1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,560 Our preaching passage this morning is Hebrews 11 versus 8 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:07,240 through 19. By faith, Abraham, when he was 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,000 called, obeyed, and set out for a place that he was going to 4 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,480 receive as an inheritance, he went out, even though he did not 5 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,239 know where he was going. By faith, he stayed as a 6 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,160 foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did 7 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,120 Isaac and Jacob, Co, heirs of the same promise. 8 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,280 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, 9 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,820 who's architect and builder is God, faith. 10 00:00:28,820 --> 00:00:31,780 Even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, receive 11 00:00:31,780 --> 00:00:34,820 power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the 12 00:00:34,820 --> 00:00:38,380 age, since she considered that the one who was who had promised 13 00:00:38,380 --> 00:00:41,940 was faithful. Therefore from one man, in fact 14 00:00:41,940 --> 00:00:44,860 from one as good as dead, came offspring as numerous as the 15 00:00:44,860 --> 00:00:48,140 stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of 16 00:00:48,140 --> 00:00:51,620 sand along the seashore. These all died in faith, 17 00:00:51,700 --> 00:00:53,460 although they had not received the things that they were 18 00:00:53,460 --> 00:00:55,400 promised. But they saw them from a 19 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:57,720 distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were 20 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,240 foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. 21 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:03,360 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are 22 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:05,760 seeking a homeland. If they were thinking about 23 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,160 where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to 24 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,120 return. But they now desire a better 25 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,960 place, the heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to 26 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:19,040 be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them by 27 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:20,560 faith. Abraham, when he was tested, 28 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,680 offered up Isaac. He received the promises, and 29 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,240 yet he was offering his one and only son, the one to whom has 30 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,200 been said. Your offspring will be traced 31 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,120 through Isaac. He considered God to be able 32 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:33,760 even to raise someone from the dead. 33 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,040 Therefore he received him back, figuratively speaking. 34 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:42,000 Good morning, church. It is a joy to be back with you 35 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:43,840 all. For those of you who don't know 36 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:45,920 me and I've not had the opportunity to meet you, my name 37 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:48,280 is Joel. I get to serve as one of the 38 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,220 pastors here at New Eden. Specifically the pastor for 39 00:01:51,220 --> 00:01:53,460 preaching and oversight alongside our pastor for 40 00:01:53,460 --> 00:01:56,420 shepherding Kevin Perry. As most of you know, I've been 41 00:01:56,420 --> 00:02:00,940 on a every summer the elders allow me to take a about a six 42 00:02:00,940 --> 00:02:02,220 week. Well normally it's four weeks. 43 00:02:02,780 --> 00:02:05,540 This year it was six weeks. Just a little bit of a preaching 44 00:02:05,540 --> 00:02:09,539 break where I can focus some energies and things into other 45 00:02:09,539 --> 00:02:13,220 areas both at New Eden and then other opportunities. 46 00:02:13,220 --> 00:02:15,860 So I just want to say thank you for you guys as a church. 47 00:02:16,300 --> 00:02:20,220 Allowing me to just take some time and just do some things 48 00:02:20,220 --> 00:02:23,420 like I got to speak at a student camp that we partner with Summit 49 00:02:23,420 --> 00:02:26,140 Crossing on. And so that was what I got to do 50 00:02:26,140 --> 00:02:28,820 during that time. And some of students and leaders 51 00:02:28,820 --> 00:02:33,140 from Newton got to go, also got to go down to a conference 52 00:02:33,140 --> 00:02:37,500 called for an organization called GSI which is the sinning 53 00:02:37,500 --> 00:02:40,260 organization for one of our missionary couples. 54 00:02:40,260 --> 00:02:44,030 The case who will be going to? The Vietnam area. 55 00:02:44,750 --> 00:02:47,190 And so obviously don't talk about that publicly and that's 56 00:02:47,190 --> 00:02:49,750 why I didn't say their names. They're not here this morning, 57 00:02:49,750 --> 00:02:52,830 but I got to go with them down in Florida to experience that. 58 00:02:52,830 --> 00:02:56,230 It was just a good reminder of God's heart for the nations and 59 00:02:57,190 --> 00:02:59,150 just what he's doing in our midst. 60 00:02:59,150 --> 00:03:02,750 So I just want to say thank you for the time and I'm excited to 61 00:03:02,750 --> 00:03:05,670 be back. We are last week in this witness 62 00:03:05,670 --> 00:03:09,110 series, which is where we're looking at different people from 63 00:03:09,110 --> 00:03:12,400 the. Chapter of Hebrews Chapter 11. 64 00:03:12,920 --> 00:03:16,080 And then next week we're going to stop or jump right back into 65 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,520 our Jesus is better or greater than, if you take that graphic 66 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,080 seriously inside joke for New Eden people that have been 67 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,000 around a while we're going to jump back into that Next week 68 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:29,680 we'll be in Hebrews chapter 12. So in the meanwhile I'm going to 69 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:34,000 pick up these screws that we the TV was blinking last week and so 70 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,080 we changed it out and left screws up here and I keep 71 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:37,960 stepping on them. So Meredith, I'm sorry if you 72 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:39,200 were stepping all over these two, so. 73 00:03:39,850 --> 00:03:44,370 I didn't know what they were. So also I'm gonna give you guys 74 00:03:44,370 --> 00:03:46,290 a quick disclaimer. This morning is going to be way 75 00:03:46,290 --> 00:03:48,490 different than normal. So I want you guys to just relax 76 00:03:48,490 --> 00:03:52,570 and settle in because I'm trying to myself if you don't, if 77 00:03:52,570 --> 00:03:54,530 you've not taught or spoke in front of people. 