God is Trustworthy.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] We’re entering into season between Thanksgiving and Christmas and each year [0:04] we partner [0:05] with New Hope Baptist Church, it’s what it is in English, over in Chester. This is [0:10] a Hispanic church plant [0:11] that reaches a segment of the community that [0:14] isn’t really open for us and so Pastor Fernando

[0:17] asks us to help him and we partner with them financially and one thing that [0:21] we do every year [0:22] is we have a thing right out in the foyer, if you saw it on your way in, called [0:25] Village Tree. [0:26] What you’re going to see on that tree [0:27] are cards that have needs that families have put on there, some of them are for

[0:32] gifts [0:32] and I would love for you to do that but the big need that you’re going to see on [0:35] that tree, the most [0:37] the thing that’s on there the most are gift cards [0:40] and so what I’m gonna ask you is I’m gonna ask each family in here to join me [0:43] and going and buying one of those gift cards per family.

[0:47] What you don’t understand is that, or maybe you do understand this, is that [0:50] in those areas the income is very low, the needs are very high [0:55] and things that we take for granted every single day such as food on our [0:59] table and [0:59] and turkeys for Thanksgiving are harder to come by for them [1:02] and so when you buy one of those gift cards you are literally supplying a

[1:06] family with a meal [1:07] during the Thanksgiving season and the Christmas season and so what I’m gonna ask [1:11] is for everyone in here that has the means and here’s the reality, alright, [1:15] that’s almost all of you, alright, almost every single one of you and I know most [1:20] of the people here as I look over this crowd [1:22] you guys have the means to do this and so if you don’t join me in this

[1:27] that’s on you bro, alright, so you better join me in this [1:31] God has called us to be a generous people [1:35] and you say man you don’t know what the deal is, you don’t know what I’m [1:38] going through right now, you don’t know the debt I’m in [1:40] I know the Starbucks that you drink, I know the drive-thrus that you go through [1:44] and I know all that, so you guys have the means

[1:48] so this week or next week you take one of those off [1:51] of that tree if you want to buy a gift [1:53] if you have kids one great thing you could do on top of the card [1:57] is go out there and get one of the gifts and take your kids to teach them [2:01] generosity [2:01] take them to a toy store, Walmart, Target somewhere and buy a gift with them that

[2:06] they know they’re gonna be giving towards someone else’s Christmas this year [2:10] God has called us to be a people marked with generosity [2:13] and so I’m gonna call us to that this year, I’m gonna call us to be [2:17] who we claim to be [2:19] as followers of Jesus Christ as God equips [2:23] us with means it is not for us to build our kingdom but rather he calls us to

[2:28] use that [2:28] to be generous with many so please [2:32] join me in being generous on top of that this is a great season to spend time [2:36] with your family [2:36] and so for all you moms and dads out there I’m gonna give you a day December [2:40] 14th

[2:41] from 9 to 1030 you can spend some time with your family here [2:44] at the manger build we’re gonna spend some time with our kids building mangers [2:48] with them to put in front of our tree [2:50] we’re also gonna supply the families with devotionals I know as a dad [2:55] sometimes it’s kind of awkward trying to lead family devotions we [2:58] tell people to embrace the awkward around here

[3:01] and what you’re gonna get when you go home from this event is you’re gonna get [3:04] some devotions to go through from that day through Christmas Day so that you [3:08] can with your kids [3:10] understand the true meaning of this season is as we literally [3:13] choose to celebrate the birth of our God and King Jesus Christ during this [3:17] season

[3:17] if you do not have children if it may be there are gone [3:21] you have an empty nest or maybe you don’t have kids yet or maybe you’re [3:24] unable to have kids we have places [3:26] for you to serve on that day especially if you’re handy with a saw we need to [3:30] prepare some wood [3:31] and so that I won’t lose fingers some of you that actually know how to use saws

[3:35] could come out and help us with that [3:36] alright so that’s gonna be on December 14th Saturday morning I think on that [3:41] Friday afternoon if I’m [3:42] I may be wrong on this go out to the next step table I think we’re gonna be [3:46] cutting some wood [3:46] for that event but regardless please go to the next steps table and get more

[3:51] information [3:52] go sign up there as well the cost is ten dollars [3:56] I think per manger that’s gonna be built that day which is very low cost [4:00] so this is a great event for you dads and moms to spend time with your kids [4:05] alright more information go out there the next thing that we have coming up [4:09] during this season

[4:10] is something that we affectionately call our Christmas Eve [4:14] Eve service that’s because we do it cooler than everybody else we do it on [4:18] Christmas Eve [4:19] Eve December 23rd I don’t know anybody else that does that you know what that [4:22] means [4:22] we’re better than them alright so on Monday night December 23rd

[4:28] being sarcastic guys calm down don’t Jesus joke me [4:33] alright if you don’t know what that is Google it [4:36] it’s a thing on December 23rd we have our Christmas Eve [4:40] Eve service now here’s what we do this is a tradition this is the third time [4:44] that we’ve done this it’s kind of [4:46] as a staff it’s our gift to ourselves

[4:49] we love Christmas I love everything that goes along with Christmas [4:53] so if you’re kind of a Scrooge and the lights and music and all that noise [4:57] don’t come to me because I’ll rebuke you I love Christmas lights I love [5:02] Christmas music I love Christmas movies I love Christmas food I love [5:07] Christmas cookies [5:08] I love everything about Christmas

