1 00:00:06,520 --> 00:00:11,840 Some saw the act of the woman with her alabaster box. 2 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:20,120 They said that it was waste. It's all about perspective and 3 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,560 reality. It's about what you deem 4 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:29,760 important, whether or not it's waste, Amen. 5 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:34,000 And it was for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. 6 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:37,280 And so then Wednesday nights aren't waste. 7 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,200 Sunday morning. Sunday nights are not waste. 8 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:45,960 Personal time with God's not waste. 9 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,080 The other voices that say it is. But again, all comes down to 10 00:00:52,080 --> 00:01:04,239 perspective, Amen. Hallelujah we have coming up in 11 00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:07,880 the weeks to come. I'll just touch on this just 12 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:12,640 very quickly as far as announcements, May the 23rd is 13 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:17,200 game night starting at 7. May the 25th is summer kick off 14 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:22,200 only one service on that Sunday on the 23rd that game night. 15 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,480 If you never we had, we used to keep game nights regularly 16 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:29,520 going, but if you've never been to 1, you can bring bring your 17 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:32,240 own drink, bring a snack. If you want to bring something 18 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,600 to share, you can, that's fine. You don't have to whatever. 19 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:39,360 And then June the 1st through the 4th, which is a Sunday 20 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:43,400 through Wednesday's revival for the Adrian Sanford. 21 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,360 And so that will be in the month of June and today's already the 22 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:52,520 14th of May news flash, Amen. We're going to be turning to 23 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:58,400 Genesis chapter #17. Genesis chapter #17 I'll 24 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,080 probably read the first 4 verses and then allow you to be seated 25 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,600 tonight and then continue reading. 26 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,200 Tonight I want to talk about the journey of the journey of 27 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,200 covenant living, the journey of covenant living. 28 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:17,640 Then Genesis chapter #17 and we are going to begin with verse #1 29 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,880 the Bible says when Abram was 90 years old. 30 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:26,960 And 9:00 Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, I am the 31 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:32,600 Almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfect, and I will make 32 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,440 my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee 33 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:39,320 exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face, and 34 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:43,800 God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is 35 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:48,600 with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 36 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,840 All pray tonight. Father, we're so thankful for 37 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:55,360 your spirit, God, that we fear, feel here this evening, God, we 38 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,600 want to entertain that we want to, Lord, ebb and flow. 39 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,720 Lord, with that tonight, God. Lord, when it shows up, I know, 40 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,840 Lord, it's here Lord for purpose and on purpose. 41 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,200 I pray, O Lord, do your perfect work. 42 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,720 Lord, even through your word, God, the marriage of your spirit 43 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,880 and your word God, we see it Lord, over and over again in 44 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,800 your scriptures. God, how it had impact Lord 45 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,400 Jesus, upon circumstances, situations and in the moment, 46 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,960 God, I pray, Lord, we want to be open, Lord God to its impact 47 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,800 upon us tonight. The lovely name of the Lord 48 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,560 Jesus Christ that I pray Hallelujah and Amen of the 49 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:37,760 church say Amen, Hallelujah. You may be seated this evening. 50 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:45,320 The last recorded event that we had last week was the birth of 51 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,280 Ishmael in the Bible. Recorded this in the last verse 52 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:54,400 of chapter #16 that Abram was 86 years old whenever Haggard gave 53 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,960 birth to Ishmael. And so now we start out this 54 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:02,240 very first verse telling us that Abram is 99 years old. 55 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,840 So there has been 13 years of time that has elapsed between 56 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,000 the last verse and now this first verse that we have 57 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:14,040 necessarily no, no record of a man to speak of 13 silent years 58 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:18,560 between these chapters in which no doubt understanding that we 59 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:24,040 have a young Ishmael that has grown now to a a 13 year old, 60 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:28,760 right, a teenager now. And we know if you've had kids 61 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:33,880 of any moment in time, it, it don't even take 13 years for a 62 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:38,160 child's life to become wrapped up in your life or your life 63 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,280 wrapped up in theirs. And so you can only imagine the 64 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:44,760 type of attachment that Abram may have even had with Ishmael 65 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:50,520 for having 13 years of life now of involvement there and 66 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,880 believing maybe even perhaps based upon everything we looked 67 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:57,040 at up to this moment in time, child that would come from his 68 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:01,160 bowels and all these different things of how he may be even 69 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,400 believing against struggling with those doubts that perhaps 70 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,160 this is how God's promise was going to unfold for him. 71 00:05:08,280 --> 00:05:11,800 Remember, this thing has grown in its scope. 72 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:15,800 It gets more detailed each time God comes to him and speaks to 73 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,200 him that we see here in the Scripture. 74 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,080 And it's even now in this chapter that there's more 75 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:26,320 details that are provided to him about the promise about the 76 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,280 promised son that would come through Sarah. 77 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,400 We even read in Scripture that whenever this is mentioned, even 78 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:37,320 later, like in verse #18 then Abraham's response is, oh, that 79 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:41,720 Ishmael might live before thee again. 80 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:48,560 For 13 years, that whole notion of Ishmael as the son of, of, of 81 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:53,600 his bowels has been woven into the heart of this, of this 82 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,480 father. And so as we seen in some of the 83 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:00,960 previous lessons, Abram absolutely is a believer. 84 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,720 He is known for his faith. He spoken of the New Testament 85 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:08,080 Scripture, the father of the faithful and about the footsteps 86 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,440 of his faith. Yet there is also times that he 87 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,520 goes through periods of doubts. And we looked at one time that 88 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:18,160 that seems to be illustrative of the Christian experience. 