Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:15.509
What's night. We're in genesis chapter
seventeen. It's been really easy to remember
2
00:00:15.630 --> 00:00:19.469
where we are in these passages,
John Seventeen, in genesis seventeen, for
3
00:00:19.510 --> 00:00:23.260
a while now. We will move
out of these eventually, but there's so
4
00:00:23.339 --> 00:00:28.339
many good things here. Can't quite
do that yet. But today we are
5
00:00:28.420 --> 00:00:36.250
going to read Genesis Seventeen, fifteen
through twenty, twenty seven. I have
6
00:00:36.329 --> 00:00:48.530
written twenty six here, but twenty
seven. Let's give our attention to God's
7
00:00:48.530 --> 00:00:54.119
word. And God said to Abraham. As for Sarah, your wife,
8
00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:58.280
you shall not call her name Sarah, but Sarah shall be her name.
9
00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:03.430
I will bless her and, moreover, I will give you a son by
10
00:01:03.590 --> 00:01:07.670
her. I will bless her and
she shall become nations, kings of people
11
00:01:07.670 --> 00:01:12.430
shall come from her. The neighbraham
fell on his face and laughed and said
12
00:01:12.469 --> 00:01:17.269
to himself, shall a child be
born to a man who is a hundred
13
00:01:17.349 --> 00:01:22.019
years old? Shall Sarah, who
is ninety years old, bear a child?
14
00:01:23.180 --> 00:01:26.900
And Abrams said, or an Abraham
said, to God, Oh,
15
00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:30.780
that Ishmael Al might live before you. God said, no, but you'R
16
00:01:30.900 --> 00:01:34.609
but Sarah, your wife, shall
bear you a son and you shall call
17
00:01:34.769 --> 00:01:41.450
his name Isaac. I will establish
my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant
18
00:01:41.489 --> 00:01:45.810
for his offspring after him. As
for Ishmael, I have heard you.
19
00:01:46.530 --> 00:01:49.640
Behold, I've blessed him and will
make him fruitful and multiply him greatly.
20
00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:55.400
He shall father twelve princes and I
will make him into a great nation.
21
00:01:55.439 --> 00:02:00.799
I will establish my covenant with I
but I will establish my covenant with Isaac,
22
00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:06.670
Whom Sarah shall bear to you at
this time next year. When he
23
00:02:06.750 --> 00:02:12.030
had finished talking with him, God
went up from Abraham the Neighbraham took Ishmael,
24
00:02:12.110 --> 00:02:15.030
his son, and all those born
in his house or bought with his
25
00:02:15.150 --> 00:02:19.979
money, every male among the men
of the Abraham's house, and he circumcised
26
00:02:20.060 --> 00:02:23.419
the flesh of their for skins that
very day and God, as God had
27
00:02:23.539 --> 00:02:30.169
said to him. Abraham was ninety
nine years old when he was circumcised in
28
00:02:30.210 --> 00:02:34.650
the flesh of his foreskin, and
Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years
29
00:02:34.689 --> 00:02:38.770
old and he was circumcised in the
flesh of his foreskin. That very day.
30
00:02:38.770 --> 00:02:43.810
Abraham and his son, Ishmael were
circumcised and all the men of his
31
00:02:43.930 --> 00:02:46.919
house, those born in the house
and those bought with money from a foreigner
32
00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:53.319
were circumcised with him, since the
reading of God's word he blessed to us.
33
00:03:02.909 --> 00:03:07.270
Well, here, as we come
to the end of genesis, chapter
34
00:03:07.469 --> 00:03:15.979
seventeen, we are reminded of several
important things, particularly regarding our salvation as
35
00:03:15.020 --> 00:03:21.900
it comes to us in Christ what
is at the very basis of that work?
36
00:03:22.819 --> 00:03:30.409
Is this the extraordinary grace of God
doing things that only God can do.
37
00:03:31.169 --> 00:03:38.330
We forget this a lot. We
forget and we think that somehow we
38
00:03:38.610 --> 00:03:45.120
have become Christians or we stay Christians
because of our particular striving, because of
39
00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:47.759
the things that we've done or the
things that we're are doing. And while
40
00:03:47.800 --> 00:03:54.789
God is certainly bless has certainly does
bless and chooses to use the means,
41
00:03:54.990 --> 00:04:00.990
particularly the means that he is ordained. The means that he's ordained are often
42
00:04:00.069 --> 00:04:06.870
very humble and often are attached to
extraordinary things. So, for example,
43
00:04:08.110 --> 00:04:15.060
he speaks to hear to Abraham,
using words, he uses covenant and forms
44
00:04:15.100 --> 00:04:18.939
and structures that are familiar to him, and yet at the same time he
45
00:04:19.060 --> 00:04:26.610
promises extraordinary things. He promises him
a son that will be born to a
46
00:04:26.769 --> 00:04:34.129
man and a woman in their very
old age. God has promised Abraham more
47
00:04:34.250 --> 00:04:40.639
recently in genesis, seventeen here to
make him the father of multitudes. How
48
00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:46.040
will this come to pass? Abraham
wonders, and Abraham perhaps things he knows.