78 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:56,840 You might not know this and understand how some of this 79 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:58,360 works, but there's different types of speakers. 80 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,480 Some people like a very skeleton outline. 81 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:02,520 Some people type out everything word for word. 82 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,640 So I am what you would call a manuscript preacher, which means 83 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,280 I type out everything that I'm going to say word for word. 84 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,000 My people that run slides in the back can attest to that. 85 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,120 They get my notes and they can see I'm very specific. 86 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,120 I do it because my brain goes a lot of different directions. 87 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:19,240 You'd be amazed the things that pop into my brain while I'm up 88 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:21,060 here talking. And when that happens, I can 89 00:04:21,060 --> 00:04:24,020 just you know read what I got going on and I've learned how to 90 00:04:24,020 --> 00:04:26,220 read pretty well where you guys don't even know most the time. 91 00:04:26,860 --> 00:04:31,580 But today I do not have that. So Full disclosure, I promise 92 00:04:31,580 --> 00:04:35,740 you you I just if I say something, I'm sorry, that's why 93 00:04:35,740 --> 00:04:37,860 I normally type stuff out. So I just want to say that up 94 00:04:37,860 --> 00:04:40,620 front. Secondly, it's just been. 95 00:04:40,620 --> 00:04:43,740 I'll be honest with you guys, I come in here pretty tired this 96 00:04:43,740 --> 00:04:46,150 summer has been. I'm exhausting in a lot of ways 97 00:04:46,150 --> 00:04:49,310 for me and my family and even just some heavy things going on 98 00:04:49,510 --> 00:04:51,590 within the New Eden family that some of you might know about, 99 00:04:51,590 --> 00:04:52,670 some of you might not know about. 100 00:04:53,150 --> 00:04:55,150 And that's OK. And so I know that we all come 101 00:04:55,150 --> 00:04:57,510 in here at different places. But honestly, last night at 102 00:04:57,510 --> 00:05:01,230 about 11:30, after staring at a blank screen for a while on my 103 00:05:01,230 --> 00:05:04,150 computer, I feel like the spirit gave me freedom to just shut it 104 00:05:04,150 --> 00:05:05,830 down. And I went in and told my wife 105 00:05:05,830 --> 00:05:07,550 she was like, I thought you were writing your sermon. 106 00:05:07,550 --> 00:05:11,310 I said I'm going to bed and so still stayed up for a walk. 107 00:05:11,310 --> 00:05:16,040 So I'm a late night person. But I have a very loose skeleton 108 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,160 outline and notes, so I do not know how this is going to go. 109 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:23,480 If you're visiting, I apologize. Come back next week, I'll be 110 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,640 back in my rhythm and you'll get or go listen to some sermons 111 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:27,960 online. And if you still hate it, then 112 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,800 that's all I got for you. I am thankful, and I do mean 113 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:33,480 this, that the spirit of God is not. 114 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,480 He does not need a sermon to show up and move among his 115 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:38,120 people. He's going to do that 116 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,320 regardless. And so we we come together. 117 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,200 And a lot of things proclaim the gospel, not just this time. 118 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:47,400 So anyways, I'm going to do what a lot of preachers do, and they 119 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,000 pray because they say they want to pray, but they're really 120 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:50,600 praying because they're nervous and they want to settle in. 121 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,920 So I'm going to pray, and actually I am confessing 122 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,640 dependence upon God, as always. So let me pray for us and we'll 123 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:58,920 dive in spirit. We need you. 124 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,360 We are always dependent on you. But as we were reminded this 125 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,480 morning, that there are times where you make us more aware of 126 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:10,210 that, and that is a grace to us. That not only for something as 127 00:06:10,210 --> 00:06:16,370 simple as a who knows how long sermon this morning, but just 128 00:06:16,370 --> 00:06:21,090 for life, everything from seemingly first world problems 129 00:06:21,090 --> 00:06:25,250 like an HVAC going out to fighting cancer and death and 130 00:06:25,250 --> 00:06:29,010 sickness and pain. We are desperately dependent on 131 00:06:29,010 --> 00:06:33,410 you, so we confess that I confess that this morning thank 132 00:06:33,410 --> 00:06:36,850 you, that we do not have to conjure you up, but that you are 133 00:06:36,850 --> 00:06:38,790 here. Based on your faithfulness, not 134 00:06:38,790 --> 00:06:40,390 ours. Amen. 135 00:06:41,510 --> 00:06:47,550 So you heard the text read Hebrews 11 versus 8 through 20 136 00:06:47,550 --> 00:06:50,150 or 19. It is. 137 00:06:50,790 --> 00:06:53,910 Primarily I'm focusing on Abraham and Sarah, as you can 138 00:06:53,910 --> 00:06:55,750 tell, as you heard from the passage read. 139 00:06:56,310 --> 00:06:59,550 And so. He like when you're taking these 140 00:06:59,550 --> 00:07:01,710 characters, there's a lot about Abraham. 141 00:07:01,790 --> 00:07:03,550 He is like one of the patriarchs. 142 00:07:03,790 --> 00:07:06,790 We could talk all day about Abraham, but what I want to kind 143 00:07:06,790 --> 00:07:10,390 of zoom in on is the parts that Hebrews Chapter 11 talks about. 