 168 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:02,280 of our sin, which we deserve, which is death, and yet Jesus is 169 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,040 our shield. Jesus is our shield against 170 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,320 death. Death for the believer is just 171 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:10,600 now a doorway into life forever in the presence of God. 172 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:13,400 Something that the sting has been taken out of, something 173 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:16,520 that we no longer need to walk in fear of because the best is 174 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,280 yet to come. All the Gods promises forever 175 00:10:19,560 --> 00:10:23,840 all come as a result of not just living in this life, but the 176 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:29,800 life to come that yet death is just a doorway into to fear God, 177 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,600 to fear him. We know that Jesus is our 178 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,280 protector, our deliverer and strength, the one through whom 179 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:41,480 we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength, 180 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:45,040 who strengthens me. As Paul writes y'all, we can 181 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:48,200 live fearlessly, not just because Jesus, God has promised 182 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,680 to be our shield, but we can live fearlessly because God has 183 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:55,480 promised to be our reward. God tells Abraham you notice his 184 00:10:55,480 --> 00:11:00,200 reward will be very great. Did you know that Jesus promises 185 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,760 you as a believer the same thing? 186 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:06,160 That your reward will be very great? 187 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:11,880 You say Kyle, what kind of great reward has Jesus promised me #1A 188 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,440 Kingdom that is coming that will last forever? 189 00:11:16,680 --> 00:11:21,240 Jesus has promised you to be with him, a Co heir of all 190 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,200 things. Jesus has promised and invited 191 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,200 you into sharing in his glory forever. 192 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:31,160 Jesus has promised you a personal relationship with him. 193 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,680 The presence of God dwelling within you now is a down payment 194 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:38,400 of what's to come, heaven and participation in God forever. 195 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:43,240 The call to follow Jesus is a call to live fearlessly. 196 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:47,520 Could you honestly say, would you honestly say right now, just 197 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:51,000 within your heart and mind, am I living fearlessly because my 198 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,640 greatest fear is fearing God alone? 199 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:58,840 Or do you have any fears that compete with your fear of God? 200 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,560 And to be honest, when our fears compete with our fear of God, 201 00:12:04,560 --> 00:12:07,040 it's because our view of God is too small. 202 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:13,320 Our view of our fears are too big and our God is too small, 203 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,280 which is why we daily go back to get in the word of God to see 204 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:21,480 God for who He truly is so that we fear Him alone. 205 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:27,320 And seeing God for who he truly is shrinks all our other fears 206 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,520 as we fear Him alone and nothing else. 207 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,880 Are you living fearlessly because of the fear of God? 208 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:38,600 Abram hearing confirmation of the promises of God, you got to 209 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:39,920 think. I just want you to kind of think 210 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,560 about this for a moment. We haven't read the next few 211 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:45,520 verses, but you got to think, just look back at verse one. 212 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,920 Think about what Abraham's just heard, and he's just heard the 213 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,560 renewed promises of God. He's just heard God say, Abram, 214 00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:54,360 I'm your shield. Can you imagine if God appeared 215 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:56,200 to you and you heard this audibly from God? 216 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:58,400 Can you imagine how you might be feeling? 217 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:00,600 I'm your deliverer, I'm your protector. 218 00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:02,280 Your awards going to be very great. 219 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,240 I heard one preacher say, surely, Abram, this is the time 220 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,080 he goes and gets his guitar and a sheet of paper, starts writing 221 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:10,560 worship song lyrics because he's just going to sit the rest of 222 00:13:10,560 --> 00:13:12,760 the day and play and sing and worship to God. 223 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:17,040 He's got to be feeling so good. Is that what Abram does? 224 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:22,720 Listen to the Bible, verse 2. But Abram said, oh Lord God, 225 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,840 what will you give me? For I continue childless, and 226 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,960 the heir of my house is Eleazar of Damascus. 227 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,520 And Abram said, behold, you've given me no offspring, and a 228 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:36,720 member of my household will be my heir. 229 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,120 Abram doesn't worship. What does Abram do? 230 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:44,320 He whines. Can you imagine hearing what he 231 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:48,000 just heard from God and talking back to God like that? 232 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,320 Surely God's going to kind of throw down a little bit. 233 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:53,840 Surely God's a little aggravated. 