49
00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:50.160
Ishmael, of course, and of
course it's right that God would come
50
00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:56.389
to him right at this time,
as Ishmael is entering into his adulthood,
51
00:04:57.230 --> 00:05:02.110
thirteen years old. Ishmael. It's
going to be Ishmael, isn't it?
52
00:05:02.189 --> 00:05:08.779
Yes, the thing surrounding Ishmael were
not quite what we had planned, but
53
00:05:08.939 --> 00:05:15.339
nevertheless Abraham has this son, a
son. Will God use this one?
54
00:05:16.540 --> 00:05:23.529
But instead of using the product of
Abraham and Sarah's striving to achieve the promises
55
00:05:23.569 --> 00:05:29.209
that he is given to Abraham,
God decides to use means apart from their
56
00:05:29.410 --> 00:05:33.649
striving. He chooses to bless them
and all the people of the world in
57
00:05:33.769 --> 00:05:39.680
a way that they simply could not
in they would be impossible for them to
58
00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:45.720
bring about on their own. In
particular, he has chosen to bless them
59
00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:50.430
through an extraordinary birth, a birth
to a woman who has been barren her
60
00:05:50.470 --> 00:06:01.110
whole life and is now ninety years
old. We say of our Savior in
61
00:06:01.230 --> 00:06:13.100
our catechism that he is born not
of ordinary generation, sort of understated way
62
00:06:13.540 --> 00:06:18.970
perhaps to put it not born of
ordinary generation. It's amazing about that.
63
00:06:19.209 --> 00:06:24.529
Of course, in the miraculous birth
of Jesus, on born of a virgin,
64
00:06:25.170 --> 00:06:28.569
is that there's somewhat of a history
behind this. Jesus wasn't just born
65
00:06:28.689 --> 00:06:33.519
in this amazing way of a virgin, but even his great great and so
66
00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:40.519
forth. I can't count them,
grandparents, Abraham and Sarah themselves. The
67
00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:48.069
very beginning of these covenant promises begin
with this extraordinary birth, this birth to
68
00:06:48.189 --> 00:06:53.629
a woman who is barren her whole
life and is now ninety years old.
69
00:06:53.670 --> 00:07:00.069
And this, of course, isn't
just our modern day conjectures about what might
70
00:07:00.230 --> 00:07:03.139
or might not have been. Both
Abraham and Sarah are very explicit about this,
71
00:07:03.860 --> 00:07:09.060
that this is how they understand their
own situation, and it is,
72
00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:15.459
of course, God's understanding of the
situation. He is specifically choosing someone who
73
00:07:15.459 --> 00:07:23.089
cannot have children to bring forth children
from her. It sets a pattern for
74
00:07:23.209 --> 00:07:28.209
the work of the Gospel, for
the work of Christ to bring forth some
75
00:07:28.490 --> 00:07:33.560
things out of nothings, to bring
life out of death, to bring hope
76
00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:41.439
and joy when there is nothing but
sorrow and desperation, to bring blessing out
77
00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:46.149
of a curse even and that reminds
us that we can even get extend this
78
00:07:46.709 --> 00:07:51.550
a miraculous birth of Isaac even back
further to God's promise to Abraham are,
79
00:07:51.670 --> 00:07:58.110
to Adam and to eve, another
woman who was given a name, the
80
00:07:58.189 --> 00:08:03.220
mother of the living. She was
called after she had been cursed to death
81
00:08:03.420 --> 00:08:07.579
by God. Why did Adam call
her the mother of the living? Why
82
00:08:07.620 --> 00:08:13.329
did he call her eve? Because
he, like Gabraham, put his faith
83
00:08:13.410 --> 00:08:18.889
in the promises of God. The
despite their sin, which had rightfully on
84
00:08:20.050 --> 00:08:24.970
brought them into a state of judgment
and death, the God had promised to
85
00:08:26.089 --> 00:08:30.519
bring something new. God had promised
to save them, to crush the head
86
00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:35.000
of the evil one and to bring
forth life where there was death. This,
87
00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:41.549
this amazing pattern that God sets with
Adam and Eve and Abraham and Sarah,
88
00:08:41.509 --> 00:08:46.909
and then eventually with the Burge and
Birth of Christ himself, continues to
89
00:08:46.110 --> 00:08:54.830
extend to our own births, not
our biological births, but are new births
90
00:08:54.950 --> 00:09:01.220
in Christ. You remember what John's
says the apostle in John Chapter three.