144 00:07:11,150 --> 00:07:15,550 I do kind of have this broken up into verses 8 through 10 is this 145 00:07:15,550 --> 00:07:21,910 promise of a place versus 11 through 12 with Sarah is a 146 00:07:21,910 --> 00:07:25,730 promise of a people? And then kind of the rest of it 147 00:07:25,730 --> 00:07:28,170 is how all of that stuff is fulfilled. 148 00:07:28,770 --> 00:07:31,970 And so we talked about Abraham. It says by faith, Abraham, when 149 00:07:31,970 --> 00:07:34,930 he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was 150 00:07:34,930 --> 00:07:37,490 going to receive as an inheritance. 151 00:07:37,970 --> 00:07:40,730 So this comes from Genesis chapter 12. 152 00:07:41,410 --> 00:07:44,650 There is this call to Abraham to go, and someone to read that as 153 00:07:44,650 --> 00:07:48,370 Genesis 12/1 through three it says, the Lord said to Abraham, 154 00:07:48,370 --> 00:07:50,690 go out from your land, your relatives, and your father's 155 00:07:50,690 --> 00:07:52,290 house to the land that I will show you. 156 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:54,640 I will make you into a great nation. 157 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,400 I will bless you. I will make your name great, and 158 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:00,080 you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless 159 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:01,800 you. I will curse anyone who treats 160 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,960 you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed 161 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,520 through you. Verse four says, So Abram went 162 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,200 as the Lord had told him and Lot went with him. 163 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,600 Abram was 75 years old when he left here. 164 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,520 So this is really in Genesis when the story of Abraham begins 165 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,240 and he's called to get up and go. 166 00:08:19,730 --> 00:08:22,530 And he's told that he's going to receive this inheritance, but he 167 00:08:22,530 --> 00:08:24,410 doesn't really know where he's going. 168 00:08:24,930 --> 00:08:27,690 And so as I was processing through this, I think about this 169 00:08:27,890 --> 00:08:31,050 promise of a place. And for me what this promise of 170 00:08:31,050 --> 00:08:34,530 a place, and I think in the scriptures signifies is a place 171 00:08:34,530 --> 00:08:38,210 of rest, a place of belonging. And I don't know if you guys 172 00:08:38,210 --> 00:08:42,650 have ever thought about what home means for you, but just the 173 00:08:42,650 --> 00:08:45,210 place where you can fully be yourself. 174 00:08:45,660 --> 00:08:48,460 When you think about a place where one of the illustrations I 175 00:08:48,460 --> 00:08:50,260 gave at our student camp, a place where you can be home, is 176 00:08:50,260 --> 00:08:53,340 like where you can go into the pantry or into the fridge and 177 00:08:53,340 --> 00:08:55,620 get what you want when you want it with no judgment. 178 00:08:55,980 --> 00:08:58,580 Like we were on a trip to the beach and we stopped about 179 00:08:58,580 --> 00:09:00,420 halfway through this earlier this summer and stayed at my 180 00:09:00,420 --> 00:09:02,810 grandparents house. And so, like, if I wake up at 181 00:09:02,810 --> 00:09:05,570 like 2 in the morning and I'm a little hungry at my old my own 182 00:09:05,570 --> 00:09:07,770 house, like, I don't care if I'm in my boxers or whatever. 183 00:09:07,770 --> 00:09:10,490 Like, I'm going to the fridge and I'm getting out what I want. 184 00:09:10,490 --> 00:09:12,690 I'm going to the pantry and getting out what I want, what my 185 00:09:12,690 --> 00:09:15,010 grandma's house like. I'm a little like I'm not quite 186 00:09:15,010 --> 00:09:17,010 at home. I'm not fully at rest. 187 00:09:17,010 --> 00:09:18,850 I'm like, worried, can I take this? 188 00:09:18,850 --> 00:09:21,050 Is it safe for another day? Things like that. 189 00:09:21,530 --> 00:09:25,290 And so like what I mean by this idea of home is this place where 190 00:09:25,290 --> 00:09:28,040 he can belong. And so there is this promise 191 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,080 given to Abraham to go and you're going to receive this 192 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,040 land, this place of rest. But if you look at the story of 193 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:38,200 Abraham, it is a story that is anything but that he is a 194 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,360 wonder, his entire story and the whole story. 195 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,440 There's these covenants where God will remind him of these 196 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:46,440 this place of rest that's going to belong. 197 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,080 But he never actually received it fully. 198 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:51,720 What he actually received was exile. 199 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,640 He was kind of wondering, and I think about this for. 200 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,480 I know some of you here at New Eden this morning are are 201 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,440 struggling. Even the best of homes that we 202 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:06,040 have here on Earth are not quite home like. 203 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:09,560 So this week our HVAC, well, it's been going like in and out 204 00:10:09,560 --> 00:10:11,840 for the last few weeks. The home is under three years 205 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:13,640 old. I'm like why is this, you know, 206 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:15,280 whatever. So some of it's under warranty 207 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:19,080 but of course it doesn't cover labor and the refrigerant that 208 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:20,440 leaked because your part went bad. 209 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:22,080 So it's still quite a big bill or whatever. 210 00:10:22,660 --> 00:10:25,540 So the reality is like I'm sitting here and my son's bonus 211 00:10:25,540 --> 00:10:27,500 room is 99 degrees, you know, up here. 212 00:10:27,500 --> 00:10:30,500 It's just like this hot box up here and I'm like, what is 213 00:10:30,500 --> 00:10:32,940 happening, right? And it just we're not completely 214 00:10:32,940 --> 00:10:34,140 at rest. We're not at home. 215 00:10:34,140 --> 00:10:37,380 And so like, if you guys are like me, we have everything from 216 00:10:37,380 --> 00:10:40,900 like seemingly first world problems like that to also the 217 00:10:40,900 --> 00:10:43,340 reality that there is sickness in this world. 