89 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,440 You're believers, but there's times that you struggle with 90 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,440 doubts. And so though he had doubts, he 91 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,480 never gave up on his faith walk. And I think that's a great 92 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,240 description of us in the modern world. 93 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,760 However, according to the record, Abraham's life up to 94 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:36,880 this point have been filled, hadn't been filled with constant 95 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,200 conversations or visitations from the Lord. 96 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:44,040 If you look at it, this is about the sixth time that we have 97 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:49,280 record of that God has either appeared or spoken to Abraham. 98 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:55,120 That's been about 6 * / a space of about 25 plus years that God 99 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,000 has showed up, spoke or appeared. 100 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,440 So I think sometimes we, we, we read it, we think, well, it's 101 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:02,080 just like every day we showed up. 102 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:03,400 Well, that's not really the case. 103 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,920 And in 25 years at least what we have record of is about 6 times 104 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:12,320 here at this point in time of God speaking or God appearing 105 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,880 unto Abram. And so with that being said, 106 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:21,280 there's time in between these visits that that could be years, 107 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,280 that could be years between these visits. 108 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:30,280 And yet Abraham's faith and relationship with God, this does 109 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:34,440 not necessarily weaken the in between these these mile markers 110 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,280 of visitations or hearing from God directly. 111 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:42,480 As a matter of fact, it seems to have maybe even strengthened it 112 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:47,480 to a certain degree because it's in these seasons that Abram had 113 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:55,280 to learn how to everyday walk with God, an ordinary faith 114 00:07:55,320 --> 00:08:00,040 walk, right without just having a constant assurance of God 115 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,480 appearing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, no, 116 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:05,480 the in between times, just a walk with God. 117 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,400 And it's a thing that I think we often times overlook. 118 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:13,360 We all want the lick the paint sealing moments, right? 119 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:19,400 We want the the the stones turn into bread moments, but the 120 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:24,480 moments that's the true really trial, if not even proving of 121 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:29,560 our relationship are the in between moments when there's 122 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,320 nothing spectacular taking place or going on. 123 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:39,360 But we're just faithful in our faith in our walk with God. 124 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:42,640 And so God unveiled another layer then of his promise here 125 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:44,880 in this chapter. And as it has been with every it 126 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:49,920 seems like divine encounter, he is constantly drawn Abrams heart 127 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,760 back to the original word, the original promise, the original 128 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:57,120 vision. And this was necessary because 129 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:03,440 we, like Abram, we're prone to settling sometimes for less than 130 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:06,320 what God has promised to us, right? 131 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,840 We're, we're, we're prone to settle for more manageable 132 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:15,400 versions of God's promises, versions that ease the tension, 133 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:20,040 if you will, of waiting and it not happening yet, right. 134 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,480 But when we do that, we, we rob the promise of its true glory of 135 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,800 what God had originally stated and said. 136 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:30,160 And as his as the case even today, God shows up in our lives 137 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,680 and, and, and becomes what we need in the moment. 138 00:09:33,680 --> 00:09:36,560 This is what God does for Abraham during these junctures. 139 00:09:36,560 --> 00:09:40,040 When he shows up, he comes up, he reaffirms to him that he's 140 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,400 exactly what Abraham needs. For instance, back whenever 141 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:47,440 Abram fought against those different kings and got his his, 142 00:09:47,560 --> 00:09:51,440 his nephew Lot and took him back to Sodom, we read in Scripture 143 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:56,000 that the Lord would show up and he would tell him that I am thy, 144 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,640 thy shield. I am thy shield. 145 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,800 It's after that moment that Sodom, the king of Sodom, 146 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,880 saying, Hey, why don't you just take all the spoils of this war 147 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,800 and just give me the souls or give me to this people. 148 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,480 It's in that same instance that the Lord shows up and he says I 149 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,480 am thy exceeding great reward, right? 150 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,240 And so it's like in the moment of context of whatever's taking 151 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,720 up place, God is showing up and letting him know what he is to 152 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:22,320 him. I mean, I know you're going to 153 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:24,760 been battling, you've been, you're going to battle more 154 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:28,000 battles, but I'm, I'm, I'm your shield and I'm, I'm your 155 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,480 exceeding great reward, all these things. 156 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:34,040 And so after years of silence, as it would seem according to 157 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:40,320 the record that we have, here's an attachment of, of this child 158 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:45,280 inside of, of, of, of Abram. And this is the child that is 159 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:47,280 the child of human effort, right? 160 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:51,280 The devisement really of Abram and Sarah coming up with a Plan 161 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:55,120 B because they didn't see necessarily God's plan A taking 162 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:57,760 place. And so God shows up and almost 163 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:02,840 in a certain sense reintroduces himself to Abram, not not merely 164 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:07,320 as a promise maker, but as the Almighty God. 165 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:11,320 The El should die, right? Because what he's doing and 166 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,160 doing this is basically I'm the almighty God. 167 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,800 I know you have all these bewilderments that make me going 168 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,680 through your mind, Abram, but I'm the Almighty God. 169 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:23,120 And there's no expiration date on my promise. 170 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:26,200 There's no expiration date on my promise. 171 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:31,840 There's no limit to my power. Regardless how much this son has 172 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:34,680 got woven into your heart, there is there's no limitation in my 173 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:36,840 power. And so he calls Abraham really 174 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,840 in verse #1 to this, this faith walk again. 