234 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:59,560 Surely God is going to, you know, maybe hit reset here. 235 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,920 And yet God is so gracious and kind and patient, is he not? 236 00:14:05,560 --> 00:14:10,720 Abram has not totally lost his faith in God, but he's 237 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:15,720 expressing honestly some doubts. Have you been there before, not 238 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,320 lost your faith, but just quite honestly struggling to believe 239 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,720 the promises of God? Maybe facing some doubts based 240 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:25,520 on your circumstances or situation or the odds that are 241 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:29,680 happening in your life? Struggling to hold confidently 242 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:32,000 to the Lord God? How are you going to give me 243 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,640 anything when you haven't given me the one thing that you've 244 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:35,800 promised? God? 245 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,440 How are you going to give me any reward when I don't have any 246 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:40,720 offspring yet, God? How are you going to make your 247 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:43,240 promises come true when I haven't seen them yet? 248 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,040 God, in case you haven't noticed, I'm still childless. 249 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:48,560 God, in case you haven't noticed, the lawyer who's done 250 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,800 my will has an employee as my heir right now. 251 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:02,560 God, what's taking so long? God, I'm trying to hold to your 252 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:07,480 promises, but I feel like you are holding out on me. 253 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:14,680 Somebody ever owed you money, said they would pay you, kept 254 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,800 saying they pay you, but never paid you. 255 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:24,400 Remember how you felt? Maybe in that moment that's how 256 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:30,280 Abram feels towards God. God, you, you've said this, God, 257 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:37,680 you've promised this God you, you keep saying this, but I, I 258 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:41,240 feel like you're holding out on me. 259 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:44,440 Listen to verse four and five and behold, the word of the Lord 260 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:48,600 came to him. This man that is Eleazar shall 261 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:52,280 not be your heir. Your very own son that is 262 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:56,480 literally one from your own body shall be your heir. 263 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:59,560 And he brought him outside to do a little show and tell. 264 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:03,400 And he said, look toward heaven, Abram, and Number the Stars. 265 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:08,440 If you're able to number them, then he said to him, so shall 266 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,800 your offspring be. God again, is so gracious, 267 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,640 patient and kind with Abram. You would think this might be 268 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,280 where if Abram needed a little discipline, maybe this is where 269 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,240 God was going to give it. And God just patiently pulls up 270 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:25,800 alongside Abram, says Abram. No, no, a son, as I've promised 271 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:27,800 is going to come. Let me show you a little 272 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:29,560 demonstration. Walk outside with me. 273 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:30,720 I want you to look towards heaven. 274 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,320 And Abraham. If you can number all of those, 275 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,440 then you'll be at a number, all the offspring as a result of my 276 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:39,920 promise that I'm going to give you. 277 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:42,840 And again, this is fascinating to think about. 278 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,120 Guess who one of those stars, metaphorically speaking, Guess 279 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:49,720 who one of those stars would be as an offspring? 280 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:55,440 Promise to Abraham the bright and the morning star, Jesus 281 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,200 Christ, a son of Abraham, promised all the way back in 282 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,120 Genesis 12 that would be born and be a blessing to all the 283 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,000 nations, all the families of the earth. 284 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,240 Abram, believe me, look at the stars and believe me, trust me 285 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:10,160 and wait on me #2 you know, the Christian life is not just a 286 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:14,599 call to live fearlessly, but it's also a call to live 287 00:17:14,599 --> 00:17:17,520 patiently. We don't like to talk about 288 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:21,359 patience a lot, but the call to follow Christ in walking with 289 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,760 the Lord is an exercise in patience as we hold to the 290 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:28,520 promises of God, not necessarily realizing all of them in this 291 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:30,560 life, realizing the best is yet to come. 292 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:33,320 In fact, we don't think about, we don't talk about, we don't 293 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,720 actually even discuss this a lot, but we realize the very 294 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:43,080 best, the greatest results of the promises of God are not 295 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:48,200 actually coming in this life. We're strangers in exiles, not 296 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:53,160 citizens of this world, but our full reward is coming in the in 297 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,360 the next. Why don't you listen to how the 298 00:17:55,360 --> 00:17:59,320 Bible puts that in Hebrews 11 Speaking of Abram, This is 299 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:03,440 Chapter 11, verses 8 through 10. Because you see, believing God 300 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,560 includes waiting on God. It says in these verses, by 301 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:13,440 faith Abram obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that 302 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:16,920 he was to receive as an inheritance and he went out not 303 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,400 knowing where he he was going by faith. 