218 00:10:43,660 --> 00:10:45,540 There is brokenness. Many of you guys know that my 219 00:10:45,540 --> 00:10:47,500 mom has been struggling with cancer and. 220 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,240 This week, you know, had a surgery and and things are going 221 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:53,360 well, I guess is all things considered. 222 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,920 But that's just like a snapshot. I know that many of you are 223 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:00,480 wrestling with brokenness and pain, and the reality is we are 224 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,560 exiles here and we long for healing. 225 00:11:03,560 --> 00:11:08,240 We long for things to be made new and things to be made whole. 226 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:12,320 And what we're told about Abraham is that he still walked 227 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,440 out in faith and obeyed, even though he did not know where he 228 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:17,690 was going. And I think for me what I was 229 00:11:17,690 --> 00:11:19,970 challenged by this we we have a preaching team every week where 230 00:11:19,970 --> 00:11:21,690 we discuss things. And those of you that are in 231 00:11:21,690 --> 00:11:23,770 preaching team are like this is not at all what we discussed. 232 00:11:23,770 --> 00:11:27,690 But one thing that did stand out to me in preaching team is this 233 00:11:27,690 --> 00:11:32,810 idea of do we find more rest in where we are going or where we 234 00:11:32,810 --> 00:11:36,770 think we are at or in the one who is with us as we go. 235 00:11:37,530 --> 00:11:40,370 We're told that Abraham stayed as a foreigner in the Land of 236 00:11:40,370 --> 00:11:44,450 Promise, living in tents because he was looking forward to a city 237 00:11:44,450 --> 00:11:48,240 that has foundations. Whose architect and builder is 238 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,160 God. And so there is this promise of 239 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,120 a place and a promise of a place to belong. 240 00:11:54,680 --> 00:11:58,360 And so I think for us, I think my hope is that New Eden Church 241 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:00,960 is a place where people can belong. 242 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,240 And I've watched you guys care for each other. 243 00:12:03,730 --> 00:12:07,370 I've watched people reach out when their kid is having surgery 244 00:12:07,370 --> 00:12:09,810 and and mills are brought. Or I've watched people have 245 00:12:10,410 --> 00:12:12,930 needs to to move and people step up to help move. 246 00:12:12,930 --> 00:12:15,850 Like there is this, even though we are in this already, not yet 247 00:12:15,850 --> 00:12:20,090 where we live in exile. God promises a family and a 248 00:12:20,090 --> 00:12:24,690 place to belong to his people and we receive that through 249 00:12:24,690 --> 00:12:27,210 these relationships in the church. 250 00:12:27,810 --> 00:12:30,090 And we see this continue not only with the promise of a 251 00:12:30,090 --> 00:12:33,010 place, but although that's also the promise of a people. 252 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,880 And verse 11 We're told that Sarah, by faith when she was 253 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,080 unable to have children, received power to conceive 254 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,440 offspring, even though she was past the age since she 255 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:45,960 considered that the one who had promised was faithful. 256 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,760 Therefore from one man, in fact from one as good as dad, came 257 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,880 offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as 258 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,280 innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore. 259 00:12:57,560 --> 00:13:00,880 Not only was Abraham promised a place, but Sarah and Abraham 260 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:04,430 both were promised a people. And again, if you read the 261 00:13:04,430 --> 00:13:07,550 story, I, it's amazing to me the way the story of Abraham and 262 00:13:07,550 --> 00:13:10,350 Sarah is recorded, because it's recorded as if Abraham just had 263 00:13:10,350 --> 00:13:12,950 this great faith while he was wondering in exile. 264 00:13:12,950 --> 00:13:15,390 But really he's like being deceitful and kind of pawning 265 00:13:15,390 --> 00:13:18,190 his wife off on people, like kind of weird, you know, like 266 00:13:18,350 --> 00:13:21,590 that's going on. And then you see Sarah, who by 267 00:13:21,590 --> 00:13:24,030 faith, you know, has this great faith on having an offspring, 268 00:13:24,030 --> 00:13:26,670 but she's like, hey, here's Hagar, like, let's make this 269 00:13:26,670 --> 00:13:29,350 happen in our own strength. And if the Abraham story is also 270 00:13:29,350 --> 00:13:31,430 very long, it's easy to think that these things, like these 271 00:13:31,430 --> 00:13:33,190 promises came and then they happen immediately. 272 00:13:33,270 --> 00:13:35,030 They did. Is like 75. 273 00:13:35,030 --> 00:13:36,710 And it's not till 100 that he actually has. 274 00:13:36,710 --> 00:13:38,430 Isaac. You're talking about 25 years, 275 00:13:38,790 --> 00:13:40,230 right? Which looking back in history, 276 00:13:40,230 --> 00:13:41,510 you're like, oh, that's a blip on the radar. 277 00:13:41,510 --> 00:13:46,110 But you go 25 years longing for something, wanting something, 278 00:13:46,110 --> 00:13:50,070 yearning for a homeland, yearning for a family. 279 00:13:50,670 --> 00:13:54,230 And so she was promised that she would have this, this child, 280 00:13:54,590 --> 00:13:56,110 right? And she even laughs. 281 00:13:56,310 --> 00:13:58,470 Abraham laughs first, right? Sarah's the one that's always 282 00:13:58,470 --> 00:13:59,630 remembered. Abraham laughs first. 283 00:13:59,630 --> 00:14:02,510 Then a chapter later got over here, Sarah laughing. 284 00:14:02,910 --> 00:14:06,910 And that's where we get the phrase is anything too hard for 285 00:14:07,630 --> 00:14:10,070 God. And so even though she was 286 00:14:10,070 --> 00:14:13,270 promised the this and what you have to understand too. 287 00:14:13,270 --> 00:14:15,350 And this time people lived longer and a lot of times they 288 00:14:15,350 --> 00:14:19,150 did get to see their they got to see their sons and daughters, 289 00:14:19,150 --> 00:14:21,630 have sons and daughters and even multiple generations. 