175 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:42,800 He tells him even he says, Abram, walk before me. 176 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:45,840 We've had other people in Scripture thus far in Genesis, 177 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:47,800 like Enoch that have walked with God. 178 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,200 Noah has spoken of as having walked with God. 179 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:56,720 But here in particular, God is admonishing Abram to walk before 180 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,320 him. And that that phrase, and I know 181 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:02,720 it's just a switch of a preposition, but that phrase of 182 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:08,400 walk before me, it usually tends to, to, to illustrate that when 183 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,160 you walk before the Lord that you're, you're walking in 184 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,760 obedience or you're mindful of God's commands, you're walking 185 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:17,120 before the Lord. As a matter of fact, the net 186 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,800 Bible even describes it like this being that walk before the 187 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,760 Lord, live out your life. Some other translation said like 188 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:31,160 this live in my presence, walk in my presence, obey me, live in 189 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,960 constant awareness that I'm always with you. 190 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:38,760 This type of Abram walk before me, walk before me, walk with a 191 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:42,440 consciousness about me in my presence that I'm with you. 192 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:46,280 I'm not far from you, regardless of how it may feel that I'm the 193 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,800 Almighty God. And so God, God's called in for 194 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:55,120 us this nature of walking before him and be thou perfect is what 195 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:57,480 the scripture says. That's not calling this to 196 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:02,880 flawless living, but faithful living, faithful living. 197 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:05,240 Amen. Walk before me perfect. 198 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,840 The word perfect means whole or complete, right? 199 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,760 It, it, it means mature. So he's asking for a 200 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:17,760 wholehearted devotion, if you will, from, from, from Abram, 201 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:21,280 from a, a undivided devotion, right? 202 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:25,400 He's calling him to a deeper place, a more matured faith. 203 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,440 He's setting really a stage for what's about ready to be towed 204 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,280 and unfolded. He's he's calling him to a 205 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:35,120 higher plane and God, listen, God needs to show up in your 206 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,800 life on this journey and call you back to a place of walking 207 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:44,000 before him and call you to a place of another level of 208 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,960 maturity in him does something deeper than what you first got 209 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,840 your feet in when you first come to know the Lord you you want to 210 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:55,080 be able to look back over your life and say I came into the 211 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,240 shallow in the pool, but I'm not still there. 212 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:00,160 I've, I've, I've progressed to deeper ends of the pool. 213 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:04,920 Amen. And again, it's not about you 214 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,240 being flawless, but it's about you being faithful, right? 215 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,320 And allowing the Lord to pull you along on the journey and 216 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:15,280 being obedient to the nudging that he has upon our life. 217 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:19,080 And so that's important. And so while God reinforces his 218 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,040 covenant here, he also again broadens on it. 219 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:26,640 For instance, in Genesis 12 and one, his word to Abram was, I 220 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:28,560 will make of thee a great nation. 221 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:33,320 Now he's saying, thou shalt be a father of many nations. 222 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:39,400 We went from singular to plural. We went from singular to plural. 223 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:43,440 And so with this, this new status, it would be for Abram 224 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:47,880 and his promise, it seems to necessitate a name change from 225 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:50,760 Abraham to Abraham. Now we're going to be able to 226 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:52,680 call him Abraham. And we won't be saying, I won't 227 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:54,080 be up here saying Abraham all the time. 228 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,520 Amen. Abraham from Sarah to Sarah or 229 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:02,360 from Sarah to Sarah in verse #15 And so there's this name change. 230 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,080 The circumstances of the covenant has gotten a little bit 231 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:08,160 more clear, right? A little bit more deep detailed 232 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,480 for Abram this, this covenant relationship, there's a little 233 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,600 bit of an adjustment to it. It's not just being over a great 234 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,400 nation, but a father of many nations. 235 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:21,200 And as a result, in scripture, when there were those 236 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:24,440 adjustments, when the circumstances seem to change or 237 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:28,280 be altered just a little bit for someone in their life, all times 238 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,880 there was the the, the, the change of a name. 239 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:36,760 You see Jacob being from Jacob to Israel because there's a 240 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,600 change of his or there's adjustment to his relationship, 241 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,360 as it were, with the Lord. And so there's a change. 242 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:47,200 We see also then Simon being called from Simon, he's being 243 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:48,640 called Peter in the New Testament. 244 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:52,200 There's an adjustment in his circumstances and in his 245 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:54,560 covenant relationship with the Lord. 246 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:58,400 And So what we have here, this is more than just just, you 247 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:03,360 know, a change of name. It is really showcasing identity 248 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,560 shift. There's identity shift that is 249 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:10,040 going on. And so God really was aligning 250 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:14,000 Abraham's name with the very purpose that he had up on 251 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:19,120 Abraham's life in essence. And so this new name marked 252 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:24,080 Abraham as a covenant partner with God, right? 253 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,920 That he didn't belong to his own story, but he was a part of this 254 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:30,800 unfolding plan of the Lord himself. 255 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:33,600 Amen. And so when we see this in a 256 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,920 very similar way, and so so I'm doing this on purpose night. 257 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:38,800 We're going to jump back and forth a little bit with Old 258 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:42,480 Testament, New Testament. But in the same way, when you 259 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:47,120 come to the Lord in the modern day in this new covenant 260 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:49,560 relationship with the Lord, Amen. 261 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:52,080 We receive a new identity as well. 262 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:56,080 Galatians 327 got a lot of Bible tonight. 263 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:59,880 Galatians 327 says, For as many of you have been baptized into 264 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:06,680 Christ, have put on Christ. Baptism is more than a ceremony. 265 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:13,560 Baptism is more than an outward sign of the inward decision. 266 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:20,119 Baptism is more than that. It's a divine declaration that I 267 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:25,280 belong to Christ, right? Abraham's new name reflected his 268 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:31,120 new covenant identity. But baptism, it marks me too, 269 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:36,360 with a new name. That means that I'm a part of a 270 00:17:36,360 --> 00:17:38,880 member of a covenant relationship as well. 271 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:43,040 In this world, God established circumcision. 