[5:11] I love it all because Christmas is the best [5:15] holiday that’s ever existed in the history [5:18] of mankind more so for a follower of Jesus Christ [5:22] because that is the day that we celebrate the amazing miracle of God [5:26] becoming flesh [5:27] alright and so what we do every single year is we have

[5:31] a event where we take everything [5:34] that you could possibly imagine with Christmas and we bring it right [5:38] in here and it just will blow your head [5:42] up alright when you when you come and you have a great time with us but [5:46] there’s a couple things I want you to know [5:47] last week here in between our two services

[5:50] we had close to 300 people just right at 300 people [5:54] last year at our Christmas Eve services we had 319 people [5:58] last year at this time we were running half that and we doubled our attendance [6:02] on Christmas Eve [6:03] so if you do the math we might have some space issues [6:08] okay our plan currently is to do two services

[6:13] so but we want to plan ahead so we’re starting earlier [6:16] with your part then we did last year and what your part is [6:20] is there’s gonna be a space on the website where you can RSVP [6:24] for one of the two services that we’ve got set up [6:27] we’re marking out a hundred and seventy slots [6:30] in each service and so what I’m gonna ask you to do

[6:34] is I’m gonna ask you over the next few days or week go on our website [6:38] and RSVP for one of those services what this means is it’s going to help [6:42] us to prepare if you sign up for a service and you can actually make that [6:47] one we won’t sue you or anything [6:49] I just try not to lie too bad to us just [6:52] put yourself on there your family on there maybe aunts and uncles

[6:56] grandmothers and grandpas are gonna come with you [6:58] mark them out too because we’re trying to gauge whether or not we need a third [7:02] service [7:03] when would we do a third service no idea all right maybe midnight I got I got no [7:08] clue [7:09] when we’re gonna do that third service but we’re trying to plan ahead because

[7:12] we know [7:13] that there’s a possibility a really great possibility that more people than [7:18] RSVP will show up [7:19] and we don’t want anybody getting mad because they weren’t able to see the [7:23] amazing light display [7:24] all right so go on our website and RSVP there will be infant and toddler care

[7:30] that evening [7:30] but here’s what I want you to understand about our Christmas Eve service [7:33] all right first every year that we do it people get saved [7:37] all right people hear the gospel of Jesus Christ every single year and people [7:41] respond at our Christmas Eve service [7:45] that’s because we bring everything to a head where the gospel is concerned and

[7:49] we give the gospel I’ll be doing it again this year [7:51] praise God but the reality of this is this is a very important event that we [7:57] throw for the community [7:59] we throw it and we do it in such a way that it is going to be fun for everyone [8:04] that comes here and I know deep down inside of each and every one of you [8:08] there’s this little part that’s like but we’re not allowed to have fun

[8:12] that’s wrong if we have fun we shouldn’t do that around Christmas Eve [8:16] all right guys as a follower of Jesus Christ [8:20] one of the big things that we need to be known for is our ability and our joy [8:25] in celebration we need to be the most fun people there’s nothing more fun than [8:31] knowing the God of the universe and knowing that he’s forgiven you of your [8:35] sins there’s nothing more worth celebrating than that so if you’re the

[8:39] type of person that doesn’t want to have fun I want you to come in repentance [8:45] saying I’m going to stop being a sinful non-fun person [8:50] all right so come and have fun you will enjoy yourself if you’ll just let the [8:55] fun of Christmas in that’s all I’m asking you to do it’s the best if you [9:00] disagree with me it’s okay not everybody has to be right but please do us a favor [9:06] go online RSVP for you will not regret and if you’re like but I gotta go to

[9:12] Grandma’s house that morning go to Grandma’s house the next day come have [9:16] fun all right it’s gonna be a blast Christmas Eve Eve December 23rd 5 and [9:21] 7 p.m. are the times that we’ve designated right now that we’re gonna [9:24] have those services all right without any further ado let’s get into God’s [9:29] Word let’s study it go to Genesis chapter 14 we’re gonna start reading in [9:33] verse 18 today and here’s where we’ve been so far this is your first time here

[9:37] if maybe you’ve forgotten like many people do we’re going through the life [9:41] of Abram all right we’re going from Genesis chapter 11 excuse me chapter 12 [9:45] through Genesis chapter 22 and in this text what we’re seeing is that Abram is [9:50] a guy that God called to follow him God came into his life he was not a follower [9:55] of God and God intervenes in his life anyway much like he does us and God says [9:59] Abram follow me Abram does Abram shows great faith in God but because he is

[10:06] like you and I he’s a man who’s steeped in sin he struggles in faith and what [10:13] we’ve seen over the last few weeks is that God is a God of great mercy and [10:18] grace with more forgiveness than we could ever exhaust and ever need he’s [10:22] got more grace than you’ve ever known that you could ever be capable of seeing [10:26] in someone else and when Abram repents of his sin each and every time God calls [10:32] him to himself and restores him Abram goes into a land he wasn’t supposed to