290 00:14:21,870 --> 00:14:24,830 Well, for Sarah, like when she passes and This is why I 291 00:14:24,830 --> 00:14:26,350 normally have a manuscript to write the stuff down. 292 00:14:26,350 --> 00:14:29,470 But I do know that you have Isaac and Ishmael, and Ishmael 293 00:14:29,470 --> 00:14:32,260 is the one with all the stuff. He's the first born. 294 00:14:32,380 --> 00:14:35,700 Like on paper. What God told her did not, 295 00:14:35,700 --> 00:14:36,700 actually. I mean, she did. 296 00:14:36,780 --> 00:14:40,700 She was barren and she did long for this child Isaac, and she 297 00:14:40,700 --> 00:14:43,500 did receive that. But the full promise of kings 298 00:14:43,500 --> 00:14:46,740 and nations coming from you and all these all nations being 299 00:14:46,740 --> 00:14:50,140 blessed through through their her offspring, was not fulfilled 300 00:14:50,140 --> 00:14:53,220 yet. She actually received a lot of 301 00:14:53,220 --> 00:14:55,170 strife. Go read the story. 302 00:14:55,370 --> 00:14:58,850 Her and Hagar and Ishmael. I mean a lot of deceit, a lot of 303 00:14:59,170 --> 00:15:02,450 anger she had toward Hagar, even though she was the one who who 304 00:15:02,450 --> 00:15:06,170 set it up this way. And so she didn't ultimately 305 00:15:06,170 --> 00:15:08,410 receive what was promised, just like Abraham did ultimately 306 00:15:08,410 --> 00:15:11,570 receive what was promised, but she did receive a fulfillment 307 00:15:11,570 --> 00:15:13,890 from it. And I love, I love the story 308 00:15:14,170 --> 00:15:19,530 because she laughs when God says that she's going to have a 309 00:15:19,530 --> 00:15:22,610 child, and she laughs in disbelief and doubt. 310 00:15:23,810 --> 00:15:26,730 But after she has Isaac, she names him Isaac because she said 311 00:15:26,730 --> 00:15:29,370 that God had brought her laughter, and this was a 312 00:15:29,370 --> 00:15:33,370 laughter of joy. And this is what God does for 313 00:15:33,370 --> 00:15:36,530 his people. He takes our laughter of 314 00:15:36,530 --> 00:15:38,930 incredulous doubt. Like okay. 315 00:15:38,930 --> 00:15:41,210 God okay. Sure. 316 00:15:41,930 --> 00:15:44,210 Like it's been 25 years. God, sure. 317 00:15:44,450 --> 00:15:46,330 Sure, okay, we're sure you're going to do something. 318 00:15:47,010 --> 00:15:48,890 And he turns it to laughter of joy. 319 00:15:49,620 --> 00:15:50,700 And that's, that's my prayer for us. 320 00:15:50,700 --> 00:15:53,540 Like when we think about a people in the family of God and 321 00:15:53,540 --> 00:15:55,260 we we're going to see in a second, all this is like, 322 00:15:55,300 --> 00:15:59,100 ultimately fulfilled in Christ. The reality is that we are all 323 00:15:59,100 --> 00:16:02,540 exiles, longing for home and longing for a family to call our 324 00:16:02,540 --> 00:16:04,860 own. And we all have stories of 325 00:16:04,860 --> 00:16:07,740 origin. Some of our biological families 326 00:16:07,740 --> 00:16:10,700 we remember with fondness and sometimes we don't, and 327 00:16:10,700 --> 00:16:13,780 sometimes families are awkward and sometimes families have 328 00:16:13,900 --> 00:16:16,620 strife and sometimes we have great families. 329 00:16:16,620 --> 00:16:19,140 And that's amazing. But even the best of families? 330 00:16:19,470 --> 00:16:23,910 Have brokenness, but there is a hope that God brings to his 331 00:16:23,910 --> 00:16:26,270 people a family. And like that's one of the 332 00:16:26,270 --> 00:16:29,790 things that that why why the church matters is not because we 333 00:16:29,790 --> 00:16:31,470 just want you to show up here on Sundays, right. 334 00:16:31,470 --> 00:16:33,550 And we're going to track the attendance and make sure that 335 00:16:33,710 --> 00:16:35,990 you know we're we're growing like every church is supposed to 336 00:16:35,990 --> 00:16:37,990 you know, like everyone tells you you're supposed to. 337 00:16:38,270 --> 00:16:41,110 Like, that's not the point. Like when I look out at you guys 338 00:16:41,110 --> 00:16:43,190 and see the family of God, what I see? 339 00:16:43,190 --> 00:16:45,590 Like, seriously, my brothers and sisters. 340 00:16:45,870 --> 00:16:47,270 Like, we're starting this Women's Bible study. 341 00:16:47,270 --> 00:16:49,430 And like, I'm amazed at and I don't. 342 00:16:49,550 --> 00:16:51,950 I I do say, you know, I joke with you guys about, like 343 00:16:51,950 --> 00:16:53,470 pastors always say they're excited about everything. 344 00:16:53,630 --> 00:16:55,230 But I'm seriously excited about this. 345 00:16:55,230 --> 00:16:58,750 Like like the women that God has brought to New Eden, that are my 346 00:16:58,750 --> 00:17:02,670 sisters, older sisters, younger sisters, right to pour into each 347 00:17:02,670 --> 00:17:05,150 other and to minister to me and to teach me things. 348 00:17:05,150 --> 00:17:09,230 It is a gift to our family. Like and to get to sit back and 349 00:17:09,230 --> 00:17:11,829 just watch God work in the midst of a broken world. 350 00:17:12,180 --> 00:17:15,660 And in the midst of a world that has broken families and broken 351 00:17:15,660 --> 00:17:18,060 marriages, and sometimes we're like, is this ever going to be 352 00:17:18,060 --> 00:17:20,060 whole? And maybe wondering children. 353 00:17:20,060 --> 00:17:22,780 Or maybe you wanted one of your family of your own, and it's not 354 00:17:22,780 --> 00:17:25,579 turned out that way. It's like God gives us in the 355 00:17:25,579 --> 00:17:29,580 here and now the opportunity to experience actually having 356 00:17:29,580 --> 00:17:32,140 brothers and sisters. Like we actually are family. 357 00:17:32,140 --> 00:17:34,620 We're not like family. We are family. 358 00:17:35,220 --> 00:17:37,900 And so and and that means sometimes yes, we don't have 359 00:17:37,900 --> 00:17:39,900 conflict and and we don't always get along And you got the 360 00:17:39,900 --> 00:17:42,060 awkward uncle right. But like one day that will all 361 00:17:42,060 --> 00:17:45,660 be fulfilled, right. One day it will all be made new. 362 00:17:45,860 --> 00:17:50,060 And there's a beauty here in this because sometimes in our 363 00:17:50,060 --> 00:17:51,580 life we wonder will we belong right. 364 00:17:51,580 --> 00:17:55,460 I know some like I I as as a pastor like I it feels weird 365 00:17:55,460 --> 00:17:58,700 saying this because I feel like sometimes pastors do this to 366 00:17:58,700 --> 00:18:01,220 gain pity. And I judge pastor. 367 00:18:01,220 --> 00:18:03,540 Sometimes you're like, oh, being a pastor is so hard. 368 00:18:03,890 --> 00:18:06,370 And all this stuff and you know, it's actually not a bad gig. 369 00:18:06,370 --> 00:18:09,570 I'm just joking that's it's not a gig there. 