1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,160 Hey, if you are joining us here in our sanctuary for the first time this morning or if you're joining us online for the first time 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,760 We want to say welcome to all of you are so glad you're to worship with us today. I 3 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:17,040 Am pastor Nathan and today we are going to be celebrating communion after our Bible study 4 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:21,860 And so we will be serving communion this morning and I'll give instructions when we get to that 5 00:00:21,860 --> 00:00:25,700 But if you are watching online, I want to encourage you to get your communion emblems ready 6 00:00:25,700 --> 00:00:31,100 And if you're scrambling because you forgot just pray over whatever you got and the Lord will honor it 7 00:00:31,100 --> 00:00:34,180 Okay, and now we'll be doing that at the end of service today 8 00:00:34,180 --> 00:00:38,940 But this morning we're gonna be dealing with a topic that I'm sure none of us have ever dealt with 9 00:00:39,700 --> 00:00:42,340 Waiting on God when you've been waiting a long time already 10 00:00:43,340 --> 00:00:46,380 Right or to put it another way what happens? 11 00:00:46,820 --> 00:00:53,020 When we apply what we think is best because we've already concluded that God is not acting fast enough 12 00:00:53,020 --> 00:00:59,340 All right, we've never dealt with that have we it's it's about those times that we've all dealt with where 13 00:00:59,980 --> 00:01:03,260 We're in a situation where God you said 14 00:01:04,300 --> 00:01:06,300 But why aren't you? 15 00:01:06,540 --> 00:01:11,140 God you said but why is it taking so long and 16 00:01:11,500 --> 00:01:14,740 You know, I'm gonna be transparent. I've been going through this 17 00:01:15,260 --> 00:01:18,380 For a while been in the thick of it for a while a couple years ago 18 00:01:18,380 --> 00:01:21,660 I believe the Lord told me something that at the time I was like 19 00:01:21,660 --> 00:01:26,020 Oh, it's clear as day and I was excited about something. He was going to do and then 20 00:01:26,620 --> 00:01:30,220 After he told me that a year passed and over the course of that year 21 00:01:30,220 --> 00:01:34,100 There was numerous moments where I thought oh, this is the perfect time for it to happen 22 00:01:34,100 --> 00:01:39,620 This is the perfect time for it to happen. This is the perfect time and guess what it didn't happen 23 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:42,820 And so for the last year or so 24 00:01:42,820 --> 00:01:47,660 I've been wrestling with what a lot of us wrestle with in our faith when we go through things like this 25 00:01:47,660 --> 00:01:53,660 The question did God really tell me what I believe he told me or did I just make it up in my head? 26 00:01:53,660 --> 00:01:55,660 Anybody ever deal with that? Yeah, right 27 00:01:56,940 --> 00:02:03,660 Well, you know one of the things God's been teaching me and I've just been blessed to share with you guys through the word over the last 28 00:02:04,140 --> 00:02:06,940 number of months is that faith is 29 00:02:07,780 --> 00:02:09,780 simultaneously an 30 00:02:09,780 --> 00:02:11,780 incredibly simple 31 00:02:11,780 --> 00:02:14,580 But yet infinitely complex thing 32 00:02:14,580 --> 00:02:17,780 There are so many layers to faith when it comes to understanding 33 00:02:18,300 --> 00:02:24,260 What it is and how we live it out what God wants us to do and as we've been studying the life of Abram here in 34 00:02:24,260 --> 00:02:28,580 Genesis we've seen all the lessons of faith that he has been learning 35 00:02:29,060 --> 00:02:35,220 Such as we've learned or he has learned what happens when you rely on your wisdom first your own wisdom first 36 00:02:35,700 --> 00:02:39,780 Instead of going to God and asking for his input. We saw that in Egypt 37 00:02:39,780 --> 00:02:45,700 Abram has learned what happens when you hold on to what God has given you or or hold what God's given you 38 00:02:45,700 --> 00:02:50,180 With a generous open hand. We saw that in his interaction with Lot in the land 39 00:02:50,660 --> 00:02:55,060 Abram has learned about self-sacrifice and what happens when you do what is right 40 00:02:55,620 --> 00:02:58,740 Even when it's risky we saw that in his rescue of Lot 41 00:02:59,940 --> 00:03:03,460 Abram has learned that everything we have is given by God 42 00:03:03,460 --> 00:03:06,660 And so we're called to honor God with everything we've been given 43 00:03:06,660 --> 00:03:09,940 We saw that in his interactions with Melchizedek 44 00:03:10,580 --> 00:03:14,420 Abram has learned what happens when you reject what the world offers 45 00:03:14,980 --> 00:03:21,380 Especially when the world wants to take credit for what God has done by blessing you and we saw him honored through that 46 00:03:22,180 --> 00:03:25,460 Abrams learned how to just have faith in what God has said 47 00:03:26,020 --> 00:03:29,380 Even when you don't understand how he's going to accomplish it 48 00:03:29,940 --> 00:03:33,860 Just just have faith just believe if God has spoken to you believe 49 00:03:33,860 --> 00:03:40,180 And really we talked about how that's the foundation of our entire walk our entire salvation. It's we believe 50 00:03:40,660 --> 00:03:42,660 God and what he has said 51 00:03:43,140 --> 00:03:50,180 Abrams learned how patient God is when we are weak and wrestling with doubt and we have these questions on our faith where 52 00:03:50,500 --> 00:03:55,780 We've seen how patient God is as he comes back to repeat what he has said to Abram very gently 53 00:03:56,340 --> 00:03:58,340 Repeating his word when necessary 54 00:03:58,660 --> 00:04:00,660 And then we've seen him in the land of the dead 55 00:04:00,660 --> 00:04:05,620 Repeating his word when necessary and then we've seen Abram learn how serious God is 56 00:04:06,420 --> 00:04:13,620 When God speaks when God makes promises when he gives his word even going so far as to contractually bind himself 57 00:04:14,100 --> 00:04:20,340 To fulfill or die when it comes to some of those promises as if that was even possible 58 00:04:21,140 --> 00:04:22,420 well 59 00:04:22,420 --> 00:04:24,500 The question I ask all of us this morning is 60 00:04:25,300 --> 00:04:27,300 Have we learned the lessons? 61 00:04:27,300 --> 00:04:32,900 Have we learned what God has been speaking to us as we're studying what he's been speaking to Abram? 62 00:04:33,460 --> 00:04:36,580 Or are you in the midst of learning these lessons? 63 00:04:37,380 --> 00:04:39,380 Maybe for the first time 64 00:04:39,460 --> 00:04:42,900 Maybe for the hundredth time which happens in many of our lives 65 00:04:43,460 --> 00:04:45,460 Because like I said if i'm transparent 66 00:04:45,860 --> 00:04:47,860 I'm right there with you guys 67 00:04:48,500 --> 00:04:50,740 Now the next lesson we're going to be looking at this morning 68 00:04:51,620 --> 00:04:53,300 Is simply this 69 00:04:53,300 --> 00:04:55,300 It's one thing to trust God 70 00:04:55,300 --> 00:04:58,340 When he speaks and his promises it's one thing to trust that he can 71 00:04:58,900 --> 00:05:00,900 Which is what Abram worked through and got to 72 00:05:01,380 --> 00:05:04,660 But it's something entirely different to trust God with when 73 00:05:05,780 --> 00:05:10,340 And that's often the one we wrestle with the most when God has spoken given a promise 74 00:05:10,660 --> 00:05:15,940 We're working through believing on that and it's taking its time and it's taking its time and it's taking its time 75 00:05:16,260 --> 00:05:19,460 And then we start to worry about well did God forget? 76 00:05:20,100 --> 00:05:22,500 Did he change his mind? Did I not hear him? 77 00:05:22,500 --> 00:05:25,700 Accurately and so we have to understand that faith 78 00:05:26,180 --> 00:05:29,540 And patience are two things that always go together 79 00:05:30,180 --> 00:05:33,940 Faith is trusting and then trusting involves waiting 80 00:05:34,500 --> 00:05:39,700 And so when it comes to waiting on the Lord we have to understand a couple important lessons one 81 00:05:39,940 --> 00:05:41,940 Is that the bible says that with God 82 00:05:42,580 --> 00:05:45,860 One day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day 83 00:05:46,660 --> 00:05:50,900 And that is not at all comforting is it when we're waiting on the Lord but 84 00:05:50,900 --> 00:05:53,380 It is true that God's timing is not our timing 85 00:05:54,500 --> 00:05:59,780 But additionally in Isaiah 28 16 it says this the one who believes will be unshakable 86 00:06:00,660 --> 00:06:05,940 And that word unshakable means they will not rush or they will not act hastily 87 00:06:06,900 --> 00:06:09,380 You see faith in God means faith in his timing 88 00:06:09,780 --> 00:06:14,740 And it's something that we have to work through on a regular basis and today we learn from abram 89 00:06:14,980 --> 00:06:18,900 What happens when we try to fill in the blanks of what God has spoken about 90 00:06:18,900 --> 00:06:22,820 And try to fill in the blanks of what God has not yet revealed to us 91 00:06:23,620 --> 00:06:28,580 Out of fear or anxiety that his plan is not coming to fruition but first we're going to praise God 92 00:06:29,140 --> 00:06:32,020 And worship him because that is what we're here to do right now 93 00:06:32,740 --> 00:06:35,220 This moment this time to say God we love you 94 00:06:35,860 --> 00:06:41,860 It's a time to re-express God I trust you I have faith in you and for those of you that are in this room this morning that 95 00:06:42,100 --> 00:06:44,740 You're in that place where God has spoken to you 96 00:06:45,540 --> 00:06:47,540 And the devil is just beating you up 97 00:06:47,540 --> 00:06:52,500 Causing you to doubt and question and you're starting to worry about well God when is it going to happen? 