[10:36] sells his wife to a king basically and repents of that God forgives him Abram [10:42] brings people he shouldn’t have brought with him repents of that God forgives [10:46] him and in every moment of Abram’s life when he repents God shows himself [10:52] faithful not only that but when Abram repents he learns more about what God [10:59] has for him in his life as he learns more about God learns more about himself [11:05] he learns more about the sin that he needs to repent of and as he does that

[11:09] God reveals more of himself to him and what Abram has seen in his life about [11:15] his journey with God is that God is going to bless him God is going to make [11:19] him a great name God is going to make him a great family and that’s what he’s [11:24] learned about himself there’s two ways that you can go through life you can go [11:28] through life living out a cycle of repentance and that’s what we’re seeing [11:32] in Abram’s life sin is not what’s going to ultimately define him rather

[11:37] repentance is and when you live a life when you learn of your sin and you turn [11:42] from it you will know more of God than you could have ever imagined you knew [11:47] before you’ll know his will you’ll know his story you’ll know his glory and [11:52] you’ll know what it is to worship him and that’s how he calls us to go through [11:56] life but secondly you can go through life in a cycle of compromise last week [12:03] we saw the story of Lot where Lot because of the compromises that he’s

[12:07] willing to make he does not show great faith in God but instead he shows great [12:11] faith in himself and great faith in the material world that he was trying to [12:15] build for himself when you go through life compromising over and over again [12:20] not trusting God not having faith in him what you end up seeing is that you are a [12:26] person not defined by faith and repentance but a person that is defined [12:30] by yourself as being your God and that is what you’re left with after Abram

[12:37] repents of bringing his kindred lot if you can catch the podcast please go do [12:42] that Abram learns from God that not only is God going to bless him and make his [12:47] name great but God is going to give him offspring that outnumber the dust of the [12:51] ground Abram doesn’t have any kids at this point he’s an old man God says I’m [12:56] God gonna do it anyway and as soon as he separates from lot lot continues to cause [13:02] trouble you ever had anybody in your life that even out of your life they’re

[13:05] causing you problems well that’s what happens with lot and Abram lot when he [13:09] chooses the land that he does he actually chooses a land near Sodom and [13:13] Gomorrah and that is a place of much strife where the kings of the earth at [13:16] that time were having great military battle so a lot thinking it’s going to [13:20] be a land flowing with greatness and great virtue and great material gain for [13:24] himself he goes to that land finds himself in the middle of a war and they

[13:27] actually kidnapped him carry him off into their kingdom they take all of his [13:31] possessions take all of his people and Uncle Abe learns about this well Abram [13:37] somehow in his land in his people he has trained 318 of his servants to be [13:43] warriors I don’t know how it worked out but the scripture said that it did so [13:46] these 318 warriors rise up and he then goes and makes deals with three kings [13:51] and they ride into battle they rescue lot bring a lot back into his land get

[13:57] his possessions they get his people and Uncle Abe comes into lots life and [14:01] blesses him again through God’s having favor on him but what I want you to [14:06] notice in this story is something that happens at the very end of it in Genesis [14:11] chapter 14 verse 18 we meet a king that we don’t know anything else about other [14:16] than what is listed here and we did he wasn’t said of to be involved in this [14:21] battle we just know that when they return from the battle Abram meets a man

[14:26] called Melchizedek and here’s what the scripture says about him starting in [14:30] verse 18 and Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine he was priest [14:38] of God most high and he blessed him and said blessed be Abram by God most high [14:44] possessor of heaven and earth and blessed be God most high who has [14:49] delivered your enemies into your hands and Abram gave him a tenth of everything [14:53] and the king of Sodom said to Abram give me the persons but take the goods for

[14:58] yourself but Abram said to the king of Sodom I have lifted my hand to the Lord [15:03] God most high possessor of heaven and earth that I would not take a thread or [15:09] a sandal strap or anything that is yours [15:11] lest you should say I have made Abram rich I will take nothing but what the [15:16] young men have eaten and the share of the men who went with me let Anar, Escol [15:21] and Mamre take their share it’s a different type of Abram than we’re used

[15:27] to seeing Abram’s offered material gain and Abram’s like I don’t need it I’ve [15:31] got God it’s a different guy than went out in Egypt you ever had a moment with [15:36] God a moment of faith a moment of Jesus and you’re like his presence is surely [15:41] in my life and you’re like I will charge hell with a squirt gun if he calls me to [15:46] do so and you like your faith is great in that moment that fades away a little [15:51] bit that’s what Abram went through right here and the question is why did he go

[15:54] through that why was Abram so much different in this passage than he was [15:59] previously and he’s about to be in fifteen and sixteen the reason has [16:04] everything to do not with Abram but with Melchizedek we don’t know anything about [16:08] Melchizedek other than what’s listed here Melchizedek is someone that’s [16:14] debated over Melchizedek is a man that everybody kind of wants to look at and [16:18] say who was this guy we don’t see a beginning with him we don’t learn

[16:22] anything else about him why is he called a priest there wasn’t even a priesthood [16:26] at this point what’s the deal with Melchizedek that’s what I want to unpack [16:30] in point number one which reads point number one is this God works to point us [16:36] to Jesus God works to point us to Jesus here’s what we know about Melchizedek [16:42] first off his name Melchizedek literally in the scriptures means king of [16:50] righteousness then he’s referred to as the king of Salem people say that this