370 00:18:10,410 --> 00:18:13,970 There is something unique to to the pastor in the sense and I 371 00:18:13,970 --> 00:18:17,650 don't talk about this a lot. You guys know this, but I get to 372 00:18:17,650 --> 00:18:21,370 know about a lot of your struggles and I'm thankful for 373 00:18:21,370 --> 00:18:23,450 plurality. I'm thankful for Kevin and Mark, 374 00:18:23,450 --> 00:18:25,930 one of our elder candidates and the fact that we can share 375 00:18:25,930 --> 00:18:27,170 these. But I don't always get to share 376 00:18:27,170 --> 00:18:29,690 them with you because it's confidential and I'm not going 377 00:18:29,690 --> 00:18:32,570 to go share somebody's junk with you, but you get this. 378 00:18:33,220 --> 00:18:36,220 Sacred invitation into like the highest highs and the lowest 379 00:18:36,220 --> 00:18:38,420 lows. And like sometimes you're going 380 00:18:38,420 --> 00:18:41,060 from a lunch for someone celebrating something amazing 381 00:18:41,060 --> 00:18:43,580 and you're like celebrating with them to then you're going to 382 00:18:43,580 --> 00:18:46,220 someone who's like just the world is falling apart and 383 00:18:46,220 --> 00:18:47,740 you're like, I don't know how to deal with this. 384 00:18:48,180 --> 00:18:51,180 And so there's some heaviness here, like, and I know that 385 00:18:51,180 --> 00:18:54,420 there's brokenness in our body and also there's incredible joys 386 00:18:54,420 --> 00:18:56,380 and we want to be able to sit in the grief and the joy 387 00:18:56,380 --> 00:18:58,540 simultaneously. We try to do that well, but 388 00:18:58,540 --> 00:19:01,650 sometimes it's just hard. And I'm like, just come quickly. 389 00:19:01,650 --> 00:19:04,170 Like, I just want things to be made new. 390 00:19:04,170 --> 00:19:06,890 Like, we are longing. There's even a word that we have 391 00:19:06,890 --> 00:19:09,770 at Homesick, right? Like, we know that there is 392 00:19:09,770 --> 00:19:12,650 something that we want to be home. 393 00:19:12,650 --> 00:19:16,730 Something is not right. And there's times where I'm just 394 00:19:16,730 --> 00:19:19,210 like, God, come quickly. Is he really good? 395 00:19:19,970 --> 00:19:22,850 Like, I know you say you are, but like, I look at what the 396 00:19:22,850 --> 00:19:25,490 facts are right in front of my face, and it doesn't seem that 397 00:19:25,490 --> 00:19:26,530 good right now. God. 398 00:19:28,180 --> 00:19:29,940 But what I love what we see in this story. 399 00:19:29,940 --> 00:19:34,220 Sarah says she considered the one who had promised was 400 00:19:34,220 --> 00:19:36,780 faithful, and she's remembered based on like the slight amount 401 00:19:36,780 --> 00:19:39,420 of faith she had. She had a crap ton of doubts, 402 00:19:39,860 --> 00:19:44,660 like she doubted a lot, but she's remembered because the one 403 00:19:44,940 --> 00:19:48,940 who Promised was faithful. And what this all points us to 404 00:19:48,940 --> 00:19:50,460 it. All of Hebrews is what all of 405 00:19:50,620 --> 00:19:55,340 Hebrews 11 is pointing us to, is to fix our eyes on Jesus, the 406 00:19:55,340 --> 00:19:57,060 founder and perfector of her faith. 407 00:19:58,040 --> 00:19:59,600 That that's I don't know how many times. 408 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:01,840 At the end of the day, I'm like, you know, there's a lot I don't 409 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:04,160 know. There's a lot of questions I 410 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:06,720 have. There's a lot of doubts I have 411 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,480 and I'm like Sarah, I like to laugh and doubt sometimes 412 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:15,240 because that's just, you know, I find the humor in it, but it's 413 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:20,480 like at the end of the day, the one who promised is faithful. 414 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:24,000 I'm going to read 13 through 16 again. 415 00:20:24,750 --> 00:20:27,630 This is not only referring to Abraham and Sarah, but all of 416 00:20:27,630 --> 00:20:29,190 the people mentioned before this. 417 00:20:29,190 --> 00:20:33,510 And it says that these all died in faith although they had not 418 00:20:33,510 --> 00:20:35,030 received the things that were promised. 419 00:20:35,030 --> 00:20:37,790 So if you think the promise to Sarah was just about having 420 00:20:37,790 --> 00:20:40,030 Isaac and getting over that Baroness, so now she was more 421 00:20:40,030 --> 00:20:42,950 accepted in the culture. Like that was a piece of God 422 00:20:42,950 --> 00:20:44,470 doing something, but there was so much more. 423 00:20:44,470 --> 00:20:46,510 Same for Abraham, you think about him receiving a little bit 424 00:20:46,510 --> 00:20:48,870 of land and a little plot of land somewhere in the Middle 425 00:20:48,870 --> 00:20:50,510 East. Like it's so much more, is 426 00:20:50,790 --> 00:20:52,710 clearly says they did not receive the things that were 427 00:20:52,710 --> 00:20:54,670 promised, but they saw them from a disc. 428 00:20:54,750 --> 00:20:56,910 Residents greeted them and confessed that they were 429 00:20:56,910 --> 00:20:59,270 foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. 430 00:21:01,870 --> 00:21:05,870 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are 431 00:21:05,870 --> 00:21:10,590 seeking homeland. If they were thinking about 432 00:21:10,590 --> 00:21:13,030 where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to 433 00:21:13,030 --> 00:21:15,070 return. But they now desire a better 434 00:21:15,070 --> 00:21:18,910 place, a having havingly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to 435 00:21:18,910 --> 00:21:23,390 be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 436 00:21:24,780 --> 00:21:28,740 Ultimately, the longing in our hearts, the homesickness in our 437 00:21:28,740 --> 00:21:34,980 hearts, it might can be fulfilled somewhat in this life. 438 00:21:34,980 --> 00:21:38,300 And I do believe that as Christians we should, as the 439 00:21:38,300 --> 00:21:41,700 Exiles we're told in Babylon, to build houses and live in them, 440 00:21:41,860 --> 00:21:43,820 plant, produce, seek the good of the city. 441 00:21:43,820 --> 00:21:47,260 Like I I hope that you can make your home to be this place of 442 00:21:47,260 --> 00:21:49,180 Shalom where you can invite people into and they can 443 00:21:49,180 --> 00:21:51,220 experience a little bit of heaven on earth. 444 00:21:51,220 --> 00:21:53,660 But good luck keeping it that way, right? 445 00:21:53,660 --> 00:21:56,420 Like you, you can we move into a new home three years ago, Like, 446 00:21:56,420 --> 00:21:59,100 go look at the walls now, right? Like someone decided to buy a 447 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:02,780 metal buggy for our kids, you know, And then our kids decided 448 00:22:02,780 --> 00:22:04,580 to push it. Actually, it might have been 449 00:22:04,580 --> 00:22:05,900 somebody else's kid, but it doesn't matter. 450 00:22:06,270 --> 00:22:07,910 It was pushed down the chair. It was. 451 00:22:07,910 --> 00:22:09,950 I was just remembered that I was like, don't feel bad, I don't 452 00:22:09,950 --> 00:22:11,350 care. But here's the point. 453 00:22:11,350 --> 00:22:14,310 We're going somewhere. It was pushed down the stairs 454 00:22:14,310 --> 00:22:17,030 and like a missional community for something and boom, there's 455 00:22:17,030 --> 00:22:18,630 like a hole in the wall right there, right? 