272 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:44,320 We'll talk about that here a little bit. 273 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:45,960 I didn't go on and keep reading, did I? 274 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,120 Guess I better do that first. I forgot about it, folks. 275 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:50,680 Verse #5 let's go there. I'm sorry. 276 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:52,640 Amen. Neither shall thy name or this 277 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,320 won't make sense. He's like, What is he talking 278 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,160 about? Neither shall thy name anymore 279 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,200 be called Abram, but thy name shall be called Abraham. 280 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,000 For a father of many nations have I made thee, and I will 281 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,720 make the exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee. 282 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:08,000 And king shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant 283 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,120 between me and thee, and thy seed after thee and their 284 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:13,520 generations, for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee, 285 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,760 and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and 286 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:20,360 to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art stranger, all 287 00:18:20,360 --> 00:18:22,720 the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession. 288 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,240 And I will be their God. And God said unto Abraham, hath 289 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:30,760 thou shall keep my covenant, therefore thou and thy seed 290 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:34,120 after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye 291 00:18:34,120 --> 00:18:36,640 shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee. 292 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:41,240 Every man child among you shall be circumcised, and ye shall 293 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:44,920 circumcise the flesh of the your foreskin, and it shall be a 294 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,320 token of the covenant between betwixt me and you. 295 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,480 And he that is 8 days old shall be circumcised among you. 296 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,720 Every man child in your generation, he that is born in 297 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:58,200 the house or bought with money, or any stranger which is not of 298 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,360 thy seed, he that is born in thy house and he that is bought with 299 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:04,080 thy money, must need to be circumcised. 300 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,600 And my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting 301 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,280 covenant. And the uncircumcised man child 302 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:13,040 whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that so shall 303 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:17,040 be cut off from his people, he have broken my covenant. 304 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:21,240 All right. And so God established then one 305 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:25,240 of the aspects of his covenant as a sign of his covenant. 306 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,160 We're circumcision, right? It's one, it's one of the 307 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:32,840 aspects of the covenant that God desired for Abraham, Abraham and 308 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,880 his seat to keep. And so circumcision was a 309 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,920 visible mark in the flesh. It was an undeniable sign of 310 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:44,000 belonging to God's people. And it represented there was a 311 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:48,120 cutting away of a fleshly part of the nature, right? 312 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,400 And in that there's a declaration then for Abraham and 313 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:54,400 those that would be, that they would belong to this, this 314 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:57,320 family. And there was an obligation then 315 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:01,160 upon them of having done this, that they would walk faithfully 316 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:04,400 before the Lord. There was this sign, yes, that 317 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:08,160 was a daily reminder, more so to them than it was for God. 318 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:11,080 A daily reminder to them, I'm set apart. 319 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:17,080 I'm set apart for God. And so signs, when we talk about 320 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,360 signs and covenants or signs of covenants, they were meaningful 321 00:20:20,360 --> 00:20:23,680 throughout God's Word. They had meaningful connections 322 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:25,920 to to the nature of the covenant. 323 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:29,120 What are you saying? God made a covenant with Noah, 324 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:32,880 the Noah covenant. I will not flood the earth again 325 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:39,120 with water. The sign, a rainbow which has 326 00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:45,160 its appearance as a result of light coming through the prism 327 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:50,520 of raindrops of the foreskin. And yet the the the the the 328 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:55,360 covenant is that your descendants shall be many, which 329 00:20:55,360 --> 00:20:57,800 requires reproduction. And we're not going to get too 330 00:20:57,800 --> 00:20:59,640 deep. We got children among us all 331 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:03,280 right. But again, meaningful connection 332 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:08,640 to the nature of the covenant. We get New Testament Scripture, 333 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:14,480 we talk about that when you repent or baptize in Jesus name, 334 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:19,360 you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, that sound that 335 00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:22,440 came from heaven as a rushing almighty win. 336 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:27,080 They begin to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave the 337 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:30,080 utterance, tongues. We read in the Book of 338 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:34,280 Revelation that there will be of every, every creed, every 339 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:38,120 person, every tongue, every nation that will be there. 340 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:40,920 It speaks of spiritual empowerment. 341 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,160 It speaks of inner transformation. 342 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,160 It speaks of heavenly citizenship. 343 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:53,000 It speaks in James 3/8 about that unruly member that no man 344 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:56,320 contain. Yet that thing there becomes the 345 00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:00,920 very sign for this new covenant in Christ Jesus. 346 00:22:01,120 --> 00:22:05,480 And So what circumcision was the Israel baptism is to the church. 347 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:08,760 The apostle Paul even make mention of this in New Testament 348 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:12,280 scripture of Colossians chapter #2 and verse 11. 349 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:15,840 He says in whom the whom being referred to you look back up the 350 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:20,040 verse 6 is Christ Jesus the Lord in whom that is Christ Jesus. 351 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:24,760 Also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands 352 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:28,760 and putting off the body of sins of the flesh by the circumcision 353 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:32,600 of Christ buried with him in baptism. 354 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,760 There it was a a literal cutting off the flesh. 