98 00:06:52,500 --> 00:06:53,460 It's been so long 99 00:06:53,460 --> 00:06:58,820 I've I've seen so many times where it would have been a perfect opportunity for it to happen and it hasn't yet happened 100 00:06:59,620 --> 00:07:06,500 I pray today God speaks to your heart and encourages you on the place to be where we find peace as people of people of faith 101 00:07:06,500 --> 00:07:09,140 Amen, let's pray God. We love you 102 00:07:11,700 --> 00:07:13,700 We thank you Lord for for everything 103 00:07:13,700 --> 00:07:16,500 And yes, Lord, we even thank you for your timing 104 00:07:17,380 --> 00:07:20,980 God we know that your ways are higher than our ways and your thoughts are higher than our thoughts 105 00:07:21,620 --> 00:07:25,300 God we know that your timing is not our timing God. You see things completely different than us 106 00:07:26,260 --> 00:07:32,660 But not only that God you see the outcome of every possibility simultaneously 107 00:07:34,180 --> 00:07:38,900 And because of that Lord when you give us instruction it is the right instruction 108 00:07:38,900 --> 00:07:45,060 But Lord there are also times in our life where you simply don't reveal to us yet or at all some of the details 109 00:07:46,980 --> 00:07:48,980 And God our nature is to get 110 00:07:49,780 --> 00:07:50,820 worried 111 00:07:50,820 --> 00:07:54,660 And to start trying to fill in the blanks with our own wisdom God and 112 00:07:55,380 --> 00:08:01,140 That never works out. Well Lord, so God speak to us today help us to understand Lord what we're to do 113 00:08:02,020 --> 00:08:05,780 When you've given us promise, but you not yet filled in all the blanks 114 00:08:05,780 --> 00:08:11,940 Of how or when God help us to be people that are just simply resting in faith and trusting and waiting for you to speak 115 00:08:13,300 --> 00:08:16,340 So that God we would avoid all the upheaval and all the turmoil 116 00:08:16,980 --> 00:08:21,220 All the unforeseen circumstances that come when we try to get ahead of you 117 00:08:22,820 --> 00:08:26,260 Lord you are perfect. You are holy. You are righteous 118 00:08:27,060 --> 00:08:28,580 You are our God 119 00:08:28,580 --> 00:08:30,580 And we want to be faithful children 120 00:08:31,140 --> 00:08:33,140 We want to be obedient 121 00:08:33,140 --> 00:08:37,140 Help us Lord increase our faith and increase our patience 122 00:08:38,100 --> 00:08:42,420 We worship you now God. We love you so much. It's in Jesus name. We pray amen 123 00:08:43,380 --> 00:08:47,860 We are going to be in Genesis chapter 16 today looking at the first six verses 124 00:08:48,980 --> 00:08:54,100 And really the the context of what we're going to be learning today is is simply this 125 00:08:54,740 --> 00:09:00,500 Abraham and Sarah and at chapter 16 have now been in the land of Canaan for about a century 126 00:09:00,500 --> 00:09:05,060 And this all started with God calling Abraham and his family out of Ur 127 00:09:05,620 --> 00:09:09,620 Which was his homeland in southern Mesopotamia and he called him out of there with a promise 128 00:09:10,340 --> 00:09:13,620 That i'm gonna bring you to a land that I will show you 129 00:09:14,260 --> 00:09:19,860 Which required him just taking a step of faith because he didn't know where he was going yet, but he was told to go 130 00:09:20,340 --> 00:09:23,220 God told him that he was going to make him into a great nation 131 00:09:24,180 --> 00:09:27,220 Which was difficult because he was a man of faith 132 00:09:27,220 --> 00:09:30,340 And he was told that he was going to make him into a great nation 133 00:09:31,300 --> 00:09:34,740 Which was difficult because his wife was barren 134 00:09:35,700 --> 00:09:40,180 And he told him that through him all the nations of the world would be blessed 135 00:09:40,740 --> 00:09:45,140 And so as we've been studying through we've seen the journey that abram has been on and so 136 00:09:45,460 --> 00:09:51,140 God brought them to the land and and uh abram had been active there and in just 137 00:09:51,140 --> 00:09:57,540 Four years he was in the land of Canaan and he was able to make it through there and he was able to 138 00:09:58,100 --> 00:10:03,300 Make it through the land of Canaan and he was able to make it through the land of Canaan 139 00:10:03,780 --> 00:10:07,380 And so that's how he went and rescued his nephew Lot from the four kings 140 00:10:08,100 --> 00:10:15,380 And so that brought abram to a place where he was given the promise again where God had reiterated to him that 141 00:10:15,380 --> 00:10:22,980 Whoa did that happen again? Check check check check one two one two 142 00:10:24,980 --> 00:10:29,300 So okay, so he had gotten to the land and 143 00:10:30,580 --> 00:10:34,660 Was frustrated and God reiterated to him look bro. I told you 144 00:10:35,460 --> 00:10:41,620 You're gonna have offspring that are more numerous than the stars, but he added a clarification. It's gonna be from your body 145 00:10:41,620 --> 00:10:47,060 Well during all this time abram had just been getting older and older and his wife was getting older and older 146 00:10:47,380 --> 00:10:53,780 And so in this time abram had been wondering what is going on when we get to here to genesis chapter 16 147 00:10:53,780 --> 00:10:59,940 We are here 10 years later after God reiterated this promise made a covenant with him about the land 148 00:11:00,420 --> 00:11:06,260 And he's still living in the land as a foreigner because all the other people groups are still there 149 00:11:06,260 --> 00:11:13,780 And he's still with a barren wife his wife still cannot have children which means he still has no son 150 00:11:14,900 --> 00:11:19,060 And like many of us if we found ourselves in a situation like that 151 00:11:19,060 --> 00:11:23,140 I do believe that abram was probably going well all right lord 152 00:11:24,180 --> 00:11:27,220 I'm trying to hang on to the promises that you've given me 153 00:11:27,700 --> 00:11:33,460 I believe in your promises. I worked past that I believe in what you said. I believe you can 154 00:11:33,460 --> 00:11:36,900 I've gotten to that place where I trust you but but when 155 00:11:37,540 --> 00:11:40,580 When are you gonna do this lord? When is it going to happen? 156 00:11:41,140 --> 00:11:44,900 And I believe that was going through his mind that's speculation 157 00:11:44,900 --> 00:11:51,780 But we definitely know it was going through his wife's mind as well because read with me in genesis 16 starting in verse one 158 00:11:52,740 --> 00:11:59,220 It tells us abram's wife sarai had not born any children for him, but she owned an egyptian slave named hagar 159 00:11:59,220 --> 00:12:07,220 But she owned an egyptian slave named hagar sarai said to abram since the lord has prevented me from bearing children go to my slave 160 00:12:07,380 --> 00:12:09,380 Perhaps through her I can build a family 161 00:12:10,100 --> 00:12:12,100 And abram agreed to what sarai said 162 00:12:12,740 --> 00:12:19,780 So so abram's wife sarai took hagar her egyptian slave and gave her to her husband abram as a wife for him 163 00:12:20,500 --> 00:12:23,620 This happened after abram lived in the land of canaan 10 years 164 00:12:24,420 --> 00:12:26,500 He slept with hagar and she became pregnant 165 00:12:26,500 --> 00:12:34,420 When she saw that she was pregnant her mistress became contemptible to her then sarah said sarai said to abram you are responsible for my suffering 166 00:12:34,820 --> 00:12:39,460 I put my slave in your arms and when she saw that she was pregnant I became contemptible to her 167 00:12:39,940 --> 00:12:41,940 May the lord judge between me and you 168 00:12:42,740 --> 00:12:49,620 Abram replied to sarai here your slave is in your power do whatever you want with her then sarai mistreated her so much 169 00:12:50,260 --> 00:12:52,260 That she ran away from her 170 00:12:52,260 --> 00:13:00,260 Now there is a whole lot going on in these six verses here and so it raises a bunch of questions and we're going to walk through it here one verse at a time 171 00:13:00,580 --> 00:13:03,220 So right there in verse one we just read the the 172 00:13:03,940 --> 00:13:08,500 Summary of the situation right abram's wife sarai had not born any children for him 173 00:13:09,300 --> 00:13:12,260 But she owned an egyptian slave named hagar 174 00:13:13,140 --> 00:13:17,060 Pretty self-explanatory what's going on here right god promised 175 00:13:18,180 --> 00:13:20,180 Long time has passed 176 00:13:20,180 --> 00:13:22,180 No kids right 177 00:13:22,740 --> 00:13:28,340 Clocks ticking biologically which is possibly going through sarai's mind right i'm getting older 178 00:13:28,660 --> 00:13:35,140 My husband's getting older and really it's not a big mystery that that as we get older 179 00:13:35,780 --> 00:13:36,900 certain 180 00:13:36,900 --> 00:13:38,100 parts of our 181 00:13:38,500 --> 00:13:46,820 Child making functions cease to work right so this is going through their minds and i'm sure it's going through sarai's mind and so when we get to verse two 182 00:13:46,820 --> 00:13:50,260 She concocts a plan to to address these problems 183 00:13:50,820 --> 00:13:55,860 Sorry said to abram since the lord has prevented me from bury children go to my slave 184 00:13:56,180 --> 00:14:01,380 Perhaps through her i can build a family and abram agreed to what sarai said 185 00:14:02,660 --> 00:14:08,260 Now it's safe to assume here that sarai was aware of the promise that god had made 186 00:14:08,740 --> 00:14:10,740 You doing all right buddy all right cool 187 00:14:10,740 --> 00:14:16,740 Sarai was aware that god had made a promise to to him like i'm sure he shared it with his wife 188 00:14:16,740 --> 00:14:22,740 Hey god said that i'm gonna give birth to a child that there's gonna be great nations coming from me and and again 189 00:14:23,140 --> 00:14:26,740 It had been 10 years since god had reiterated that promise 190 00:14:27,460 --> 00:14:31,380 So i'm sure what was going through their minds is pretty soon 191 00:14:32,020 --> 00:14:35,140 It's gonna be impossible for abram to have a child 192 00:14:35,860 --> 00:14:38,580 That it's simply not gonna be by the grace of god 193 00:14:38,580 --> 00:14:42,100 And at this time sarai was still barren 194 00:14:42,980 --> 00:14:45,780 She was still unable to have children and so 195 00:14:46,340 --> 00:14:49,940 Of course a plan b was necessary to fulfill god's promise right? 