456 00:22:18,990 --> 00:22:22,110 But that's the thing, like, that's not about the physical 457 00:22:22,110 --> 00:22:25,390 home or even for us as a church. It's not about the physical 458 00:22:25,390 --> 00:22:27,870 building. It's about the people that God 459 00:22:27,870 --> 00:22:30,230 is creating. And so we should, we should try 460 00:22:30,230 --> 00:22:32,590 to create that. But the reality is all of that, 461 00:22:33,190 --> 00:22:34,790 right? Like it's it's wood, hay and 462 00:22:34,790 --> 00:22:37,190 stubble in the sense that if we're building it for our own 463 00:22:37,190 --> 00:22:40,870 kingdoms, it will burn. If you go build a home because 464 00:22:40,870 --> 00:22:43,670 you just want to like kind of, you know, help out your own 465 00:22:43,670 --> 00:22:47,030 finances or invest in land or like good, go do that, buy dirt 466 00:22:47,030 --> 00:22:48,310 or whatever that country song says. 467 00:22:48,310 --> 00:22:50,150 It's kind of weird, like, go do that. 468 00:22:50,470 --> 00:22:54,230 But here's the thing, at the end of the day, like it is all about 469 00:22:54,390 --> 00:22:57,310 the new Jerusalem coming down and God creating all things new. 470 00:22:57,790 --> 00:23:00,470 And so we hold up like we are longing for something better. 471 00:23:00,470 --> 00:23:02,910 We are looking for a city who's builder, maker is God. 472 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,240 And here's the thing. For God to fulfill this promise 473 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:11,480 of both the place of rest and Shalom, to fulfill his promise 474 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:14,640 of a people from every nation, tribe and tongue that gathers 475 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:16,720 around the throne united around Jesus. 476 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:24,240 For him to do that required great sacrifice, and this is 477 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,520 what we see imaged in verse 17 through 19. 478 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:31,480 We're told that Abraham, when he was tested, he offered up his 479 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:36,610 only son, Isaac. Remember, this is Isaac, the one 480 00:23:36,610 --> 00:23:38,530 that we were told was the promised one. 481 00:23:39,330 --> 00:23:42,610 And and don't get too caught up, it is weird God telling someone 482 00:23:42,610 --> 00:23:44,410 to kill Isaac. It's OK that you like, have a 483 00:23:44,410 --> 00:23:46,290 little clutch here. First of all, this is like a 484 00:23:46,290 --> 00:23:48,570 singular moment in history. This is not a pattern. 485 00:23:48,970 --> 00:23:54,410 And this is a clear, a clear picture of the gospel. 486 00:23:55,190 --> 00:23:58,030 It was there as a foreshadowing. I'm not saying it didn't really 487 00:23:58,030 --> 00:23:59,830 happen. My point is this is a clear 488 00:23:59,830 --> 00:24:01,990 moment in history. Also, Isaac is like 15 years 489 00:24:01,990 --> 00:24:03,870 old. And part of this is the 490 00:24:03,870 --> 00:24:07,910 submissiveness of the son in his own sacrifice that we often 491 00:24:07,910 --> 00:24:11,390 miss. This is a father and a son that 492 00:24:11,390 --> 00:24:14,310 have a promise that all nations of the earth are going to be 493 00:24:14,310 --> 00:24:18,190 blessed. And then it is a, a, a trusting 494 00:24:18,190 --> 00:24:20,590 and saying. Isaac is there walking up the 495 00:24:20,590 --> 00:24:22,830 mountain, and Isaac says, we got the wood, we got this, Where's 496 00:24:22,830 --> 00:24:26,660 the sacrifice? And Abraham says God will 497 00:24:26,660 --> 00:24:32,380 provide for himself the sacrifice, the land God will 498 00:24:32,380 --> 00:24:34,780 provide. And Isaac willingly again. 499 00:24:34,780 --> 00:24:36,820 He's 15. Like he's a strong young man. 500 00:24:37,780 --> 00:24:39,380 He he could fight this, but he doesn't. 501 00:24:39,380 --> 00:24:43,140 He willingly climbs on the altar and here we see the unity of of 502 00:24:43,140 --> 00:24:46,660 this father and this son willing to be sacrificed. 503 00:24:46,660 --> 00:24:49,980 And we know the story that God the Angel stops the sacrifice 504 00:24:49,980 --> 00:24:51,780 and there's a ram given in the thicket. 505 00:24:52,370 --> 00:24:55,050 And then the mountain is named the place where the Lord will 506 00:24:55,050 --> 00:24:56,770 provide. On this mountain the Lord will 507 00:24:56,770 --> 00:24:59,530 provide. This is a clear picture to the 508 00:24:59,530 --> 00:25:04,130 sacrifice that Jesus went through and that the Father went 509 00:25:04,130 --> 00:25:09,490 through to bring us a place and a people. 510 00:25:11,850 --> 00:25:15,450 Jesus lived his life just like Abraham in exile. 511 00:25:16,210 --> 00:25:19,370 He had nowhere to lay his head. He was homeless. 512 00:25:20,070 --> 00:25:22,950 He was a foreigner. His own people even rejected 513 00:25:22,950 --> 00:25:25,830 him. He was did not fit into anyone 514 00:25:25,830 --> 00:25:31,150 circle one category. He was alone, and with his death 515 00:25:31,990 --> 00:25:36,470 He He gives this sacrifice because of our own sin and 516 00:25:36,470 --> 00:25:39,830 because of our rejection of that we are all created to to bear 517 00:25:39,830 --> 00:25:41,590 God's image, and we've rejected that. 518 00:25:41,590 --> 00:25:44,950 We were created to be in union with him, but we pushed that 519 00:25:44,950 --> 00:25:47,670 away, and so God did not leave us. 520 00:25:47,790 --> 00:25:54,430 Instead, He sent his one and only Son did not withhold him. 521 00:25:57,570 --> 00:26:00,810 Jesus willingly walked up Calvary's Mountain and climbed 522 00:26:00,810 --> 00:26:08,650 on an altar of wood to give up his own life, trusting that his 523 00:26:08,650 --> 00:26:12,290 father could not just figuratively bring him back from 524 00:26:12,290 --> 00:26:15,330 the dead, as it happened with Isaac, as we're told in Hebrews 525 00:26:15,330 --> 00:26:17,980 11. But literally, like, Jesus was 526 00:26:17,980 --> 00:26:22,180 literally dead and he literally rose again to defeat death and 527 00:26:22,180 --> 00:26:25,180 sin and the enemy. And in doing so, like, read the 528 00:26:25,180 --> 00:26:30,100 New Testament, he is creating a new family, a new people of God. 529 00:26:30,100 --> 00:26:33,140 That is the primary word we here referred to as the church's 530 00:26:33,140 --> 00:26:35,620 family. That's why when Paul says 531 00:26:35,620 --> 00:26:39,060 brothers and sisters, it's not just like this flippant word, 532 00:26:39,060 --> 00:26:41,060 like he actually means it. Right. 