355 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,760 Here in the New Testament when you're baptized in Jesus name, 356 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:43,120 it's for the remission or removal of your sins, those 357 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:47,160 fleshly aspects of your life. And so it's through baptism that 358 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:51,680 our old life is cut away right through repentance through 359 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,960 through that burial of the old man and so we're identified then 360 00:22:55,960 --> 00:23:00,720 with God as his covenant people. New Testament tells us Galatians 361 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:07,320 3 and verse #29 if ye be Christ, you belong to Him, then you're 362 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:11,800 Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. 363 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,440 You get drafted into this thing of being Abraham's seed and 364 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:19,920 heirs of the promise whenever you are baptized, New Testament 365 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:24,200 covenant, baptized New Testament circumcision in the name of the 366 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:27,280 Lord Jesus Christ. And with that, you know what 367 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:29,560 else happens? The Bible tells us so it 368 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:31,200 happens. It's a promise even that'll 369 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:37,000 happen, that we experience a inner transformation, Amen. 370 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:39,680 Following Baptist and ye shall receive. 371 00:23:40,120 --> 00:23:42,720 It is a promise. It's a circumcision of a heart. 372 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,280 There's, there's this external, if you will, of a baptism, but 373 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:50,520 there's a internal baptism too. It's the baptism of the Spirit, 374 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:53,360 Amen. And it is a mark upon our life, 375 00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:56,960 both inwardly and outwardly. And let's pause and just take a 376 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:00,720 moment to realize Christianity has both inward and outward 377 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:06,080 signs, inner and outward expressions. 378 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,240 Again, baptism is not some mere formality. 379 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,320 We're not up here trying to get someone's name on some church 380 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,760 membership row. We're trying to get someone's 381 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:18,160 name on a higher row. Amen. 382 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:21,880 Amen. And so in the new covenant, 383 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:26,080 circumcision, an act of obedience, active obedience, 384 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:28,320 brought a inner reality for that person. 385 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:33,440 Abraham's name change, interestingly enough, was tied 386 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:35,760 to this covenant relationship with that God. 387 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,560 It's tied together. God talks a little bit more 388 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,640 detail about the circumcision, and in the same context, he's 389 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,600 changing names. Amen. 390 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:48,640 And it's a pattern that continues even in Scripture. 391 00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:53,720 In Acts 238, the Bible calls us to repent, be baptized, everyone 392 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:58,360 of us in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission 393 00:24:58,360 --> 00:25:01,080 of sins. Because in baptism we take on 394 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:06,160 the name of Jesus. We're buried with Christ, we're 395 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,920 raised the Roman. We now then as a result of that 396 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:11,720 carry his name. We also carry his authority. 397 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,240 And so Abraham was marked with a new name. 398 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,400 And so we're marked with a new name too in Jesus name baptism. 399 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,040 It's a name that's above every name. 400 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,840 Again, the point though wasn't for it just because the Bible 401 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:29,520 says in Deuteronomy 30 and verse #6 here is Moses, he's speaking 402 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:32,520 to the Israelites. He said, and the Lord thy God 403 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:36,880 will circumcise thine heart. Look at this now he ordered, He 404 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:39,800 ordered all the way back here of Abraham an outward external 405 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,080 circumcision. He said, But the Lord will 406 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:46,800 circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy soul echoes this in 407 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:51,040 the in Romans chapter 2 and verse 28. 408 00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:55,040 He says, For he is not a Jew, which is 1 outwardly, neither is 409 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,840 that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is 410 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,880 a Jew which is 1 inwardly. And circumcision is that of the 411 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:07,600 heart in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not 412 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:17,500 of men, but of God. So baptism is hidden and he 413 00:26:17,500 --> 00:26:21,260 still marks us through baptism in his name. 414 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:24,520 We're given the new identity, right? 415 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:28,160 Spiritual circumcision of the heart, a new identity in Christ 416 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:32,360 Jesus. And we're to rise as as as God 417 00:26:32,360 --> 00:26:36,120 is admonishing Abram, we are to rise to walk before him 418 00:26:36,120 --> 00:26:39,840 wholeheartedly devoted. And that was the call of 419 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:41,880 Abraham. And it remains the same call 420 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:45,000 even still today. And so although, though you 421 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:48,240 might say, well, well, Ishmael, he, he had to be circumcised as 422 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:50,520 well. Yeah, Ishmael received the sign 423 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:53,080 of the covenant. But again, from previous weeks, 424 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:58,560 he still like the right mother. He still like the right mother. 425 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,720 As a matter of fact, Galatians 423 it says that he who was of 426 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:07,560 the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman 427 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,640 was by the promise. Here's the thing concerning the 428 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:12,680 promise. The promise and the promised 429 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:16,080 seed was entirely the work of God, a barren womb. 430 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:20,760 A barren womb had to open up in order for Isaac to be born. 431 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:23,680 That was entirely the work of God. 432 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:27,880 That was whereas Ishmael was more so the the movings and the 433 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:31,480 moorings of of two people according just to life that 434 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,000 should come together and there would be the product of a child. 435 00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:39,760 So Ishmael illustrate fleshly effort, whereas Isaac, it's 436 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,440 coming from a barren womb, completely God. 437 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:48,000 So regardless it always has to be totally God. 438 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,680 It's not by works, lest any man should boast. 439 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:55,760 Ephesians says obedience, yes, but it's not because you earned 440 00:27:55,760 --> 00:28:01,360 it or you did it or you made it happen. 441 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:09,960 Every male in Abraham's household had to be circumcised, 442 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,600 the Scripture says, where they were born in the house or 443 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,000 whether they were bought with money. 444 00:28:15,360 --> 00:28:17,880 There were no exceptions, no exceptions whatever. 445 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:20,560 And not being circumcised meant this. 446 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:24,240 Not being circumcised meant not being a part of God's people. 447 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:27,800 That's what the Word says. And it took place, the Bible 448 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,840 says, on the 8th day. And it did so because God 449 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:33,560 specified as much. So McGee kind of touched on it a 450 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:38,280 little bit medically convenient though as well, right? 