196 00:14:50,740 --> 00:14:57,700 And so we have to understand and we've said this before that barrenness in this culture was a very terrible severe 197 00:14:58,420 --> 00:15:05,060 Tragedy for women it was a really big issue to be able to not have kids and and for women that are barren to have 198 00:15:05,060 --> 00:15:08,260 it's still a significant issue because 199 00:15:08,980 --> 00:15:14,980 Then having kids was was really the mark of success if you were a woman in these cultures 200 00:15:15,540 --> 00:15:20,020 Being able to bear children for your husband and thus grow the family was everything 201 00:15:20,580 --> 00:15:27,060 That was that was the pinnacle of success that was the top that was the sign that that there was favor in your life that god 202 00:15:27,060 --> 00:15:29,060 favored you or the gods favored you and 203 00:15:29,380 --> 00:15:31,380 Especially if you gave birth to boys 204 00:15:31,380 --> 00:15:35,940 Because boys were who carried on the family name so it was a big deal to 205 00:15:36,260 --> 00:15:40,100 Have kids and a really big deal for women who couldn't have kids 206 00:15:40,580 --> 00:15:45,220 Because really in that culture their identity and purpose was all wrapped around 207 00:15:45,780 --> 00:15:47,780 Being able to produce children 208 00:15:48,420 --> 00:15:53,060 And so we can imagine being in sarai's shoes in this culture 209 00:15:53,940 --> 00:15:58,420 Where for her entire life she hasn't been able to produce children for her entire life 210 00:15:58,420 --> 00:16:04,260 She hasn't been able to produce children for her husband and the pain that would come from that and the distress 211 00:16:04,580 --> 00:16:08,500 That would be in her heart over this the the shame and the humiliation 212 00:16:08,980 --> 00:16:12,900 Of just not being able to do this in her culture and provide for her husband that way 213 00:16:13,220 --> 00:16:18,740 Had to be terrible and and then on top of that the feelings of failure and and all this stuff was 214 00:16:19,060 --> 00:16:21,620 Was likely just running through her mind in her heart 215 00:16:23,140 --> 00:16:25,700 But although we can sympathize with her position 216 00:16:25,700 --> 00:16:28,740 I want you to notice what she says here in verse two 217 00:16:29,380 --> 00:16:33,220 Since the lord has prevented me from bearing children 218 00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:36,500 Go do this thing 219 00:16:36,980 --> 00:16:41,700 You'll notice that what sarai is doing is making her own conclusion 220 00:16:42,260 --> 00:16:44,260 About what god has done 221 00:16:44,580 --> 00:16:46,980 Just like her husband abram did 10 years prior 222 00:16:47,620 --> 00:16:50,660 You remember 10 years prior when god showed up to abram and said hey 223 00:16:51,140 --> 00:16:55,140 You're gonna have children and they're gonna be more numerous and in more numerous ways 224 00:16:55,140 --> 00:16:59,060 More numerous than the stars and all of this right this this promise that I told you you're gonna have kids 225 00:16:59,460 --> 00:17:03,720 Abrams response was you have given me no offspring 226 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:06,240 therefore conclusion 227 00:17:07,140 --> 00:17:09,620 A slave of my household is going to be my heir, right? 228 00:17:10,180 --> 00:17:15,960 He had decided this that a slave of my household was going to be the heir because he had made a conclusion 229 00:17:16,340 --> 00:17:22,420 About what god was or wasn't doing sarai is doing the same thing here. She's making this conclusion the lord 230 00:17:22,420 --> 00:17:30,660 Has prevented me from having children. That's what's going on right now. So therefore here's my plan to fulfill god's promise 231 00:17:32,420 --> 00:17:36,420 And so what we see here amongst all of what might be going on with her emotionally 232 00:17:37,060 --> 00:17:39,060 She has concluded 233 00:17:39,140 --> 00:17:47,220 Without being told by god without any revelation without god speaking to her husband that her barrenness meant that god was intentionally and active 234 00:17:47,540 --> 00:17:50,100 actively keeping her from having children 235 00:17:50,100 --> 00:17:53,380 And we know that because that's what that word prevented means in the hebrew 236 00:17:54,420 --> 00:17:58,020 It's it's someone actively standing against withholding 237 00:17:59,220 --> 00:18:05,380 Preventing something from happening right in other translations. The idea is is that god has closed her womb 238 00:18:06,260 --> 00:18:08,580 And so she has concluded god 239 00:18:09,300 --> 00:18:15,860 Has made sure I can't have kids and therefore she comes up with this plan now again god had not told her this 240 00:18:16,980 --> 00:18:18,980 God had not told her husband this 241 00:18:18,980 --> 00:18:22,020 All god had set up to this point was to abram 242 00:18:22,500 --> 00:18:24,500 There are going to be many nations come from your body 243 00:18:25,300 --> 00:18:27,300 Your offspring is going to be more than the dust 244 00:18:28,020 --> 00:18:30,020 Your offspring is going to be more than the stars 245 00:18:30,900 --> 00:18:36,900 And then in the last time he spoke to abram he clarified that it's going to be a son from your own body 246 00:18:38,660 --> 00:18:43,140 Now if we're going to be people of faith and live in faith and walk in faith 247 00:18:44,260 --> 00:18:48,020 We have to be very very careful about making definitive decisions 248 00:18:48,020 --> 00:18:54,100 About making definitive declarations about why our situations are the way they are 249 00:18:55,380 --> 00:19:01,460 We have to be very careful, especially when god hasn't told us this is why our situation is the way it is 250 00:19:02,260 --> 00:19:06,260 This is why this hasn't happened. This is why it's taking this amount of time 251 00:19:06,660 --> 00:19:08,260 This is why it's taking so much time 252 00:19:08,500 --> 00:19:16,500 We have to be very careful at interpreting those things and saying this is what god is doing when he hasn't revealed that to us 253 00:19:16,500 --> 00:19:18,500 We're not omnipotent are we? 254 00:19:19,060 --> 00:19:21,060 We're not all knowing are we? 255 00:19:21,780 --> 00:19:26,660 We're not able to see into the future and process every possibility of what could possibly be happening 256 00:19:26,660 --> 00:19:32,260 Why and that's why we can't make definitive declarations on things that we don't have knowledge of 257 00:19:33,460 --> 00:19:40,820 You see we can't when addressing the what and the why or the when of what god is or isn't doing in our definitive declaration 258 00:19:40,820 --> 00:19:46,980 We can't declare this is exactly why god is doing this or this is what it means because we don't know 259 00:19:47,620 --> 00:19:56,020 We have limited information. We have limited wisdom the danger of definitive declaration without god confirming that that is indeed 260 00:19:56,020 --> 00:20:01,300 What has taken place is that we go on to then make bad decisions based upon our limited knowledge 261 00:20:01,860 --> 00:20:05,300 And this is what we see hagar doing or hagar sarai doing here 262 00:20:06,260 --> 00:20:10,020 Her decision is well god gave my decision 263 00:20:10,020 --> 00:20:12,020 gave my husband a promise 264 00:20:13,140 --> 00:20:17,780 That there's going to be a child of his own body. That's going to be resulting in nations 265 00:20:18,820 --> 00:20:21,780 Her conclusion is i'm definitely not it 266 00:20:23,380 --> 00:20:25,380 The clock is ticking for both of us 267 00:20:26,260 --> 00:20:33,300 So let's do this thing that we're going to see was very acceptable in their culture this thing that should work according to our own wisdom 268 00:20:33,940 --> 00:20:37,940 This is where sarai's at and then the question is well, how did that work out for her? 269 00:20:37,940 --> 00:20:39,940 We're going to see that in a moment 270 00:20:39,940 --> 00:20:45,220 But I want to address this thing here too in verse two where it says abram agreed to what sarai said 271 00:20:46,980 --> 00:20:54,260 Now typically in interpretations of this story, um abram gets a really bad rap from things here. He's 272 00:20:54,980 --> 00:20:57,780 Looked at as a pig. He's looked at as a cheat 273 00:20:57,780 --> 00:21:03,060 He's looked at at all these things and we're gonna walk through some of that here, but it says abram agreed 274 00:21:04,020 --> 00:21:07,780 He didn't just agree with oh what I get to sleep with your servants. Sweet. I'm in 275 00:21:07,780 --> 00:21:09,780 What he agreed with 276 00:21:09,780 --> 00:21:11,780 Is what she said the lord? 277 00:21:12,820 --> 00:21:16,020 Has prevented my wife from having children 278 00:21:17,300 --> 00:21:19,300 He agreed with her conclusion 279 00:21:19,780 --> 00:21:22,820 That wasn't based on god's revelation wasn't based on god's word 280 00:21:22,820 --> 00:21:25,940 It was just simply their own idea he agreed with that and then yeah 281 00:21:25,940 --> 00:21:31,460 He agreed with the plan to to have a child through hagar, but god had not spoken to him about that either 282 00:21:32,740 --> 00:21:34,740 However in his culture 283 00:21:34,740 --> 00:21:38,900 We have to understand how he might rationalize this not to justify it 284 00:21:38,900 --> 00:21:43,620 But just to understand his state of mind if you go back to all the times god had promised him a son 285 00:21:44,100 --> 00:21:48,740 Not one single time has god said at this point that sarai would be the mother 286 00:21:49,460 --> 00:21:50,980 not one time 287 00:21:50,980 --> 00:21:57,620 Now sure we can assume from our cultural lens and our perspective that of course 288 00:21:58,180 --> 00:22:03,860 He would assume it's his wife sarai because come on a married man is not going to have a child with anybody or sure 289 00:22:03,860 --> 00:22:07,220 With anybody or shouldn't have a child with anybody but his wife 290 00:22:08,180 --> 00:22:10,580 And from our context we go of course that makes sense 291 00:22:11,700 --> 00:22:15,800 But in their cultural context, there's some details that make that assumption 292 00:22:16,340 --> 00:22:18,100 Not so sure 293 00:22:18,100 --> 00:22:20,100 You see in those times 294 00:22:20,100 --> 00:22:24,280 There was a practice that is well documented through archaeological discoveries 295 00:22:24,580 --> 00:22:28,100 There was this place in northern iraq called newsy 296 00:22:28,500 --> 00:22:33,140 It's this little village up there that's circled in in red that they have done a lot of archaeological digs 297 00:22:33,140 --> 00:22:36,740 And what they have found there is these things called the newsy tablets 298 00:22:37,220 --> 00:22:44,020 These tablets are records of laws and legal practice and I know it just looks like meat at the taco stand 299 00:22:44,100 --> 00:22:50,260 But it's it's actually a tablet with cuneiform writing on it and on tablet number 47 300 00:22:50,740 --> 00:22:58,340 They have identified through translation of this that it was a very common and a very legal and and just normal 301 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:00,480 acceptable practice that 302 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:02,960 When there was a wife who was barren 303 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:08,720 The way you would come up with or come up with uh get an heir for the family 304 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:13,840 Was that you would have another woman whether it was a servant or a slave 305 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:18,640 But that other woman would be a surrogate in place of the barren wife 306 