533 00:26:41,380 --> 00:26:42,860 And I grew up where it's kind of weird because we called 534 00:26:42,860 --> 00:26:45,540 everybody brother so and so we never called anybody sister so 535 00:26:45,540 --> 00:26:48,450 and so I don't know why but it was like brother so and so right 536 00:26:48,450 --> 00:26:51,090 and that's cool if you do that. I'm not knocking that but it's 537 00:26:51,090 --> 00:26:54,010 like I've I've probably grown to appreciate that a little bit 538 00:26:55,010 --> 00:26:55,530 that like. No. 539 00:26:55,530 --> 00:26:58,730 Literally like you guys are my brothers and sisters in Christ 540 00:26:59,290 --> 00:27:02,690 and and yes we are in this exilic state where we are in the 541 00:27:02,690 --> 00:27:05,610 already not yet. And and there's this piece of it 542 00:27:05,610 --> 00:27:08,890 that we've received but it's going to be in its fullness. 543 00:27:09,370 --> 00:27:11,290 But it does break forth into the present. 544 00:27:11,290 --> 00:27:14,750 Like it actually matters. Like what God is doing in 545 00:27:14,750 --> 00:27:18,550 eternity is not just sweet by and by like sweet Beulah Land. 546 00:27:18,550 --> 00:27:20,070 Yes. I'm like longing for that. 547 00:27:20,070 --> 00:27:22,470 I like that song. I almost quoted it but it's kind 548 00:27:22,470 --> 00:27:24,070 of weird. But it's nobody knows what 549 00:27:24,070 --> 00:27:24,910 Beulah means. That's why it's weird. 550 00:27:25,070 --> 00:27:27,950 But anyways this is so weird. This is why I have a manuscript 551 00:27:27,950 --> 00:27:30,630 I'm telling you. And this is what my brain does. 552 00:27:30,710 --> 00:27:33,430 And yes it's not just sweet by and by. 553 00:27:33,790 --> 00:27:36,430 It is in the present And you see this in the Gospels. 554 00:27:36,430 --> 00:27:39,630 Jesus says for anyone that for for sakes all to follow me. 555 00:27:39,630 --> 00:27:44,730 You lay down your life, that you will receive houses and lands 556 00:27:44,930 --> 00:27:49,370 and brothers and sisters. And he says not only in the age 557 00:27:49,370 --> 00:27:53,930 to come, but now there is no other way to interpret that 558 00:27:53,930 --> 00:27:56,690 except that meaning the the local church, the people that 559 00:27:56,690 --> 00:27:59,530 you're sitting in. Like we come together and we say 560 00:27:59,530 --> 00:28:01,610 it's all yours, our houses, our lands. 561 00:28:01,610 --> 00:28:04,690 I know that's not very American of us, but it is biblical of us 562 00:28:04,810 --> 00:28:07,330 like it is yours. Somebody has a need like I'm 563 00:28:07,330 --> 00:28:09,130 calling who's got a portable air conditioner. 564 00:28:09,130 --> 00:28:10,530 Somebody help me out. Right. 565 00:28:10,530 --> 00:28:12,770 Like here you can use it. You can borrow it. 566 00:28:12,770 --> 00:28:15,130 It is. It is not all it's it's ours 567 00:28:15,130 --> 00:28:19,570 together as the Church trusting the Spirit of God to work in us. 568 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:24,600 And so we live in this state, looking back to the cross and 569 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,680 resurrection, where Jesus said it is finished and he dealt with 570 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:31,160 our sin and our brokenness and our shame, and he's redeeming us 571 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,880 and making us new. But we also look forward, just 572 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:37,640 like Abraham, to that city, that new Jerusalem that will come 573 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:43,600 down and all tears will be wiped away, All sickness or pain will 574 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:47,920 cease. Parties that have been broken 575 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:54,010 will be restored. Legs that were lame will dance a 576 00:28:54,010 --> 00:28:57,610 celebration. Mouths that were mute will sing. 577 00:28:58,050 --> 00:29:03,970 Ears that were deaf will hear the praises of God as we gather 578 00:29:03,970 --> 00:29:06,770 around the throne and sing holy, holy, holy. 579 00:29:07,810 --> 00:29:12,130 And it will be way more diverse than even this, than the city of 580 00:29:12,130 --> 00:29:13,770 Decatur will be like, more diverse. 581 00:29:14,690 --> 00:29:18,740 All nations, tribes and tongues. That is going to happen. 582 00:29:18,740 --> 00:29:20,580 And as I say a lot. The only question is, do you 583 00:29:20,580 --> 00:29:23,380 want to play a part? And it's why we give money. 584 00:29:23,380 --> 00:29:25,300 It's why we send. Like, we've been thinking about 585 00:29:25,300 --> 00:29:30,860 this recently, like, and it's not just like sending people, 586 00:29:31,380 --> 00:29:32,780 but sending people. Like sending. 587 00:29:33,060 --> 00:29:34,340 It's so weird to say send your best. 588 00:29:34,340 --> 00:29:38,260 But what I mean is like people you love, like, do I believe 589 00:29:38,260 --> 00:29:41,820 this enough that if one of my kids someday wants to move 590 00:29:41,860 --> 00:29:45,180 overseas to a group of people that have never heard the gospel 591 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,080 that I'll celebrate that and there will be a grief. 592 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:50,840 Like, I acknowledge that there's a grief in just a couples that 593 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:51,840 we've sent it. New Eden. 594 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:53,400 Like, I love these brothers and sisters. 595 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:56,240 Like they're not just like these are guys that I've done life 596 00:29:56,240 --> 00:30:01,960 with for the last 5-6 years and there's a sadness, but it's 597 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:04,320 worth it. We're going to be together. 598 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:07,440 We're homesick. We're looking forward to that 599 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:09,760 city. And it will happen because the 600 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:18,060 one who is promised is faithful. And this vision, it changes us. 601 00:30:19,220 --> 00:30:23,060 It breaks forth into the present and in the midst of everything 602 00:30:23,060 --> 00:30:27,660 from cancer and sickness to broken marriages to wondering 603 00:30:27,660 --> 00:30:33,100 children to just the silly things of life like HVAC going 604 00:30:33,100 --> 00:30:35,780 out or whatever it is your car breaking down, like I don't know 605 00:30:35,780 --> 00:30:41,340 what it is for you. We're going to have a hope that 606 00:30:41,340 --> 00:30:44,140 the one who promised was faithful and that all that is 607 00:30:44,140 --> 00:30:47,740 not meaningless. Abraham's years of wondering 608 00:30:47,740 --> 00:30:51,420 were not meaningless. They stand as a testament to the 609 00:30:51,420 --> 00:30:54,900 goodness of God years later. Sarah's years of barrenness and 610 00:30:54,900 --> 00:30:59,020 jealousy and envy and wrestle was not meaningless. 611 00:30:59,260 --> 00:31:04,620 It stands as a testament to the goodness of God, who will take 612 00:31:04,620 --> 00:31:08,540 suffering and turn it to joy, who will take ashes and turn it 613 00:31:08,700 --> 00:31:12,660 to beauty. This is the good news of 614 00:31:12,700 --> 00:31:13,220 Abraham.