[16:56] was short for what is modern day or in Israelite times Jerusalem Salem [17:02] literally means peace king of peace peace I said peace peace then he’s also [17:13] called the priest of God most high so we have three things that we know about [17:21] this guy king of righteousness king of peace priest of God most high do you [17:31] know anyone else in scripture that is known for their righteousness for [17:36] bringing peace into our lives and being the eternal priest of God most high is

[17:43] Jesus Christ but on top of that I want you to note the meal that he brings to [17:49] Abram he brings Abram bread and he brings Abram wine the very same elements [17:56] that are used in the future for the Passover meal and now for what we reflect [18:02] on the cross of Jesus Christ in through communion or the Lord’s Supper many [18:07] people have pontificated and said we would think this person could be Jesus we [18:12] think this person’s at least a sign of Jesus and I’ll tell you straight up at

[18:17] minimum Melchizedek is put in scripture as a foreshadowing of the gospel of Jesus [18:22] you say where are you getting that from look in Hebrews chapter 7 verses 1 through 3 [18:28] from Melchizedek king of Salem priest of the most high God met Abraham returning [18:34] from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him and to him Abraham apportioned [18:39] a tenth part of everything he is first by translation of his name king of [18:45] righteousness and then he is also king of Salem that is king of peace he is

[18:52] without father or mother or genealogy having neither beginning of days nor end [19:00] of life but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever there are [19:09] certain places in the Old Testament where it is thought of that Jesus before [19:13] he’s born into this earth and you’re like but Jesus wasn’t born yet [19:16] Colossians says Jesus has no beginning or no end Jesus has always been Jesus [19:20] spoke the world into existence Jesus is God that Jesus himself God the Son

[19:27] reveals himself physically to people in the Old Testament we know most [19:31] specifically the story of Joshua and the army the leader of the army of the Lord [19:36] is Jesus Christ in this part of scripture it is my belief based on what [19:42] we read here in the book of Hebrews that Melchizedek was Jesus himself I believe [19:46] that this is what’s called a Christophany or an appearing of Jesus in [19:51] the Old Testament and the reason that I believe that this is happening spelled

[19:55] out more specifically in chapter 15 but I want to give you a precursor to what’s [19:59] going on here and I would love to read through all of Hebrews chapter 7 with [20:02] you but I know some of you like going home from church for some reason so I [20:06] won’t do that I’ll just sum it up for you here’s the reality of Hebrews chapter 7 [20:11] after Melchizedek leaves understand there was no priesthood at this time when [20:16] all of the descendants of Abram form in different nations that inhabit the land

[20:21] that’s promised to Abram the Levitical priesthood is set up he has a son named [20:25] Levi and all of his descendants are called into the Levitical priesthood it [20:30] says in Hebrews chapter 7 that Jesus is not part of the Levitical priesthood [20:36] because the Levitical priesthood was called for that specific time in Israel’s [20:42] history to do that specific task which was to sacrifice for the atonement of [20:47] Israel’s sins and Israel’s sins alone but the book of Hebrews says that Jesus

[20:51] brings a better sacrifice an eternal sacrifice a perfect sacrifice for sins [20:58] for all time and that was his own body so the scriptures actually say that Jesus [21:06] is of the order of Melchizedek rather than the order of Levi it is my belief [21:13] that in this time before the cross in this time before the Levitical priesthood [21:19] in this time before Israel even existed as understand Abram was a Babylonian [21:26] Jesus appeared so that we at this point in history can look back and see God’s

[21:34] sovereign hand rule over everything that is that the gospel was not a plan B [21:41] instead the gospel is what God promised to bring through Abram’s life point [21:50] number two this morning is that we must trust God in life because God controls [21:58] all of history there was no communion at this point in history in the future [22:09] Israel would reflect on a meal with bread and wine to reflect on the Passover [22:14] that got that God did in Egypt while they were enslaved there that hadn’t

[22:19] yet he’s the king of Jerusalem there was no Jerusalem there it says that he [22:29] is the eternal priest for all time priesthood hadn’t been installed yet God [22:38] wants us to look in his word and understand for our lives where we are [22:43] with what we’re dealing with right here and right now that he is in absolute [22:50] control of all history and so Abrams response is that he’s been in the [22:57] presence of someone special he’s been in the presence of someone that’s unlike

[23:02] anyone he’s ever met in this world because remember up until this time [23:06] Abram has not been in the presence of someone that knows whom this God is that [23:10] God called him and Abram meets the king of righteousness the king of peace priest of God most high and this guy’s singing blessings over him [23:21] Abram’s response is faith Abram’s response is trust Abram’s response is our [23:28] response when we have those moments in our lives where we’re so certain of the [23:34] hand of God for us that we want to give him our absolute all but then unfortunately those moments fade remember a few weeks ago I talked to you about what happens in Genesis chapter 12 where Abram exhibits great faith in God by leaving and following and walking but I also told you that your life will not be defined by one moment of faith instead of the one moment of faith.

[24:04] It must be defined by many moments of faith won’t be defined by mystery either. [24:10] I don’t know what’s going on back there.