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:26,400 And that surrogate then would give birth to a child and that child would be considered the child of the barren wife 307 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:32,960 And this was all around heirs and passing on the family name and the family line and the family assets and but 308 00:23:33,360 --> 00:23:37,840 The reason I share that is to understand that in those days in in abram's context 309 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:44,720 This process is not some wacko idea that we're just going. Whoa, that's weird. Why would a wife do that? 310 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:46,400 It was normal 311 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:47,840 It was common 312 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:53,680 It wasn't only just accepted. It was actually legally defined as an acceptable way to bear an heir 313 00:23:53,680 --> 00:24:00,640 So the idea of this is when abram agreed to this plan that sarai came up with it seemed to check a lot of boxes 314 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:07,920 Now, of course, there's all kinds of objections to these things and i'm gonna postulate a couple things here that might not be popular 315 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:09,920 So hear me out before you leave 316 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:19,360 But some people when we look at this story we go but but god had already defined marriage in the garden right one man one woman one flesh 317 00:24:19,360 --> 00:24:22,880 So therefore abram knew he was doing something wrong here 318 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:28,080 Well that relies on a pretty significant assumption that abram knew that 319 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,680 You see we know abram grew up in ur 320 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:32,960 He was a shemite 321 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:38,160 but we know he grew up in this place with pagan gods and had the temple the ziggurat with the 322 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:43,520 temple the nana at the top and in this culture this concept of 323 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:46,320 surrogates for barren wife 324 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:49,600 In abram's time had already been in practice for a very long time 325 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:58,640 And so to go he knew he was doing something wrong and therefore he knew he was being disobedient to god because of the genesis two marriage definition 326 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:00,640 That's an assumption 327 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:07,280 But as much as we could assume he knew that we could also assume he didn't because of his cultural context now again 328 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:09,760 I'm not trying to justify what abram did here. Okay, follow me 329 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:12,240 And hopefully nobody has like fruit 330 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:18,880 They want to throw at me when we get through this the other objection is but the law said the law was very clear 331 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:26,480 Well, the law didn't exist yet. Right the law didn't come till moses's time 430 years later. And so 332 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:31,200 There was no law for him to go back to and say oh, yeah, I knew this was a bad practice 333 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:38,000 And then again, we know from our perspective we know from this side of the new testament we know 334 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:42,820 With god's word and everything that yes, this was truly indeed a violation 335 00:25:43,360 --> 00:25:49,360 Of the marriage covenant according to how god intended things to be absolutely i'm not i'm not disputing that fact 336 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:55,140 But based on that we go abram new he's he's a sinner. He's disobedient. We can't make that assumption 337 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:56,640 because 338 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:01,360 Would he have known that in his time and his cultural context? 339 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:04,560 Through the lens of of what god had done 340 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:13,120 In his time and his cultural context through the lens of of what god had already revealed to him through the lens of what he knew about god 341 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:19,120 Remember this was a new god to him that he had just recently been introduced to a couple decades earlier 342 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:22,640 and was still learning who he was and in and all of that and so 343 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:28,480 Would he have known that I believe there's a case to say that he did not know that he was sinning 344 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:33,440 He wouldn't have considered it sin in his cult in his culture wife wouldn't have considered it sin 345 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:34,560 He said hey 346 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:37,120 Here's this normal legal practice to solve our problem 347 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:39,280 now 348 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:41,840 Before we move on the bible is very clear 349 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:45,440 That committing sin that you don't know is sin is still sin 350 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:47,280 Okay 351 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,920 So yes from our lens abram sinned here 352 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:55,120 The point i'm making is did he do it deliberately did he know he was doing it and I believe there's a case to say no 353 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:56,800 He didn't 354 00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:58,800 so verse three 355 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:05,520 Abrahm's wife sarai took hagar her egyptian slave gave her to her husband abram as a wife for him 356 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:07,920 that word wife there is very interesting because 357 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:14,080 Normally or at least what I what I see in most cases is people go. Oh she gave him to him as a concubine, right? 358 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:20,480 That is not the word that is used here for wife the word used here for wife is isha. Guess what it means 359 00:27:21,360 --> 00:27:23,360 wife 360 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:25,200 Not concubine 361 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:27,200 So what happens is sarai? 362 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,080 gave her to her husband as 363 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:32,800 wife number two 364 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:36,560 again, not a practice that god intended but it was a practice that was 365 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:41,440 Normal through through many many years. We see that with solomon and david and others 366 00:27:43,120 --> 00:27:49,120 So she gives her to her husband as a wife and says this happened after abram lived in the land of cain in 10 years 367 00:27:49,120 --> 00:27:51,120 He slept with hagar and she became pregnant 368 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,240 The reason i'm pointing all this out is there's this 369 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,040 Abrahm's motivation sarai's motivation 370 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:01,520 You know was it sin was it not sin did they know was it intentional not intentional? 371 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:05,440 I really don't believe that this is what this story is about 372 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:11,040 So what do we what do we learn from what's going on here why is it in god's word 373 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:15,200 Well when we're studying god's word it is often a very good 374 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:19,360 Appropriate practice to kind of try and really understand what's going on here 375 00:28:19,360 --> 00:28:25,760 It is often a very good appropriate practice to kind of try and read between the lines, right? 376 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:30,800 You try and grab details and put things together and try try to figure out what is going on 377 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,620 But a lot of times in doing that we make assumptions 378 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,360 About what is happening. We make assumptions about motivations 379 00:28:37,360 --> 00:28:44,400 And so what I do and I encourage all of us to do in our study is primarily lean on what is said in the word 380 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:46,880 Or not said in the word first 381 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:49,680 Before we start filling in gaps with assumptions, right? 382 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:55,920 So what we have here is no indication that Abrahm knew he was doing wrong 383 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:58,400 No indication that sarai knew she was doing wrong 384 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,200 No indication that they were being blatantly disobedient 385 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:07,360 Not even any indication that they were like hey we're we're gonna do something that is just 386 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:10,320 Because we want to do it right 387 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:12,720 What we have here is just the fact that it was done 388 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:17,520 But one of the practices to figure out this kind of stuff is you go to the rest of scripture 389 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:23,440 And you say is there anywhere else in scripture that this story is referenced that we might glean the purpose from it 390 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:27,120 And good news it is in Galatians chapter 4 391 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:29,920 In Galatians 4 Paul is writing to the Galatians 392 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:38,320 Defending the fact that faith simple belief is what allows us to be heirs of the promise 393 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,640 Not following the law, right? 