451 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:45,320 With the vitamin K, there's another, there's another protein 452 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:48,040 plasm out there that heightens on the 8th day that is a blood 453 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:52,360 clotting agent as well. And so it's the safest, 454 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:55,960 earliest, if you will, time to be able to accomplish this. 455 00:28:56,520 --> 00:29:01,600 Look at verse #15. And God said to Abraham, As for 456 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,680 Sarah thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarah, but Sarah 457 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:08,240 shall 90 years old bear. And Abraham said, And to God, 458 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:10,200 oh, that Ishmael might live before thee. 459 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:14,680 And God said, Sarah, thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, 460 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:17,480 and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I'll establish my 461 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:20,080 covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with 462 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:24,560 his seed after 12 Princess shall be shall he begat, and I will 463 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:27,760 make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish 464 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:32,160 with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this time set 465 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:34,600 time in the next year. And he left off talking with 466 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:37,600 him. And God went up from Abraham. 467 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,800 Folks, look at all this language, even in this chapter 468 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:44,520 about the covenant promises. I'm just going to hit a few 469 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:48,280 verses here. Verse #2 I will multiply thee 470 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:51,840 exceedingly. Verse number six, I will make 471 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:56,680 the exceeding fruitful. Same verse, I will make nations 472 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:59,800 of thee. Verse #7 an everlasting 473 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,840 covenant. Verse 8, an everlasting 474 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:06,640 possession. I mean, throughout this chapter, 475 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,680 if you were to go through it all the times that God says I will, 476 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:14,960 I will, I will, I will, it's overwhelming, I will do this, I 477 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,040 will do that, which does nothing more but shows how much of this 478 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:20,240 covenant relationship depends upon Him. 479 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:24,800 Amen. Matter of fact, until verse 8, 480 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:28,520 God, God has emphasized people, people, people, people, people, 481 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,440 like nations, people type of stuff. 482 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,680 And then here he, he speaks about the land. 483 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:35,560 Because remember, if you're going to have a great nation, 484 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:39,680 that means people and land. And now it's not just a great 485 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:42,320 nation, it's nations. So that's going to require 486 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:45,720 people and land. So when we think about this, 487 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:49,400 nations, yeah, there's going to be nations through Ishmael, 488 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:53,480 there'll be nations through Isaac, there'll be nations later 489 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:57,360 through another wife of Abraham's, Katura. 490 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,800 He'll marry in Genesis 25 and there'll be people, there'll be 491 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:03,560 nations there. So whenever we think though 492 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:08,800 about Israel today, we remember verse 7 and verse 8, Everlasting 493 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:13,600 covenant in a everlasting possession when we're talking 494 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:17,560 about land, which is what things are often refuted and thought 495 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:21,960 about today concerning Israel, but we have everlasting. 496 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:27,960 Dennis Prager mentions that ABBA Aban, Israel's first Israel's 497 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:31,920 foreign minister from 1966 to 1974, expressed it like this. 498 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:34,760 He said Israel's the only nation whose citizens live in the same 499 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:38,400 land, speak the same language and practice the same religion 500 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:41,160 as their ancestors did 3000 years ago. 501 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:44,600 What's that interpret? Everlasting. 502 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,640 Everlasting. So matter of fact, another 503 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:55,960 aspect that was shared with Abraham about the people was in 504 00:31:55,960 --> 00:31:59,320 verse 6, that kings would come from him. 505 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:01,080 This is the first time this is mentioned this far in the 506 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:03,880 covenant, the promise that kings would come from him. 507 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:09,000 You have Saul, you have David, you have a myriad of other 508 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:12,640 probably most notable Jesus Christ. 509 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:18,280 Huh. I mean, the genealogy of Matthew 510 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:23,080 really, really opens with this. The first verse, the genealogy 511 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:26,920 of Christ Jesus, the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, it 512 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:34,920 states the son of David, the son of Abraham, and specifically 513 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:41,000 Abraham is also told there in verse #16 that God, or yes, 16 514 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:45,360 that God will give him a son through Sarah. 515 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:50,120 So see, it's got the focus has gotten narrow. 516 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:54,840 The focus has gotten narrow. It's not just nations and it's 517 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,360 not just from your bowels, but it's gotten narrow. 518 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:01,400 This is going to come through Sarah, all right. 519 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:05,760 And so without doubt, now Abram's got to be at a place 520 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:13,400 knowing Ishmael isn't the One. Ishmael isn't the one. 521 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,480 And it's a little neat to me and may not be to you, but it's neat 522 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:20,920 to me because God promises similar things to Abram and 523 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:25,440 similar things to Sarah. Abram, a father of many nations, 524 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:31,080 Sarah, a mother of nations. Abram, kings will come from you. 525 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:38,320 Sarah kings will come from you. God has a couple in mind for 526 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:40,760 this divine promise. Amen. 527 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:43,760 He has a couple of mine. As a matter of fact, we read 528 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:45,640 concerning these things. It just bewilders me. 529 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:48,920 But we see that whenever Abram hears about all this that he 530 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:52,320 falls down on his face and the Bible speaks that he laughs and 531 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:55,520 and the questions that that Abram begins to pose. 532 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,600 He doesn't say out loud, but he says in his heart. 533 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:01,200 It's just internal dialogue as he thinks about how old he would 534 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:05,000 be when this child is born. How old Sarah would be when this 535 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:08,679 child is born and is laughing? And according to New Testament 536 00:34:08,679 --> 00:34:11,639 scripture, what I gather from this is this is that his 537 00:34:11,639 --> 00:34:15,560 laughter is more about amusement or maybe struggling a little bit 538 00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:22,199 with doubt than believe. And the reason why I say that 539 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:28,920 because doubt and unbelief are not the same doubt. 