[24:15] But our lives are to be defined by our moments of faith where day in and day out we believe God more than we believe any other circumstance. [24:29] But what I love about the story of Abram is I see myself in his shoes that I see this great thing I see this great priest who’s a manifestation at least a foreshadowing of God the son Jesus Christ and then he goes to bed in Genesis chapter 15 one and he forgets all that stuff. [24:47] You ever had one of those moments and it’s like the next day you don’t even remember the moment. [24:52] So you have a great moment your quiet time in the morning and you blow your tire out and you’re like well forget that faith.

[25:00] And 15 one the scripture connects these two stories. [25:02] It’s why I wanted to preach them together after these things after this moment after this great moment of communion with God where a blessing is given from God into the life of Abram. [25:19] The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision so he gets more.

[25:24] By the way Jesus is also called the word in John one. [25:29] So Abram has relationship with Jesus before Jesus even comes to this earth. [25:35] I love the Old Testament. [25:37] After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. [25:40] Fear not Abram. [25:42] Sometimes God comes to us when he knows we’re struggling even when we don’t know we’re struggling yet.

[25:47] I am your shield. [25:49] Your reward shall be great.

[25:54] So Abram has seen great grace. [25:57] He’s seen great forgiveness. [25:58] He’s seen great righteousness. [26:00] He’s seen the king of righteousness. [26:01] He’s seen the king of peace. [26:03] He’s met with God most high.

[26:05] Now God comes to him and says Abram I’m going to be your shield. [26:09] Don’t worry. [26:10] You have nothing to fear in this world. [26:12] You’re safe with me. [26:13] No matter what happens I’ve got you in my hand. [26:17] And then he says on top of that your reward is going to be great.

[26:23] I mean this is coming from God.

[26:28] Then Abram he slips. [26:32] But Abram said oh Lord God what will you give me? [26:39] For I continue childless and the heir of my house is Eleazar of Damascus. [26:47] And Abram said behold you have given me no offspring and a member of my household will be my heir. [26:53] And behold the word of the Lord came to him. [26:55] This man shall not be your heir for your very own son shall be your heir.

[27:00] And he brought him outside and said look toward heaven and number the stars if you’re able to number them. [27:05] Then he said to him so shall your offspring be and he believed the Lord and he counted it to him as righteousness. [27:15] By the way this is an aside. [27:16] Some of you really don’t like sarcasm. [27:19] But here’s where I love the scriptures because God is really sarcastic. [27:23] I just want to point this out to you so that you’ll appreciate the way I talk to you sometimes.

[27:28] When God calls him out and he says he looks to Abram and he says Abram step outside number the stars. [27:35] If you can because Abram can’t and that’s why it’s so funny because there’s a lot of stars.

[27:43] So God calls Abram out and just straight up rebuke him for a lack of faith using sarcasm. [27:48] It’s a beautiful thing you should get to learn it. [27:52] So God calls Abram gives a blessing into his life gives his word into his life. [27:58] And Abram looks to God and says God how can I believe you’ll protect me? [28:03] How can I believe that you’ll bless me? [28:05] How can I believe that you’ll reward me?

[28:07] I don’t even have a kid.

[28:10] What am I supposed to do? [28:11] Bless all the LEAs are over there.

[28:16] I don’t know what you’re going through in your life. [28:20] I don’t know all for some of you I do but for some of you you’ve only been half truthful with me anyway. [28:27] And for others of you I don’t know the struggle. [28:29] I don’t know the suffering. [28:30] I don’t know the pain. [28:31] But here’s what I do know I know it’s real.

[28:35] I know you’re going through it. [28:37] And I know it feels condemning. [28:40] It feels weighty. [28:42] It feels like it’s never going to be over. [28:44] It feels like no matter how much faith you exert that you will never reap the reward of God’s blessing in his kingdom. [28:53] And you’re saying God how in the world can I believe you when I’m going through this?

[29:02] How can I look to you and say you’re my shield. [29:07] You’re going to reward me. [29:09] You’re going to bless me when all I know where I am right now is absolute struggle.

[29:17] That’s where Abram is.

[29:21] You keep saying I’m going to have offspring God. [29:23] You keep saying all these things are going to happen to me. [29:25] But they’re not happening. [29:27] And the subtext of that and I’m not getting any younger.

[29:32] That’s Abram’s response.

[29:36] And God looks to him and God says do you know who I am?

[29:44] I am the Lord God.

[29:50] The reality of what God is calling us to is he’s calling us to believe him above absolutely everything else. [30:02] God looks to Abram and he says you do not understand. [30:07] I’m the king of righteousness. [30:09] I’m the king of peace. [30:12] I’ve brought you the bread and the wine. [30:14] I’ve brought you my blessing.

[30:17] And that is my presence in your life. [30:20] And you just look to what’s going on right there in that moment of history. [30:25] And you don’t think I know what’s going on.

[30:31] You see we look to the great callings of faith in scripture. [30:33] We look and we see. [30:35] I mean God literally spells out the gospel that hasn’t happened yet in Genesis 14.

[30:42] And this is what we often do to God. [30:44] We look at what God calls us to. [30:46] We look at what God says blessing is. [30:49] And then we think in our mind at least subconsciously that God’s clueless about what’s actually going on right here and right now.

[31:01] So God comes to Abram. [31:05] And he says Abram go outside and look at those stars.