394 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:45,360 That is the argument Paul is doing in Galatians 4 and he says this in Galatians 4 21 395 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,200 Tell me you who want to be under the law 396 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,200 Don't you hear the law? 397 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:55,680 For it is written that Abram had two sons one by a slave and the other by a free woman 398 00:29:56,640 --> 00:30:02,560 But the one by the slave was born as a result of the flesh while the one by the free woman was born through promise 399 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:05,760 And what he goes on to say in that chapter 400 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:13,120 Is that this woman Hagar and the son she gives birth to which we're going to deal with with that side of the story next week in detail 401 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:15,120 But she gives birth to a son named Ishmael 402 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:20,640 And Paul is saying that she represents the law 403 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:22,640 She represents Mount Sinai 404 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:24,640 She represents the the rules everybody wanted 405 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:29,920 Give me the rules so that I can work on my own to prove that I'm a righteous person, right? 406 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:31,920 That's what the law was for people 407 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:33,920 And then he goes Sarah, I'm going to give you the law 408 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:37,200 And then he goes Sarah represents the promise 409 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:43,680 That God did a thing because he said he was going to do a thing and the people who believed in it just simply believed in it 410 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:45,600 right 411 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:51,520 So when we look at that we see this phrase here that by the one but the one by it was born of the slave was a result 412 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:53,520 of the flesh 413 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:55,520 The flesh there means human nature 414 00:30:56,560 --> 00:31:00,320 That Hagar gave birth to a son as a result of human nature 415 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:03,840 Now in the context of all of that we go what is human nature in the context of God? 416 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:05,840 What is human nature in the context of Bible? 417 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:12,640 What is human nature in the context of salvation and God's promises and ultimately what the promise to Abram and his son and his offspring? 418 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:14,640 What is that all about? 419 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:18,880 Well human nature in that context is our desire to achieve righteousness 420 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,400 Through our own works, right? 421 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:24,400 We want to earn it 422 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:26,400 That was kind of part of the reason of the law 423 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:28,400 Great try to earn it and so over centuries 424 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:30,400 You'll learn you can't 425 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:32,400 That's human nature to say God 426 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:34,400 I don't want to rely on you 427 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:36,400 I'm going to do it on my own 428 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:40,400 I'm going to earn it now God had promised that Abram's offspring 429 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:42,400 Back in Genesis 2 430 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:50,400 Chapter 2 that it would eventually lead to the Messiah and the Messiah would come and then live and die and that would lead to salvation through those who put their faith in him 431 00:31:50,400 --> 00:32:02,400 However the Hagar situation the plan with Hagar according to Galatians in the context of the law is simply saying that it was a human work intended to achieve God's promise 432 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:04,400 That's what the story is about 433 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,400 This story is Abram waiting on the Lord 434 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:08,400 Sarai waiting on the Lord 435 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:12,400 God you told me something you gave me a promise 436 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:14,400 But it's taking a long time 437 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:22,400 In my understanding I'm seeing that it's going to become impossible according to my understanding for you to fulfill your promise 438 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:30,400 So let me start to come up with human plans and human works so that your promise is fulfilled through that 439 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:32,400 That's what the story is about 440 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:36,400 In fact in the very next chapter 441 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:38,400 Chapter 17 when God visits Abram 442 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:46,400 About 15 years later they still have no son of the promise 443 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:48,400 Sarai is still barren 444 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:54,400 This is what God says and it seems to support this interpretation of this passage in Genesis 16 445 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:56,400 This is what it says in Chapter 17 446 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,400 When Abram was 99 years old 447 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:02,400 So 14, 15 years later the Lord appeared to him 448 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:04,400 This is what he said 449 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:08,400 I am the God Almighty 450 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:10,400 Live in my presence and be blameless 451 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:12,400 I will set up my covenant between me and you 452 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:14,400 And I will multiply you greatly 453 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:16,400 Then Abram fell face down and God spoke to him 454 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:18,400 As for me, here is my covenant with you 455 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:20,400 You will become the father of many nations 456 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:22,400 Your name will no longer be Abram 457 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:24,400 But it will be Abraham 458 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:26,400 For I will make you a father of many nations 459 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:28,400 I will make you a father of many nations 460 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:30,400 I will make you a father of many nations 461 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:34,400 I will make you a father of many nations 462 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:36,400 I will make you extremely fruitful 463 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:40,400 And I will make nations and kings come from you 464 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:46,400 I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations 465 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:50,400 It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you 466 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:52,400 And to you and your future offspring 467 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:54,400 I will give the land where you were residing 468 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:56,400 All the land of Canaan as a permanent possession 469 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:58,400 And I will be their God 470 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:00,400 Do you see the emphasis? 471 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:06,400 What is God saying to Abram in Genesis 17, 15 years after this Hagar incident? 