540 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:34,040 You just have a momentary uncertainty, like within the 541 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:37,199 context of your faith, you're having a momentary uncertainty, 542 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:41,920 right? Doubt is wondering how doubt is 543 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:47,560 wondering when it still desires to believe. 544 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:52,719 It just don't know all the mechanism of the but unbelief, 545 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:56,480 it's just willful refusal. Doubt it. 546 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:59,000 Doubt is just struggling to believe, but unbelief is a 547 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:04,880 decision not to believe. So God has reassured Abraham, 548 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:07,880 done a lot of reassurance already in the opening of this 549 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:09,400 chapter. So no doubt. 550 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:14,840 Why would God say and share all these details if it wasn't true, 551 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:18,480 if it wasn't going to happen? I mean, he could just stay vague 552 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,360 as he was in the beginning. Why become more detailed with me 553 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:22,520 if it wasn't going to take place? 554 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:26,280 Let me ask you this concerning promises in your own life. 555 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:29,080 If God has been very detailed with some of His promises, why 556 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:31,120 would he be so detailed if he wasn't going to come through 557 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:41,120 with it? He believed God. 558 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:44,760 I know that he does because Paul's commentary on this the 559 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:47,240 apostle Paul New Testament Scripture, scripture 560 00:35:47,240 --> 00:35:50,320 interpreting scripture tells me in Romans 417. 561 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:53,640 He's referring to this moment as it is written. 562 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:57,360 I have made thee a father of many nations before him whom he 563 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:00,320 believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and called 564 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:03,320 those things which be not as though they were, who against 565 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:07,680 hope believed in hope that He might become the father of many 566 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:09,240 nations. According to that which was 567 00:36:09,240 --> 00:36:11,960 spoken. So shall thy seed be called. 568 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:13,920 And being not, look what it says. 569 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:16,200 This is what Paul's commentary on this moment is. 570 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:20,600 And being not weak in faith, maybe he had some doubts and 571 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:22,520 uncertainties. But not weak in faith. 572 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:25,040 Unbelief in doubt are not the same. 573 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:28,720 Being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now 574 00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:32,920 dead when he was about 100 years old neither yet the deadness of 575 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:34,160 Sarah's womb. That's the reason I want to say 576 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:37,720 when he's laughing. He must be more so amused or or 577 00:36:37,720 --> 00:36:43,280 just a little bewildered of how not that it wouldn't take place. 578 00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:46,680 But how will it take place? Not that it wouldn't happen, but 579 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:51,680 when will it happen? Not being weak in faith, he 580 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:54,800 considered not his own body now dead when he was about 100 years 581 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:56,880 old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. 582 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:01,760 He staggered not, the Bible says, staggered on at the 583 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:07,880 promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving 584 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:11,480 glory to God. You hear me again? 585 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:16,000 You could be strong in faith and have momentary times of the why 586 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:21,680 or the when or the how, without spilling over into unbelief. 587 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:31,040 And so God answered Abraham's doubts, his struggles, his let 588 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:33,760 Ishmael live before you, God, right? 589 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:36,680 I love it. Verse 19. 590 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:40,640 He basically tells him, Sarah, thy wife shall bear thee a son. 591 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:48,080 Indeed, indeed. And think of the certainty of 592 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:52,440 this again. He is shared number one. 593 00:37:53,240 --> 00:37:59,680 He's called this child's name before it's ever conceived #2 He 594 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:02,840 has unveiled the sex of this child before he's ever conceived 595 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:09,880 #3 In verse #19 I think it is. He's already talking about this 596 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:14,160 boy's children before he's ever conceived. 597 00:38:17,680 --> 00:38:23,560 How much certainty do you need about the promise when he's 598 00:38:23,560 --> 00:38:26,480 labeled all these things before it's ever been conceived? 599 00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:30,840 Name, sex, and even his children's children. 600 00:38:35,720 --> 00:38:39,600 The covenant will be established, Amen. 601 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:43,400 The covenant will be established, but God says it's 602 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:45,120 going to be established with Isaac. 603 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:47,360 But Ishmael, I'm not forgotten him. 604 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:50,040 I know he's part of your bowels as well, Amen. 605 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:53,520 He will be blessed. He'll be blessed, but the 606 00:38:53,520 --> 00:38:57,120 covenant is with Isaac. Look, even if you will, the 607 00:38:57,120 --> 00:39:04,480 Bible tells us in verse #20 that Princess, Princess will be born 608 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:07,400 of Ishmael, but kings will come from Isaac. 609 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:15,640 Hallelujah, that excites me. Verse #23 I won't hold you much 610 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:23,920 longer. In Abram took Ishmael his son 611 00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:25,960 Abraham. Sorry, I'm going to have to get 612 00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:27,840 out of Abraham mode now. It's going to be hard. 613 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:32,880 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in 614 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:35,800 his house, and all that were bought with his money. 615 00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:39,960 Every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised 616 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:43,720 the flesh of their foreskin in the self same day as God had 617 00:39:43,720 --> 00:39:47,800 said unto him. And Abraham was 90 years old and 618 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:50,440 nine. God bless him when he was 619 00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:55,320 circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, and Ishmael his son 620 00:39:55,320 --> 00:39:59,560 was 13 years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his 621 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:02,240 foreskin. In the cell same day was Abraham 622 00:40:02,240 --> 00:40:06,800 circumcised, and Ishmael his son, and all the men of his 623 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:11,400 house born in the house and bought with money of the 624 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:14,800 stranger, were circumcised with him. 625 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:21,320 Abraham, 99. Ishmael 13 and they were 626 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:25,880 circumcised. Great importance from just these 627 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:30,840 few verses that stated more than once here is that this happened 628 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:36,520 on the same day that they were told about it. 629 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:46,040 Same day they were told about it, they acted upon it. 630 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:51,120 We have a lot of New Testament precedent. 