[31:13] Can you number them? [31:16] Because what I think God’s actually saying there is Abram I know you can’t but I can.

[31:24] Not only can he number those stars but God created each and every one of them. [31:32] The scripture tells us elsewhere that God has numbered the very hairs on your head. [31:39] Or if you’re getting older like me the less hairs on your head.

[31:47] God not only knows specifically what is going on in your life. [31:57] What you’re struggling through. [31:59] The sicknesses that you’re struggling with. [32:01] The pain that you’ve been through. [32:04] What you just came out of. [32:06] But God was in there with you.

[32:10] And he knows what’s coming next. [32:14] You see God looks to Abram and God calls him to repentance in this moment. [32:19] Because he says Abram I know what’s coming even if you don’t.

[32:27] Abram I have mapped out your life even if you haven’t. [32:32] Here’s the reality. [32:33] We trust God with heaven but we struggle to trust him with today.

[32:40] We trust God with where we’re going after we die. [32:44] But we think he doesn’t know about the sickness you’re struggling with. [32:49] We think that he is helpless in the pain that we’re going through. [32:53] We think that he can’t do something about the relationship struggles that we have. [32:57] We think that he cannot move heaven and earth for us right now.

[33:04] And then God comes in and he looks to Abram and he says Abram I am who I say I am. [33:09] And I will do what I said I will do.

[33:14] Understand you’re like man this is serious. [33:16] This kind of has a theme to it. [33:17] Yeah because God keeps having to say the same thing to Abram over and over and over and over again. [33:22] And the reality is God is saying Abram trust me.

[33:28] Abram trust me for this moment. [33:31] And trust me for your future.

[33:37] We respond to not knowing what God is doing by making ourselves God and then going in the opposite direction that he’s going.

[33:49] And then we have the audacity to blame God for it.

[33:56] What did God want from Abram? [34:00] 15 verse 6 is a text that’s quoted often in the New Testament. [34:06] In chapter 15 verse 6 God looks to Abram after telling him that his descendants will outnumber the stars of the heavens.

[34:15] And I don’t say that as if Abram didn’t have a tough faith to have. [34:21] I mean trust me you start reaching your 80s and you’ve got no kids. [34:24] Yeah stats aren’t on your side unless the revelation of God is.

[34:30] But here’s what happens in verse 6. [34:33] And he believed the Lord. [34:37] Another moment of faith. [34:40] Repentance renewed faith.

[34:44] And then the blessing. [34:46] He God counted it to him Abram as righteousness.

[34:55] Have you ever.

[34:58] Looked to God. [35:01] In a moment even subconsciously and just had this thought God what do you want from me.

[35:09] If you haven’t you you’re a better man than I. [35:12] God what do you expect me to do. [35:15] What do I have to give you for you to relieve this stress for you to relieve this burden. [35:21] What do I have to do for you for you to bless me.

[35:31] Romans Galatians and James. [35:35] Quote this text.

[35:38] All that God requires of you.

[35:45] Is that you believe.

[35:48] Book of James chapter 2 verse 22 the half brother of Jesus writes. [35:54] You see that faith was active along with his works and faith was completed by his works and scripture was fulfilled. [36:00] That says Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. [36:07] But not the end and he was called a friend of God.

[36:15] That’s a pretty good title friend of God.

[36:23] In your life sometimes I know.

[36:27] That you feel like God has made you his enemy.

[36:31] Because you’re struggling.

[36:34] Saying God’s not blessing me. [36:36] God’s not helping me. [36:38] I don’t even know where he is. [36:41] I don’t know what he’s doing.

[36:45] God simply says look at what I’ve promised. [36:48] Look at what I’ve said I’ll do in my word. [36:51] Look at what the cross proclaims over your life.

[36:56] Believe it.

[36:59] And he promises redemption. [37:02] Every single time. [37:06] Who other than the king of righteousness could give Abraham righteousness in this moment. [37:16] Whatever you think the relief needs to be. [37:21] Understand that God is wiser than you are.

[37:27] Because here’s the reality. [37:28] Abraham looks to God in his prayer and he says God I don’t know if you’ve noticed. [37:35] But I got no kids. [37:37] I’ve got a lot of servants so I’ll pick the best one. [37:41] Old Eliezer of Damascus I guess I’ll make him my heir and you’ll do everything through him. [37:46] What Abraham is saying in that moment.

[37:48] Abraham’s saying God I think I’ve got this figured out a little more than you do. [37:52] Because I’ve got first hand perspective.

[37:55] You ever do that to God? [37:56] You ever question him based on what you see right in front of your face? [37:59] And God says well I’ve seen what’s right in front of every face.

[38:06] God wanted Abraham to believe him more than he believed himself.

[38:14] There are moments coming. [38:15] Maybe you’ve already been there. [38:17] Maybe you’re there right now or maybe you’ll be there next week. [38:19] But there are moments coming where you will have to trust God more than you trust your circumstances.

[38:28] You will have to trust God more than you trust the situation that you’re going through. [38:33] Because what God says is above what you’re going through.

[38:41] God controls all of history.

[38:47] He moved from the moment in 1418 to the cross of Jesus Christ. [38:52] And then gave us the history of how he did it over the centuries.

[39:01] And you think he can’t handle your financial crisis.