472 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:12,400 I'm the one who is going to bring the promise through 473 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:18,400 I'm the one that is going to fulfill the covenant I made with myself 474 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:20,400 It's not through your works 475 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:22,400 It's not through your plans 476 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:24,400 I don't need your help 477 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,400 I didn't tell you to go get a servant girl 478 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:28,400 I didn't tell you to go get a servant girl 479 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:30,400 I didn't tell you 480 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,400 I told you what I'm going to do 481 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:38,400 And you were to wait until I did it 482 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:40,400 Regardless of how impossible it looked 483 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:44,400 Regardless of how long it took 484 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:46,400 That's what God is saying here in Genesis 17 485 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:50,400 And I believe it then supports the interpretation of 16 486 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:54,400 That it's not about whether he sinned or didn't 487 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:56,400 We can infer that 488 00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:58,400 It's not about whether they had doubt in God 489 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:00,400 We can infer that 490 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,400 But what the story itself is about is 491 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:08,400 Let's look at the fruit of trying to add our human work to God's promises 492 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:16,400 Let's look at the fruit of what happens when we try to add our efforts to make God promises come through 493 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:20,400 Let's see what happens when we have God's word 494 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,400 And then we get to this point and we say, well, God hasn't given me his word yet 495 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:26,400 Let me try and figure it out on my own 496 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:30,400 What is he saying to us today through this story? 497 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:35,400 He's reminding us that my promises, my word to you, what I've spoken in your life 498 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,400 Either through my Bible or through personal revelation 499 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:40,400 Or maybe somebody has spoken prophecy to you 500 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:42,400 My word, my promise 501 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:44,400 It won't be through your work 502 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:46,400 It won't be through your effort 503 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:55,400 There is no human effort that will contribute to my promise outside of what I have told you to do 504 00:35:55,400 --> 00:36:01,400 Today when we see the promise fulfilled in our world 505 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:04,400 Which ultimately was the salvation of mankind 506 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:08,400 It's accomplished by God in his time, in his way 507 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,400 Through faith in Jesus Christ who already came 508 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:13,400 He was the offspring of the promise 509 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:15,400 He was the one that was being spoken about 510 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:18,400 And he's alive today because he resurrected from the grave 511 00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:20,400 The Bible tells us he sits at the right hand of the Father 512 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:24,400 And Jesus himself said, I am the way, the truth, and the life 513 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:32,400 So the ultimate result of the promise was through God and God alone 514 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:39,400 God has been trying to get us to understand that from the very beginning 515 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:42,400 Stop trying to help me 516 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:45,400 I'm God, you're not 517 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:50,400 Stop disbelieving in me, I'm God, you're not 518 00:36:50,400 --> 00:36:53,400 I've spoken, believe that 519 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:56,400 Well God, it's been a long time, really? 520 00:36:56,400 --> 00:37:00,400 It hasn't even been one day for me 521 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:04,400 Well, okay Lord 522 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:08,400 Sarai's plan was whether she knew it or not 523 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:14,400 She was trying to bring God's promise through the line of Ham 524 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:17,400 And it was supposed to come through the line of Shem 525 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:19,400 Remember Noah, he blessed Shem 526 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:22,400 Abram and Sarai were both of the line of Shem 527 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:25,400 But it tells us very clearly here so we don't miss the point 528 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:28,400 Hagar, the Egyptian slave 529 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:33,400 Ham was the son of Noah that the Egyptians came through 530 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:38,400 So Sarah's thinking, this is probably a good plan 531 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:43,400 Abram going, makes sense 532 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:47,400 Was trying to bring the promise through the line that God did not promise 533 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:49,400 The promise would come from 534 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:50,400 Did that make sense? 535 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:53,400 Yeah, okay 536 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:55,400 So in this story, at the very least 537 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:58,400 Abram, after evaluating everything 538 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:00,400 Hearing his wife's plan 539 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:02,400 Thinking about timing and all this stuff 540 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:06,400 At the very least with his limited human understanding 541 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:09,400 He simply agreed with his wife that it was a good idea 542 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:13,400 Although God had not directed them as such 543 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:17,400 Nor would God ever direct as such, why? 544 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,400 Because God had already told us what his plan was for marriage 545 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:22,400 One man, one woman, one flesh 546 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:25,400 This whole concubines and stuff, that was never God's plan 547 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:28,400 When we get to the New Testament 548 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:30,400 Jesus has to tell them all over the place 549 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:34,400 Look, it wasn't God's intention that this is how marriage would be 550 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:36,400 This is how divorce would be 551 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:40,400 You guys went out in the left field with that 552 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:42,400 But that was not God's intention 553 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:45,400 Now when we go back to Genesis 16 554 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:48,400 We could then conclude 555 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:52,400 That the story isn't addressing whether or not it was sin, like I said 556 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:56,400 So don't get caught up in that is what I'm saying 557 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:57,400 Did Abraham sin? 558 00:38:57,400 --> 00:39:00,400 Yes, I believe he did, okay, so nobody get mad at me here 559 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:03,400 But did he know that? I don't believe so 560 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:09,400 What this story is simply showing us is the fruit of trying to achieve God's promises through own work 561 00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:12,400 What is that fruit? Let's look at verse 4 562 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:16,400 When she saw that she was pregnant, speaking of Hagar 563 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:21,400 Her mistress, speaking of Sarai, became contemptible to her 564 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:25,400 Then Sarai said to Abram, you are responsible for my suffering 565 00:39:25,400 --> 00:39:28,400 I put my slave in your arms and when she saw that she was pregnant 566 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:33,400 I became contemptible to her, may the Lord judge between me and you 567 00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:38,400 This is the moment where you go, oof, bad stuff, right? 568 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:44,400 The fruit of this plan that made sense 569 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:49,400 The fruit of this plan that's like, well it's a common legal practice and families have been continued on 570 00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:54,400 Yeah, the fruit of this, domestic upheaval 571 00:39:54,400 --> 00:40:01,400 To state the reverse of the phrase, unhappy wife, unhappy life 572 00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:04,400 Right? 573 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:09,400 Even though it was the plan, Hagar becoming pregnant was the worst possible thing for Sarai 574 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:11,400 Why? 575 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:15,400 Because it proved, if there was any question 576 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:20,400 That it was indeed her that was the problem with the baby making process 577 00:40:20,400 --> 00:40:22,400 Right? 578 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:26,400 If she had any doubt, well maybe it's Abram's fault too, right? 