631 00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:56,840 We urge this. Even the people around here that 632 00:40:58,720 --> 00:41:02,440 and I get it. Sometimes you baptism is so 633 00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:08,120 important that you need to do it in the moment. 634 00:41:10,680 --> 00:41:14,400 I'm going to finish just with some scriptures here New 635 00:41:14,400 --> 00:41:17,240 Testament precedent that kind of underscores this in the self 636 00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:22,160 same day stuff Acts 1633. This is the story of the 637 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:23,960 Philippian jail or Paul and Silas. 638 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:27,520 The Bible says that he took them speaking he the Philippian jail 639 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:30,120 or took Paul and Silas the same hour of the night and washed 640 00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:35,480 their stripes and Speaking of himself was baptized he and all 641 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:38,880 of his straightway, his household straightway. 642 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:42,560 Acts let's go. Can we we do this Brother Mason, 643 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:45,600 you attract me here. Acts 2 and verse #41 the day of 644 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:48,000 Pentecost. Then they gladly received his 645 00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:50,480 word. Then they they gladly received 646 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:54,160 his word were baptized and the same day they were added to them 647 00:41:54,160 --> 00:41:56,880 about 3000. So same day baptism following 648 00:41:56,880 --> 00:42:00,680 Peter's preaching, Acts chapter #8 and verse #12 concerning the 649 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:02,720 Samaritans. And when they believe Philip 650 00:42:02,720 --> 00:42:06,600 preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, the name and 651 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:09,160 the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized. 652 00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:12,160 Both men and women baptized followed immediately after the 653 00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:14,920 belief. Acts chapter #8, verse 36 and 654 00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:17,960 38, the Ethiopian eunuch. And as they went on their way, 655 00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:20,800 they came into a certain water. And the eunuch said, see, here's 656 00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:22,840 water, what doth enter me to be baptized? 657 00:42:23,080 --> 00:42:25,200 And Philip said That thou believe is with all thine heart 658 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:27,200 thou mayest. And he answered and said, I 659 00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:29,160 believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 660 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:31,120 And he commanded the chariot to stand still. 661 00:42:31,120 --> 00:42:33,560 And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the 662 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:37,360 eunuch, and he baptized him. So the eunuch was baptized on 663 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:39,920 the spot when water was readily available. 664 00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:45,400 And Acts Chapter 9 and verse #18 Saul of Tarsus, Amen. 665 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:48,520 Or Paul, the Bible says immediately there fell from his 666 00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:52,560 eyes, as it had been scales, and he received sight for with, and 667 00:42:52,560 --> 00:42:55,560 arose and was baptized. Paul was baptized immediately 668 00:42:55,720 --> 00:42:58,200 after this conversion experience. 669 00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:02,360 Acts chapter #10, verse 47 and 48, concerning Cornelius and the 670 00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:05,240 Gentiles. Can any man forbid water they 671 00:43:05,240 --> 00:43:06,480 have just received the Holy Ghost? 672 00:43:06,640 --> 00:43:09,960 Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized 673 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:12,440 which have received the holy as well as we? 674 00:43:12,640 --> 00:43:15,600 And he commanded them to be baptized and name the Lord, then 675 00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:20,800 prayed they him to tarry certain days baptized immediately after 676 00:43:20,800 --> 00:43:24,000 receiving the Holy Ghost. Acts chapter 16 and verse 15. 677 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:26,440 Lydia. And when she was baptized, judge 678 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:29,120 me to be faithful to the come to my house, and abide here. 679 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:34,720 And she constrained us. She was preached to and upon her 680 00:43:34,720 --> 00:43:43,160 believing she was baptized, he said in the self, same in the 681 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:45,880 self same day. They were all circumcised the 682 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:48,200 day that they heard of it, the day they learned of it, the day 683 00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:53,400 they did it. And so I urge people around here 684 00:43:55,640 --> 00:44:01,600 now, I have scriptural precedent. 685 00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:08,680 I was reading Brother Walls. He has a commentary on Genesis. 686 00:44:08,680 --> 00:44:09,840 So I've been reading along there. 687 00:44:11,200 --> 00:44:14,040 Well, I don't have it in my nose, but he says you don't have 688 00:44:14,040 --> 00:44:17,240 to wait on grandma to get there. He did. 689 00:44:17,240 --> 00:44:21,440 I'm just being honest. He said get baptized. 690 00:44:23,320 --> 00:44:26,160 God's promises are fulfilled by his power. 691 00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:28,800 All right? Fulfilled by his power, not 692 00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:30,080 human effort. You understand with me, I'll 693 00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:37,600 come to a close. Circumcision now in the New 694 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:41,000 Testament for us baptism that God is marking the people, He's 695 00:44:41,000 --> 00:44:44,040 identifying the people and he's calling us to wholehearted 696 00:44:44,040 --> 00:44:46,960 devotion. And the command still remains, 697 00:44:46,960 --> 00:44:51,280 walk before me and be thou perfect. 698 00:44:52,480 --> 00:44:58,960 I rose to walk faithfully. I rose to walk faithfully and 699 00:44:58,960 --> 00:45:02,760 leave Him to accomplish the side of His promise that is up to Him 700 00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:05,800 to accomplish. So this is a journey. 701 00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:08,840 This is a journey of a covenant walk. 702 00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:12,720 And we as you walk with the Lord, I'm going to say that 703 00:45:12,720 --> 00:45:17,520 you're going to find out more details about Him and His way 704 00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:22,360 that you didn't formally know. But when you know it, then you 705 00:45:22,360 --> 00:45:28,880 walk in it. You know it, then you walk in 706 00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:33,600 it. The tragedy is knowing it and 707 00:45:33,600 --> 00:45:42,180 not walking in it. New Test Scripture talks to 708 00:45:42,180 --> 00:45:46,420 those who are ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of 709 00:45:46,420 --> 00:45:48,860 the truth. Knowledge, exponential 710 00:45:48,860 --> 00:45:53,940 knowledge, experiencing it, exponential knowledge, ever 711 00:45:53,940 --> 00:45:56,180 learning. Then for every Wednesday night 712 00:45:56,180 --> 00:45:58,100 Bible study I was there. For every lesson he taught on 713 00:45:58,100 --> 00:46:02,020 the book of Genesis, bless God, but never coming to the 714 00:46:02,020 --> 00:46:05,080 knowledge. We're just up here spouting. 715 00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:07,560 You're soaking up like a sponge and it's leaking out. 716 00:46:10,760 --> 00:46:13,960 Amen. Come to the knowledge. 717 00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:16,440 Let's about our heads today, Father, I come to you today, 718 00:46:17,040 --> 00:46:21,640 God, I'm thankful, Lord Jesus, God, tonight for your Lord never 719 00:46:21,640 --> 00:46:25,080 changing word. I pray, O Lord, it's applicable 720 00:46:25,080 --> 00:46:28,640 then, it's applicable now. I pray, O God, help me to see 721 00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:31,480 where it applies in my own heart and in my own life. 722 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:34,560 I pray, O God, today, help us, Lord, on this journey, this 723 00:46:34,560 --> 00:46:38,440 covenant, Lord Jesus journey. God, as we grow in you, grow in 724 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:42,720 faith, God, grow in our walk. I pray, O Lord Jesus today, God, 725 00:46:42,720 --> 00:46:46,960 that we add Lord God to virtue, Lord Jesus, and we add Lord to 726 00:46:46,960 --> 00:46:49,880 this God. We're always in a mode of God 727 00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:54,160 increasing Lord Jesus in you until we grow into the stature 728 00:46:54,160 --> 00:46:56,120 of the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. 729 00:46:56,360 --> 00:46:59,200 Lord, as New Testament scripture, Lord tells us, help 730 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:02,720 us, oh God today, God to walk that walk in the name of Jesus 731 00:47:02,720 --> 00:47:07,640 Christ that I pray Hallelujah and Amen and the church say 732 00:47:07,640 --> 00:47:11,400 Amen, Amen. God bless you in Jesus name. 733 00:47:11,680 --> 00:47:13,320 Have a good week, stay well.