[39:06] You think he can’t handle the fact that you’ve been single longer than you thought you would. [39:11] You think he can’t handle your marital problems. [39:14] You think he can’t handle your kids that are rebelling. [39:18] You think he can’t handle every situation in your life. [39:22] If you’ll trust him.

[39:29] So Abraham continues the discourse.

[39:36] In verse 8. [39:38] Excuse me, verse 7. [39:41] And God said to him,

[39:46] I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.

[39:56] I think normally in our quiet times we’d look over that.

[40:01] But this is basically God looking at Abraham and saying, [40:04] Abraham I think you’ve forgotten who I am.

[40:10] I’m not a God.

[40:14] I’m the God. [40:17] I’m the one that came to you in your dad’s house and said follow me and I’ll give you that land. [40:25] Oh and by the way look around you. Where are you? [40:28] You’re in the land I said I’d give you, aren’t you?

[40:33] See this is what happens throughout all of scripture. [40:35] You read through the Psalms. You read through the New Testament. [40:37] And the scriptures are always God having to remind us of who he is.

[40:44] Here comes Abraham. [40:45] And I love Abrams’ response because Abram says, Oh Lord God. [40:50] This is what we do. [40:51] We come to God with all of our liturgy and all of our religion. [40:55] And we’re like most heavenliest father of them all. [40:57] You’re the holiest and righteousnessness of them all.

[41:01] And we start, it’s like we’re pumping God up to give us what we want.

[41:07] Alright just pray to him. [41:08] You don’t have to be all wordy. [41:12] Because here’s what happens after that. [41:14] Abram really lets God know who he is.

[41:17] How am I to know that I shall possess it?

[41:22] God counts him as righteous. [41:24] And then he’s like I’m going to struggle again.

[41:29] God says to him, bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle dove and a young pigeon. [41:36] And he brought him all these, cut them in half and laid each half over the other. [41:41] But he did not cut the birds in half. [41:43] And when the birds of prey came down on the carcasses Abram drove them away. [41:46] As the sun was going down a deep sleep fell on Abram. [41:50] And behold dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.

[41:53] Then the Lord said to Abram, know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs. [42:01] And will be servants there. [42:03] And they will be afflicted for four hundred years. [42:05] But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. [42:11] As for yourself you shall go to your fathers in peace and shall be buried in good old age. [42:16] And they shall come back here in the fourth generation.

[42:19] For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. [42:21] When the sun had gone down and it was dark behold a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. [42:30] On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying, [42:33] To your offspring I give this land from the river Egypt to the great river the Euphrates. [42:39] The land of the Kenites, the Kenizites, the Kadbanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites. [42:47] A lot ofites.

[42:49] But here’s what I want you to understand then we’ll finish.

[42:54] The promises of God are dependent upon God. [43:00] The promises of God are dependent upon God. [43:05] Here’s what God does with Abram. [43:07] Abram comes to him and says, God I need more to go on. [43:11] Help me out here. [43:13] And God does two things.

[43:14] The first thing is that God tells Abram to kill a bunch of animals. [43:18] And you’re like what in the world? [43:20] Why the bloodshed? Why the slaughter of the animals? [43:22] Here’s the reality. [43:24] Abram was a sinner just like you and I. [43:26] A lot of evidence against him for that.

[43:28] We’ve seen it. [43:29] But here’s the reality. [43:30] From Genesis 3 onward man sinned against God. [43:34] What is the sentence for sin? [43:36] It is death. [43:37] God is holy.

[43:38] Payment is necessary. [43:40] God kills these animals. [43:42] These animals are sacrificed because of the sin of Abram. [43:47] Every time in scripture that we see sin, we see sacrifice is necessary. [43:52] And Abram is no different. [43:54] So God sacrifices these animals.

[43:56] The blood of these animals is shed. [43:58] And the sin of Abram for that moment are atoned for. [44:03] And God makes a covenant of blood with Abram. [44:06] We do not do that anymore. [44:08] Do you want to know why? [44:08] Because of the King of righteousness, Jesus Christ.

[44:14] Jesus came and sacrificed himself once and for all. [44:18] He has made atonement for all sin for all time. [44:22] And whenever we see in scripture an animal lose its life to be the scapegoat of our sin, [44:28] it is a sign that sin is something that God cannot let live. [44:35] He must kill it. [44:38] And thanks be to God in Christ Jesus, He is gracious enough to kill Himself for us.

[44:45] Jesus took the sins for all time. [44:48] Yours, mine, everyone else’s, onto Himself. [44:53] And He is our great sacrifice forever.

[45:00] Secondly,

[45:04] God does not need us.

[45:08] God does not need me. [45:11] He does not need you. [45:13] Why? [45:14] Where do I see that?

[45:18] God makes Abram fall into a great sleep.

[45:23] In that time when a covenant would be made between two people, [45:26] both of the people would have to join together in making the covenant, [45:30] but God does not want Abram to do it with him. [45:34] Because if God knows one thing about Abram, it’s that He’s going to break the covenant.

[45:41] God does not desire for us to pay the penalty for our covenant breaking. [45:49] So He takes the covenant, He takes the penalty, He takes the whole thing onto Himself.