579 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:30,400 Maybe it's not all me, well nope, you can't say that anymore 580 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:32,400 Because Hagar got pregnant 581 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:35,400 And then Hagar getting pregnant in this type of situation 582 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:39,400 Even though she was raised to the status of a wife, she was still wife number two 583 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:44,400 And in this situation though, everybody's going to be like, maybe she should be wife number one 584 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:48,400 I mean she has greater status now, she's the one that is more blessed than Sarai 585 00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:54,400 She's the one that's going to provide for Abram what Sarai couldn't provide 586 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:57,400 And then we see Hagar got very prideful about all that 587 00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:00,400 Says she considered Sarai contemptible 588 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:04,400 That word contemptible means that Hagar was looking at Sarai as worthless 589 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:08,400 Beneath her, useless 590 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:10,400 And was treating her as such 591 00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:14,400 Hagar began to believe that she indeed was the better wife 592 00:41:14,400 --> 00:41:19,400 Because she was the one that could actually provide the blessing 593 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:22,400 And I say this with great care and carefulness 594 00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:29,400 And ladies I have experienced in my life 595 00:41:29,400 --> 00:41:32,400 When ladies are mad at other ladies 596 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:35,400 And the snarkiness that can be there 597 00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:41,400 And the supernatural ability to hold a grudge for 75 years 598 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:44,400 Because she looked at me that one time in junior high 599 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:47,400 I've seen that, guys we're stupid too 600 00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:51,400 It's just the grudging 601 00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:56,400 So as I'm reading this I can imagine the haughty side eyes that Hagar's given to Sarai 602 00:41:56,400 --> 00:42:00,400 Walking around the room holding her belly 603 00:42:00,400 --> 00:42:04,400 Squeezing by Sarai, oh I'm sorry my pregnant belly got in the way 604 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:08,400 Just being mean and snarky about this 605 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:16,400 But it's Sarai's wrong conclusion about how or what God was doing 606 00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:19,400 That led to this bad decision 607 00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:24,400 God didn't say hey I'm going to bring the son of the promise through this 608 00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:27,400 It was her own limited wisdom 609 00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:30,400 It was the it's been a long time 610 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:33,400 It was the we got to do something here God's not acting 611 00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:36,400 God why are you waiting so long here? Here's what I think will work 612 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:41,400 Could Sarai or Abram look into the future and see how Hagar was going to respond? 613 00:42:41,400 --> 00:42:45,400 No, but who could? God 614 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:50,400 Did they know that this whole situation and this haughtiness and this contempt of 615 00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:52,400 Did they know that was going to happen? 616 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:57,400 Obviously there wasn't reason for them to think so because Sarai said Hagar she's the one 617 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:00,400 Again assumptions maybe Hagar was a good servant 618 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:03,400 Maybe she was sweet and compliant and maybe she thought 619 00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:07,400 Well, no, of course, she's going to do this to bless me. She loves me. She's my servant 620 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:14,400 But they didn't know that this would happen because they can't see the future 621 00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:18,400 This is why it's good to wait on the Lord 622 00:43:18,400 --> 00:43:23,400 And trust his promises and then wait some more 623 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:30,400 This is why it's good to not try to guess what God is or isn't doing or why he's doing it 624 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:37,400 But simply to take what he has said to you and go cool. I'm going to act on that and wait on everything else 625 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:46,400 Until God speaks and then go cool. Now I'm going to act on that but I'm going to wait for those other things 626 00:43:46,400 --> 00:43:52,400 If God has given you a word and hasn't told you when 627 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:57,400 Guess what? You don't need to know when yet 628 00:43:57,400 --> 00:44:02,400 And that also means don't try and make it happen because God hasn't told you when 629 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:08,400 Now if God has given you a word and then he says I want you to do this do that but nothing else 630 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:16,400 Don't try and rush the process. Don't try and act hastily in the process because when we add our plan B to God's plan A 631 00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:19,400 The results are never what we expect 632 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:23,400 Like I said, I'm sure Sarah I thought this is going to be great 633 00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:27,400 My husband's going to be blessed. I'll have the baby 634 00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:32,400 Hagar will just be blessed being a part of the process. Wow. And then boom all this stuff 635 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:36,400 Unforeseen consequences 636 00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:41,400 And yeah what we're seeing here from Sarah now is this phrase that a lot of you have heard 637 00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:45,400 Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, right? 638 00:44:45,400 --> 00:44:48,400 You are responsible 639 00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:52,400 Now on behalf of every man in this room 640 00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:55,400 What? 641 00:44:55,400 --> 00:45:00,400 Excuse me? 642 00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:04,400 And I know every man in the room right now is going don't say anything Abram 643 00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:09,400 Don't respond bro. Why? Because we know that it's something very important that we've all been to before 644 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:12,400 It's a trap, right? 645 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:19,400 Don't speak Abram. Just smile and nod 646 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:22,400 Now logically yes 647 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:27,400 Sarah is wrong to put all the blame on Abram because it was her idea 648 00:45:27,400 --> 00:45:31,400 Like this is just like how can you blame me for your plan? 649 00:45:31,400 --> 00:45:34,400 Logically, biblically however 650 00:45:34,400 --> 00:45:37,400 Abram is the head of the household 651 00:45:37,400 --> 00:45:40,400 Abram is the one God spoke to not her 652 00:45:40,400 --> 00:45:45,400 Abram is the one that should have never allowed this to happen 653 00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:47,400 Abram is the one that should have went 654 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:50,400 Let me go talk to God about that 655 00:45:50,400 --> 00:45:52,400 But he did none of those things 656 00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:58,400 He didn't go talk to God. He didn't take her aside and go honey look I understand 657 00:45:58,400 --> 00:46:03,400 The barrenness and I'm with you and I'm here and yeah my heart hurts too but 658 00:46:03,400 --> 00:46:07,400 God didn't tell us to go do this Hagar thing so we gotta wait and yeah I know 659 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:11,400 We're done. We can't have kids anymore but guess what God right? 