304 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:23,200 He went to live in the land of promise as in a foreign land, 305 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,680 living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the 306 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:29,240 same promise. And watch this for he was here's 307 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:31,720 the patient part. He was looking forward. 308 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:35,640 He didn't have it all right then. 309 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:38,960 He was holding to the promises. He was living patient. 310 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,840 He was looking forward to the city that has foundations. 311 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:44,720 That's that Kingdom that we've been promised as followers of 312 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:47,160 Christ, whose designer and builder is God. 313 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:48,840 That's that place with God forever. 314 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:50,640 That's that all things made right. 315 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:53,920 That's that finally and fully in God's presence, reality he was 316 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:55,320 looking forward to. He didn't watch. 317 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,960 He didn't experience in this life knowing it was coming in 318 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,680 the next verse 13 is even more explicit. 319 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:04,040 These, including Abram, all died in faith. 320 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,360 Did you realize in a very real way, we as believers should 321 00:19:08,360 --> 00:19:11,360 Christ tarry and not return before we take our last breath? 322 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,360 There's very much still for us a taking of our last breath that 323 00:19:14,360 --> 00:19:20,760 must be done in and by faith, right? 324 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:24,600 That God's promises are true, that the sting of death has been 325 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,000 removed. That to be absent from the body 326 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,320 is to be present with the the Lord. 327 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:31,920 That when we see Him in that moment, face to face, we shall 328 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:39,240 be changed and be like Him. These all died in faith, not 329 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,760 having received the things promised, but having seen them 330 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,520 and greeted them from afar. That is, knowing them, realized 331 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,200 them, believing them, and having acknowledged that they were 332 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,000 strangers and exiles on the earth. 333 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:54,880 Y'all, Abraham's entire life in one way was an exercise in 334 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,280 patience. It was an exercise in hearing 335 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:02,120 and believing the promises of God, realizing that on this side 336 00:20:02,120 --> 00:20:04,920 of heaven, not all of them he would see the full fruition of. 337 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:12,280 That is an integral, required, critical part of the Christian 338 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:15,640 life. It is living fearlessly. 339 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:21,360 It's also choosing by faith to live patiently in the promises 340 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:23,240 of God. What does Abraham do? 341 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:25,560 Well, here's where we get to verse 6. 342 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:35,520 And he believed the Lord, and he, God counted it to him as 343 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:39,760 what? This verse is what you might 344 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:45,320 call a North Star of Scripture. It's what I would compare to a 345 00:20:45,360 --> 00:20:48,560 Mount Everest of the mountain peaks of the Bible. 346 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,760 Why is that? Because y'all, it reveals the 347 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,760 essence of salvation. Here we have a verse that 348 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:57,840 clarifies the message of the Bible. 349 00:20:58,120 --> 00:21:01,400 It is the answer to the question, how could a human 350 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:05,640 being possibly be made right with God? 351 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:09,520 It says Abraham heard the word of God, specifically the 352 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:12,160 promises of God, and did what believe. 353 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:15,240 That means he trusted God to be true. 354 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,840 It means he placed his confidence in God's word. 355 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:22,400 He accepted the promises of God as good as done. 356 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:25,520 He put his faith in God. That is, God spoke, Abram 357 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:27,680 believed and God did what the Bible says. 358 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,320 He counted it to him as right. To what does that mean? 359 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:32,200 He counted it to him as righteousness. 360 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:37,680 It means he credited a Sinner with undeserved righteousness. 361 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:43,680 It means that he granted Abram a righteous or right standing with 362 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,200 him. He imputed as a word that 363 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,320 scholars will use, which means he transferred A righteousness 364 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:53,160 that belonged only to God and gave it to Abraham, gave it to 365 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:58,800 him as his He considered an unrighteous man righteous in his 366 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:04,040 sight. Was it because Abram earned it 367 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:06,840 or deserved it? No. 368 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,560 Was it because Abram worked for it? 369 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,440 Was it because Abram obeyed the law? 370 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:16,840 No, the law hadn't been given yet. 371 00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:20,640 Was it because Abram was circumcised, baptized, observed 372 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:22,840 the Lord's Supper, or joined his local church? 