[45:58] Because God will get the glory, but here’s the beautiful thing. [46:02] We will get the benefit of His glory. [46:07] Because note what God does. [46:08] God makes Abram fall asleep. [46:10] God passes between the animals as a pot and a torch. [46:15] And God looks to Abram and says,

[46:16] Abram, what I have done is for you. [46:22] I have just made a covenant for you. [46:26] That you will get the land that I have said you will get. [46:30] You will be who I said you will be. [46:33] And guess who is 100% responsible? [46:37] God.

[46:40] In great grace, God looks to Abram and says, [46:43] Abram, your sin will not be counted against you. [46:49] I will take it. [46:51] And that is the covenant that God makes with each and every one of us. [46:56] He doesn’t need us, but He makes us the beneficiaries of His glory. [47:01] He doesn’t need us, but He wants us anyway.

[47:04] He doesn’t need us, but He loves us anyway. [47:06] He doesn’t need us, but He pursues us anyway. [47:09] In our sin, in our lack of faith, in our lack of trust, [47:14] in our wandering, in our rebellion, in our sin. [47:17] When we trust our wisdom over His wisdom, God says, [47:21] I love you.

[47:25] And so He moves history to the cross of Jesus Christ.

[47:32] God does one more thing that I find very interesting in this story.

[47:38] Because He gives Abram a prediction or a prophecy rather of something that is coming. [47:45] He looks to Abram and says, Abram, I want to do what I said I’m going to do. [47:48] And by the way, your dissenters are going to go into slavery for 400 years.

[47:53] And I’m going to redeem them out of that slavery. [47:55] But understand, that’s what’s going to happen. [47:58] Why doesn’t God look to him and say, by the way, Abram, [48:01] I’m working through you and your descendants to get to the cross [48:05] where my son will die for the sins of all time. [48:08] Here’s why I think.

[48:10] Because God wants Abram not only to trust him in the benefit.

[48:19] Because it’s easy to trust God when times are good, is it not?

[48:25] But it’s hard to trust God in tough, tough times.

[48:33] Because God knows people’s hearts. [48:35] And He knows that there’s coming a day when Abram’s descendants are going to be in slavery. [48:41] And there’s coming a day when Abram’s going to be having a tough time. [48:44] And Abram and his descendants are going to look and saying, [48:48] where are you now, God?

[48:54] And God points to Genesis 15 and He says, I’m right in the middle of it with you.

[49:02] The slavery didn’t surprise him. [49:04] The turmoil didn’t shock him. [49:08] The tough times didn’t dissuade God. [49:11] Because God was using every moment of it for His glory. [49:18] Because our God is sovereign. [49:21] Because our God is the King of righteousness.

[49:24] And He can do what He says He can do. [49:28] And He is who He says He is.

[49:33] Wherever you are right now, whatever you’re going through right now, [49:37] whatever you’re struggling with right now, [49:40] you need to understand that God not only knows what’s happening, [49:43] but He knows how weak you are. [49:45] And He gives us these moments in Scripture so that we can look at our lives and say, [49:49] this is not an accident.

[49:51] This is a moment where God wants my faith.

[49:56] This is a moment where God wants my trust. [49:58] This is a moment where God says, trust me.

[50:06] We all experience the effects of sin.

[50:11] But understand that God is trustworthy.

[50:18] Why?

[50:20] Because He took slavery and turned it into the cross.

[50:27] As the band comes up, I want us to just take a moment [50:32] and understand that when we trust Jesus, [50:36] when we trust that God has come, that God has redeemed us, [50:41] that God will give us righteousness through our faith, [50:43] what we’re trusting is that God makes us part of that offspring. [50:48] God makes us part of the descendants that outnumber the stars.

[50:54] Every week we reflect on the cup and the bread. [51:00] I think back in Genesis 14 where Abram sat with Melchizedek and ate this meal.

[51:07] They had no idea that this was God saying, [51:10] there’s coming a time where this meal will mean far more.

[51:16] There’s coming a time where this meal will represent the redemption of all people. [51:21] There’s coming a time where this meal will mean salvation has come, [51:25] the last sacrifice has been made, righteousness of Christ can be yours.

[51:33] If you’re in here this morning and you’re a follower of Jesus, [51:35] what I want you to understand is that this meal represents the gospel, [51:39] the shed blood of Jesus, the broken body of Jesus, [51:42] the final atoning sacrifice for all time.

[51:47] That if you know Him, if you know that salvation, [51:50] if you trust God, this meal is for you.

[51:57] That some of you that are already followers of Jesus, [52:00] you’re struggling in your faith and when you partake of the Lord’s meal today, [52:03] it needs to be a moment of repentance of your lack of faith. [52:06] And then you need to walk out of here and you need to live differently.

[52:12] You need to make different decisions than you’ve made before.

[52:16] You need to live for a higher purpose than you ever knew you existed for, [52:19] because you belong to God. [52:22] But there are some of you that may not know Jesus. [52:26] There are some of you that have never trusted in Him, [52:28] you’ve never had faith and you’re understanding that right now.

[52:32] I want you to know that you can know God today [52:33] and you can know His righteousness and you can have His faith.

[52:38] I’d love to talk to you about that, I’d love to talk to you about the King of Righteousness. [52:43] I’ll be right over there. I’d love to pray with you about it. [52:47] But if you know Him, when you’re ready, come.