660 00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:15,400 That's what he should have done as a spiritual leader in his household 661 00:46:15,400 --> 00:46:21,400 Because his job was to protect her even from her own emotions 662 00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:25,400 But he didn't do that did he? Look at verse 6 663 00:46:25,400 --> 00:46:28,400 Abram replied to Sarai 664 00:46:28,400 --> 00:46:31,400 Said here your slave is in your power do whatever you want with her 665 00:46:31,400 --> 00:46:36,400 Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her 666 00:46:36,400 --> 00:46:43,400 So Sarai's plan now has resulted in pride and discord and anger and fights 667 00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:46,400 And just dismissive authority by her husband 668 00:46:46,400 --> 00:46:48,400 Dismissive avoidance I don't want to deal with it 669 00:46:48,400 --> 00:46:54,400 It's your problem, your idea, you deal with it 670 00:46:54,400 --> 00:46:58,400 Well Abram bro that's not how you're supposed to handle this either 671 00:46:58,400 --> 00:47:01,400 Like what an epic fail on his part 672 00:47:01,400 --> 00:47:02,400 It's your problem you deal with it 673 00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:05,400 No you're the man, you're the husband 674 00:47:05,400 --> 00:47:10,400 You get involved, you lead but he didn't 675 00:47:10,400 --> 00:47:13,400 Now do you think Sarai was expecting pride and discord and anger and fights 676 00:47:13,400 --> 00:47:17,400 And dismissive avoidance by her husband when she came up with this plan? 677 00:47:17,400 --> 00:47:19,400 Not at all 678 00:47:19,400 --> 00:47:26,400 But those are the unforeseen circumstances that come up when we try to get ahead of what God is doing 679 00:47:26,400 --> 00:47:33,400 Now next week we're going to look at the extended fallout from all of this as Hagar flees from Sarai 680 00:47:33,400 --> 00:47:37,400 You know because when it says Sarai mistreated her so much 681 00:47:37,400 --> 00:47:40,400 There's a possible indication there of domestic violence 682 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:43,400 And we're going to look at that and see what that all is about 683 00:47:43,400 --> 00:47:48,400 And what God does to then step in and redeem the situation 684 00:47:48,400 --> 00:47:56,400 And really how God steps in and redeems our failed efforts at helping him out with his plans when he hasn't asked us to 685 00:47:56,400 --> 00:48:02,400 But I wanted to stop there because today we're going to be sharing in communion together 686 00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:09,400 And really the backdrop of this story as we've gone through today really does lend itself to communion in a very beautiful way 687 00:48:09,400 --> 00:48:17,400 Because as I've said earlier, God has from the very beginning been trying to get us to understand 688 00:48:17,400 --> 00:48:23,400 It's him, it's his work, it's his way, it's his time 689 00:48:23,400 --> 00:48:26,400 Every time we get involved when he didn't say so we mess it up 690 00:48:26,400 --> 00:48:29,400 Every time 691 00:48:29,400 --> 00:48:41,400 And so he's also trying to tell us that look, it's human effort and human works will never be the means through which God's promises come 692 00:48:41,400 --> 00:48:46,400 Unless he's told us to be involved in certain ways 693 00:48:46,400 --> 00:48:55,400 But in the big picture of his promise, human works will never be the means through which we earn God's forgiveness and become inheritors of the promise 694 00:48:55,400 --> 00:48:58,400 And this story is a picture of that 695 00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:02,400 Now does God then bless Hagar and bless Ishmael? 696 00:49:02,400 --> 00:49:03,400 Yeah, he does 697 00:49:03,400 --> 00:49:08,400 Does Ishmael then get circumcised and he's a part of the family covenant of circumcision? 698 00:49:08,400 --> 00:49:13,400 Yes, he is, but he's not the line that God brought the promise through 699 00:49:13,400 --> 00:49:19,400 And then of course it's really easy to look today as Ishmael is the father of all the Arab nations 700 00:49:19,400 --> 00:49:26,400 And Ishmael and Isaac, who's the father of all the Jewish nations, they've been fighting ever since 701 00:49:26,400 --> 00:49:29,400 And they will be until the very end 702 00:49:29,400 --> 00:49:33,400 Talk about an unforeseen circumstance 703 00:49:33,400 --> 00:49:42,400 But when we understand that it's God who did the work, God who initiates the work, God is the one who secured our salvation 704 00:49:42,400 --> 00:49:48,400 God is the one who follows through and fulfills his promises when he makes them because he is true and he is wise 705 00:49:48,400 --> 00:49:54,400 God is the one who fulfills his promises in the word, God is the one who fulfills his word to us 706 00:49:54,400 --> 00:50:01,400 The word he gives to us in our private own revelation or prophecy or whatever 707 00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:07,400 He's the one that fulfills it and we as people, as fallen weak people, even post-salvation when we've come to the place of saying 708 00:50:07,400 --> 00:50:10,400 God, I believe you, it's your work, I put my faith in you 709 00:50:10,400 --> 00:50:20,400 We still get so easily caught up in worry and anxiety and in fear and impatience with God 710 00:50:20,400 --> 00:50:24,400 Impatience when we're waiting on God and waiting on his promises 711 00:50:24,400 --> 00:50:32,400 And it seems like no matter how many times we get steamrolled by the effects and the unforeseen consequences of us trying to get involved 712 00:50:32,400 --> 00:50:40,400 We still somehow manage to convince ourselves that next time I introduce my plans to God's gaps 713 00:50:40,400 --> 00:50:44,400 That I'm gonna account for everything 714 00:50:44,400 --> 00:50:48,400 And next time, steamrolled again 715 00:50:48,400 --> 00:50:55,400 I can't help but to see our Lord as communion we're celebrating his death on the cross 716 00:50:55,400 --> 00:51:03,400 I can't help but to see him, our Savior Jesus, God the Son, hanging there on the cross, bleeding and pierced 717 00:51:03,400 --> 00:51:08,400 Looking up to the Lord and saying, Father forgive them, they don't know what they're doing 718 00:51:08,400 --> 00:51:14,400 Looking down at us, looking lovingly into our eyes and saying, let me handle it for you 719 00:51:14,400 --> 00:51:19,400 I did handle it for you, I am handling it for you, trust me 720 00:51:19,400 --> 00:51:25,400 Stop trying to earn, stop trying to accomplish what I've promised you through your own work 721 00:51:25,400 --> 00:51:31,400 Stop trying to do the things that I haven't told you to do because you think they're a good idea 722 00:51:31,400 --> 00:51:40,400 I am the only one that can see all the possibilities of infiniteness and go, no this is the only right decision I have for you 723 00:51:40,400 --> 00:51:46,400 As God tells us as my child that have been purchased, I've purchased you with my blood, don't rush 724 00:51:46,400 --> 00:51:52,400 Don't act hastily, just rest, wait, have faith and have patience 725 00:51:52,400 --> 00:52:00,400 Because the lesson is again what the lesson always is, that the best way every single time is his way and his way alone 726 00:52:00,400 --> 00:52:04,400 That's with salvation of course, but that's with every promise he's given us 727 00:52:04,400 --> 00:52:08,400 That's with every word in his word and every revelation, his way 728 00:52:08,400 --> 00:52:15,400 His timing is the best and it's only his way that brings us to and keeps us on the path of peace 729 00:52:15,400 --> 00:52:21,400 You want to reduce domestic upheaval? Do things God's way 730 00:52:21,400 --> 00:52:26,400 You want to reduce fights? Do things God's way 731 00:52:26,400 --> 00:52:31,400 You want to reduce pride and anger and all that stuff? Do things God's way 732 00:52:31,400 --> 00:52:36,400 Are you still involved? Yes. Are we the problem? Yes 733 00:52:36,400 --> 00:52:43,400 But if we stay close to God and keep doing things his way and just following his word and trusting and waiting to be impatient on what we don't know 734 00:52:43,400 --> 00:52:48,400 God works, God accomplishes, God has his will be done 735 00:52:48,400 --> 00:52:53,400 And so if God has spoken something to you today this morning 736 00:52:53,400 --> 00:52:58,400 Whether through his word, personal revelation, prophecy, whatever it is, God has spoken something to you 737 00:52:58,400 --> 00:53:04,400 Maybe it was recent, maybe it was a long time ago and it hasn't happened yet 738 00:53:04,400 --> 00:53:09,400 And you've been racking your brain over the years, well what if I do this, what if I do this, do I need to do that 739 00:53:09,400 --> 00:53:14,400 God let me know and you're getting all wrapped up and trying to figure it out 740 00:53:14,400 --> 00:53:21,400 And you're being beat up and consumed with the question of when, God 741 00:53:21,400 --> 00:53:25,400 Wait until he speaks 742 00:53:25,400 --> 00:53:31,400 Isaiah 28 16 again because the one who believes will be unshakable 743 00:53:31,400 --> 00:53:37,400 The one who believes will not act hastily, the one who believes will not rush 744 00:53:37,400 --> 00:53:44,400 Because we believe in the one who knows all things and could rest at complete contentedness 745 00:53:44,400 --> 00:53:51,400 Because he knows all things, because he's already proven he's going to accomplish all things for us that we could wait 746 00:53:51,400 --> 00:53:56,400 And rest until he tells us what the next step is, amen? Let's pray 747 00:53:56,400 --> 00:54:03,400 Father, we love you so much God and as we move into communion this morning, God 748 00:54:03,400 --> 00:54:06,400 We do this in remembrance of you 749 00:54:06,400 --> 00:54:15,400 God your word told us that when we gather we do this to remember you and what you did for us, Lord 750 00:54:15,400 --> 00:54:22,400 And God even in Galatians as you were talking about this story between Abram and Sarai 751 00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:29,400 You asked the question, God, that if faith is the only thing that matters then what was the purpose of the law? 752 00:54:29,400 --> 00:54:34,400 And Lord you told us there that the purpose of that law was to be a guardian, a schoolmaster, Lord 753 00:54:34,400 --> 00:54:41,400 That God without you humanity devolved into evil all the time and you had to wipe the earth out in the flood, God 754 00:54:41,400 --> 00:54:46,400 We still have that same capacity within us to devolve into selfishness and all that 755 00:54:46,400 --> 00:54:50,400 And that is ultimately what is behind our own wisdom and our own plans 756 00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:58,400 And yet, Lord, you gave the law to Israel that they would have to continually come back and remind themselves that they're sinners 757 00:54:58,400 --> 00:55:02,400 Every time that animal is slaughtered it's because I'm a sinner 758 00:55:02,400 --> 00:55:11,400 And Lord you did that to keep reminding them to keep bringing them back to you so they wouldn't devolve back into what humanity was before the flood 759 00:55:11,400 --> 00:55:14,400 And that was in place, Lord, until you came 760 00:55:14,400 --> 00:55:22,400 And Lord when you came we know your word told us that you were the final sacrifice, the once for all sacrifice 761 00:55:22,400 --> 00:55:32,400 And that it was finally clear to some that God it wasn't about our work, our hands, our efforts 762 00:55:32,400 --> 00:55:39,400 Salvation, heaven, eternity, a relationship with you is simply about believing in you 763 00:55:39,400 --> 00:55:44,400 Obeying when you speak and waiting when you don't 764 00:55:44,400 --> 00:55:49,400 So Lord bless us today as we remember you as we partake in communion, God 765 00:55:49,400 --> 00:55:54,400 As one body united together understanding that we are all covered by the blood of Christ 766 00:55:54,400 --> 00:55:58,400 And that Lord you are God to every single one of us 767 00:55:58,400 --> 00:56:01,400 We love you, we thank you for everything, Lord 768 00:56:01,400 --> 00:56:09,400 It's in Jesus' name we pray, amen