373 00:22:24,360 --> 00:22:26,920 No. No. 374 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:31,120 Was it because Abram believed God by faith? 375 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:38,600 Yes, Abram was made right with God because he believed God. 376 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,040 Here we learned the message of the Bible. 377 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,360 So clearly, here's where we're at the top of the spruce tree, 378 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,520 and we see how all these things come together to make sense from 379 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:51,480 the old covenant to the new, and Jesus as the answer, right? 380 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:55,600 And we see that a right relationship with God requires 381 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,400 the righteousness of God. And we see that the 382 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:02,160 righteousness of God is only acquired by faith, which means a 383 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:05,600 right relationship with God only comes by faith. 384 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,800 Here we see the landscape. Here we see the message of the 385 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:09,640 Bible. Here we see why Jesus had to 386 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:11,560 come. Here we see where we stand on 387 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,760 our own, separated from God and our sin and our unrighteousness. 388 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:17,680 Unless somebody steps in and provides for us what is not 389 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:21,840 natively ours, as we say oftentimes, what is the world's 390 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:27,520 greatest problem? Lostness. 391 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:29,520 Cat, you should have said it loud and proud. 392 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:31,160 All right, I heard you. I heard you whisper. 393 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:34,080 It's lostness. It's when people are not in a 394 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:37,120 right relationship with who? With God. 395 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:39,960 That's the essence, that's the core, that's the source of all 396 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:42,840 our problems on the planet, is when men and women, boys and 397 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,080 girls are not in a right relationship with God. 398 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:51,440 We call it lostness. And without a right relationship 399 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,200 with God, we have no righteousness of our own. 400 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,680 This is our problem. Separated from God and our 401 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:02,280 unrighteousness, we stand in an wrong relationship with God. 402 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:04,560 We're lost. This is why John Newton wrote so 403 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,760 eloquently in a song you know so well in 1779. 404 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:11,360 I once was lost, but now I'm found. 405 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:14,040 I've I've been brought into a right relationship with God by 406 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:16,880 fate, and I've received the righteousness of Christ. 407 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:18,520 That's what John Newton is expressing. 408 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:21,160 I once lived one way. It was a horrible way. 409 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:23,200 Jesus changed my way of living. Why? 410 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,920 Because John Newton earned it. Because John Newton worked for 411 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:27,400 it. Because John Newton started 412 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:30,640 doing what was right, or because John Newton believed the word of 413 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:35,720 God and like Abram, it was counted to him as righteousness. 414 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:39,800 The question of all questions is how could unrighteous, sinful 415 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,800 human beings ever be made right with God? 416 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,320 But I can, before I answered the question, can I be honest with 417 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:47,920 you and just say the world really doesn't even believe? 418 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:52,560 That question needs to be asked, which is part of the blindness. 419 00:24:54,120 --> 00:24:56,400 When people are lost, often they don't know they're lost. 420 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:01,320 You ask the world and they don't believe that they're naturally 421 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:03,840 or natively unrighteous before a righteous God. 422 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:08,360 You ask the world or you, you go out and ask the culture and 423 00:25:08,360 --> 00:25:11,400 you're going to hear this lie in so many different ways or terms. 424 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,520 We're, we're, you know, we're, we're fundamentally good and we, 425 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,080 we got a few issues here and there, but you know, deep down, 426 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:21,080 deep down, we're, we're righteous. 427 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:24,760 You just give us the right circumstances or the right 428 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,360 situation, we'll do the right thing. 429 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:31,680 Is that how you've acted in your life? 430 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,480 If you, if you searched your heart and found native natural 431 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:42,920 righteousness? Let me ask you to examine your 432 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,560 family. How hard is it to find 433 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:51,360 brokenness somewhere? Let me ask you to walk in at 434 00:25:51,360 --> 00:25:53,720 local schools, in any community, and guess what you'll find 435 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:57,280 there? Security to prevent the greatest 436 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:05,160 of what tragedies you want to you want to you want to examine 437 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,840 the paperwork and the doings of any institution on the planet, 438 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:11,640 including those of faith, you're going to find them corruption 439 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:16,440 free. You look around the the globe, 440 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:19,040 you find find freedom and righteousness and liberty 441 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:23,360 reigning. Who do we think we're fooling? 442 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:29,200 Certainly not God, none but ourselves, right? 443 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:32,520 And yet the world doesn't even realize the right question to 444 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,440 ask is how can we be made righteous before God because 445 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:37,920 we're unrighteous. And yet some have been honest at 446 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:40,240 some points. I've told you this, but the 447 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,880 famous atheist Woody Allen said this, Woody, if there was a God, 448 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:45,120 what would you want him to say to you? 449 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:49,280 To which he responded, I don't want him to say to me, you are 450 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:55,080 Mr. Allen forgiven. Why? 451 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:57,400 Because he knew there was a God and that God was righteous. 452 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:03,080 He was in trouble, we are. This is why God sent His one and 453 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:08,040 only Son, the way, the truth, and the life. 454 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:11,760 What has Jesus done for you so that you could be made right 455 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:13,800 with God? He lived sinlessly in your 456 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:17,600 place. He died sacrificially in your 457 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,280 place. He rose victoriously from the 458 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:24,080 grave in your place. This is what Jesus has done. 459 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:27,560 The Bible doesn't say all who live a good life will be saved. 460 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:29,880 It doesn't say all who contribute to the good of 461 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:33,760 society will be saved. The Bible says all who call on 462 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:36,680 the name of the Lord will be saved because all have sinned 463 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:38,880 and fallen short of the glory of God. 464 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,280 Can I ask you, has there been a moment in your life and you got 465 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:44,040 to top of that spruce tree and you looked at the landscape of 466 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:47,640 your life and the Bible and who God is, and you realize I'm 467 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,720 separated from him. I'm unrighteous on my own and by 468 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,760 faith. You called out to Jesus to save 469 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:58,200 you, and your life was reoriented to living rightly 470 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:03,760 with God by faith #3 the Christian life. 471 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:10,720 The Christian life is a call to live by faith. 472 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:15,720 Some people ask the question, how were they saved in the Old 473 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:19,760 Testament? The same way they're saved in 474 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:24,640 the New Testament by faith. By faith in the old looking 475 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,680 forward to the cross in the New Testament, by faith, looking 476 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:31,720 back to the cross, we're only saved mankind, man or woman, boy 477 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:35,400 or girl, is only made right with God by by faith. 478 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:40,960 The Bible says if you have never called out in faith to Jesus 479 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,560 Christ, it says if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is 480 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,720 Lord, believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, 481 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:48,640 you will be saved. That is, you'll be counted 482 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:51,880 righteous, you'll be made right with God, you will be found. 483 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:55,960 Have you been saved by faith was my first question. 484 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:58,640 The second question is, having been saved, are you living? 485 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:02,880 Are you walking by faith? Or maybe have you kind of gotten 486 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:06,040 off track a little bit like Abraham was in verse 2 and 3, 487 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:08,440 where he had heard the promises of God. 488 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:11,600 He knew the promises of God, but quite honestly, he started 489 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,160 living by sight. God, I hadn't seen the promises 490 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:16,960 of God. God, I'm not seeing them. 491 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:19,960 God, I've heard them. I'm struggling to believe them 492 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:23,200 because I'm not seeing them. And so often we get down where 493 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:25,720 the Land's flat and the trees are thick and the snow is deep 494 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:29,320 and it's super cold, and we kind of start walking by sight rather 495 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:32,760 than faith. We get disoriented and maybe 496 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:35,840 start falling into fear or refusing to live patiently and 497 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:37,440 wait on God. We get ahead of God or get 498 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:41,520 behind God and we lose the what we started with. 499 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:45,160 We lose the reality that our lives as Christians, not that 500 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:48,280 just begin by faith, but we're called to live out our salvation 501 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:51,720 by faith. And this is what Abram was 502 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:55,240 reminded of here and what we see here as how God caused us to 503 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,720 rightly relate with him. Y'all, the call of God can only 504 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:03,560 be answered by faith. The call of God can only be 505 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:09,440 answered by faith. One of the ways that we remember 506 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:13,560 this truth is by observing the Lord's Supper. 507 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:17,000 I want you to think about the Supper in this way. 508 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:23,080 Coming to the table. We're coming to something that 509 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:25,720 we could not provide for ourselves. 510 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,360 We're coming to something that we could not prepare for 511 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:34,360 ourselves. I'm in the throes of with my 512 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:36,800 wife of raising a 1311 and 9 year old. 513 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:42,840 I'm not sure how many. Lauren does the lion's share of 514 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:45,280 it, but there's just some days where you're like, I'm not sure. 515 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,560 I'm not sure how many more dishes I'm going to wash in my 516 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:52,160 life or, you know, when the meals are going to stop or when. 517 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:54,880 I mean, you know, the grocery shopping, the meals that I mean, 518 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:57,280 just the cycle of life. He just keeps coming, right? 519 00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:59,680 You're constantly preparing. You're constantly providing. 520 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:09,720 The meal of the Lord's Supper is one that when we participate in, 521 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:14,920 the right way to approach it is to realize the only way you can 522 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:19,200 participate is by completely receiving, by faith that your 523 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:23,120 salvation was not something you work for, was not something that 524 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:25,520 you could earn or that you could deserve. 525 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:29,520 That the righteousness that you have as a child of God is not 526 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:32,200 native to you. It's not natural to you. 527 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:38,520 It's actually alien to you. It's what Jesus has provided you 528 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:42,360 the day you called by faith in him to save you. 529 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:49,040 As you prepare to partake, John and praised him are going to 530 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:52,920 come out and I want to invite you to just bow your head and 531 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:55,440 close your eyes and I want you to consider for a few moments 532 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:02,760 what Jesus has done for you. You know, when we sit down at a 533 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,400 table to partake in a meal, one of the things we do, and I pray 534 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:09,080 that you do, no matter whether you're in public or private, is 535 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:11,800 you tell you, tell the Lord thank you for what you're about 536 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:16,680 to partake of. How could we come to the Lord's 537 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,400 table? One we could have never 538 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:22,600 provided, one we could have never prepared without saying 539 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:26,400 thanks. So I, I want to invite you just 540 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:30,760 to prepare your own heart for a moment, whether that's saying 541 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:34,800 thank you to the Lord silently or whether you're bold enough to 542 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:38,480 say it out loud verbally. In fact, I just want to give us 543 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,960 a moment or two here for several of you to say thank you out loud 544 00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:46,440 for what God has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. 545 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:48,840 If you're willing to pray out loud, I want you to do it. 546 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:52,440 Just say a sentence prayer of thanks that I'm going to, I'm 547 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:56,080 going to close this after you pray, and our deacons will then 548 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:57,880 serve us and we will participate together. 549 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,760 Somebody start us saying thanks for the meal that only God could 550 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:04,320 provide. Father, thank you is 551 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:09,000 insufficient. God, it's all by your grace and 552 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:16,000 your power, your love and your incredible provision that you 553 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:19,760 sent your one and only Son as whosoever would believe in him 554 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:22,120 should not perish but have everlasting life. 555 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:28,920 Remind us, Father, the depth, the length, the breadth that you 556 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:33,760 went to to show us your love by sending your one and only Son. 557 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:38,480 Thank you for his broken body. Thank you for his shed blood as 558 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:42,640 the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin 559 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:47,640 of the world. Father, I pray that you allow us 560 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:51,360 as we participate to reminded that what starts by faith in 561 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:54,000 You. You call us to everyday walk out 562 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:56,200 by faith in you in Jesus name I pray. 563 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,440 Amen. Deacons, if you would now 564 00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:02,920 position yourself to service this morning, invite you to 565 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:05,600 participate. If you're a follower of Jesus, 566 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:07,240 you've called on Jesus to save you. 567 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:11,880 It's OK to let the elements pass if they need to. 568 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:13,719 If you're not in the right state of heart or mind. 569 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:16,000 The Bible says not to partake in an unworthy manner. 570 00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:19,320 And if it's a day that you're not ready to do so, then you 571 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:21,080 just pass the plate to the person next to you. 572 00:34:21,679 --> 00:34:24,239 But if you've chosen to trust Christ by fate, I invite you to 573 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:26,840 participate. And I'll return to lead us in 574 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:28,080 participating in just a moment.