91
00:09:01.899 --> 00:09:07.940
He's recording to us and an event
that happened between Jesus and a man named
92
00:09:07.940 --> 00:09:16.409
Nicodemus. Jesus says to Nicodemus,
he says truly truly. She can possibly
93
00:09:16.490 --> 00:09:20.450
read is always pay attention. Pay
attention or listen. Listen. Say is
94
00:09:20.490 --> 00:09:24.440
truly truly. I say to you, unless one is born of water and
95
00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:31.360
the spirit, he cannot enter the
Kingdom of God. There's no part in
96
00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:37.320
God's kingdom unless one is born of
the water and the spirit. That's justification
97
00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:39.509
for this. Jesus says that which
is born of the flesh is flesh,
98
00:09:39.870 --> 00:09:43.870
that which is born of the spirit
is spirit. Do Not Marvel that,
99
00:09:43.950 --> 00:09:50.710
I said to you. You must
be born again. The wind blows where
100
00:09:50.710 --> 00:09:54.740
it wishes and you hear it sound, but you do not know where it
101
00:09:54.899 --> 00:09:58.179
comes or where it goes. So
is with everyone who is born of the
102
00:09:58.220 --> 00:10:05.299
spirit. God does what he does. You can't predict it. He chooses
103
00:10:05.740 --> 00:10:11.049
to cause people to be born again, to give them new life, a
104
00:10:11.210 --> 00:10:15.409
miraculous birth. And so when we
look at our own position in the family
105
00:10:15.570 --> 00:10:20.049
of God, as we look at
our own places as daughters and sons of
106
00:10:20.570 --> 00:10:24.399
the most high, we know that
we are very much a part of the
107
00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:33.279
family of Abraham, the family of
Jesus. We are Isaac's. We are
108
00:10:33.399 --> 00:10:37.750
those who are born of a miraculous
birth, as those who are born in
109
00:10:37.990 --> 00:10:43.870
Christ, we are those who share
in that spirit. So this is one
110
00:10:43.870 --> 00:10:48.190
of the great lessons of genesis seventeen. This is one of the things Jesus
111
00:10:48.269 --> 00:10:52.740
wants us to know from this passage, is that his birth is a miraculous
112
00:10:52.899 --> 00:10:58.340
one, an extraordinary one at every
level, and our new birth in Him
113
00:10:58.460 --> 00:11:03.409
is likewise extraordinary. And that extraordinariness
is not meant to just make us go
114
00:11:03.850 --> 00:11:09.049
wow, isn't that amazing? It's
make us it's to make us go this
115
00:11:09.090 --> 00:11:13.529
is all belongs to God. There
is nothing here that I have brought in,
116
00:11:13.649 --> 00:11:24.240
that I can bring so that takes
us to our response. If God's
117
00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:30.039
work in us is by His grace
alone, by his sovereign choice alone,
118
00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:35.629
what should our response be? Well, we can start by thinking about what
119
00:11:35.750 --> 00:11:45.750
Abraham's response was. The scriptures say
that Abraham fell on his face. Verse
120
00:11:45.830 --> 00:11:48.860
Seventeen, that Abraham fell on his
face and laughed and said to himself,
121
00:11:48.899 --> 00:11:52.220
shall a child be born to a
man who is a hundred years old?
122
00:11:56.100 --> 00:12:03.850
Some commentators believe that this is an
act of faith. The Abraham falls on
123
00:12:03.970 --> 00:12:09.409
his face as an act of worship, that he laughs with joy, believing
124
00:12:09.690 --> 00:12:13.450
that the promise has been given.
Other people say that this is an act
125
00:12:13.490 --> 00:12:18.679
of of unbelief, that he laughs
with incredulity, he doesn't believe what he's
126
00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:28.039
he's being told. The first thing, before we get to that exact question,
127
00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:35.950
I want maybe just sidebar for a
moment here and point out that emotions
128
00:12:35.990 --> 00:12:41.230
can be difficult to read right laughter, for example. We usually, perhaps
129
00:12:43.350 --> 00:12:46.820
maybe in an immature way, we
think that laughter is only a sign of
130
00:12:46.899 --> 00:12:52.019
joy, but of course there's such
a thing as nervous laughter or laughter from
131
00:12:52.019 --> 00:12:58.649
sorrow or laughter from from fear.
Our emotions can be expressed in various ways
132
00:12:58.690 --> 00:13:05.370
and sometimes outward expressions can can show
a lot of different things internally in our
133
00:13:05.490 --> 00:13:09.809
hearts. Does does Abraham laugh out
of joy, falling his face and worship,
134
00:13:09.889 --> 00:13:15.200
or does he laugh in this incredulous
way and offer Ishmael is a perhaps
135
00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:20.320
more realistic alternative to the impossible?
Well, still on the side Bar.
136
00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:28.950
What we do know for absolute sure
is that God knows Abraham's heart and we
137
00:13:30.110 --> 00:13:33.149
know that because of this little detail
that the Holy Spirit includes here. He
138
00:13:35.309 --> 00:13:39.990
says Abraham fell in his face and
laughed and said to himself, shall a
139
00:13:41.070 --> 00:13:45.220
child be born to a man who
is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah,
140
00:13:45.220 --> 00:13:48.620
who is ninety years old, bear
a child? And then it says
141
00:13:48.659 --> 00:13:54.980
in verse Eighteen and Abraham said to
God, possibly out loud here, well,
142
00:13:54.059 --> 00:14:01.330
that Ishmael might live before you,
and God Says No. What I
143
00:14:01.450 --> 00:14:05.570
just want to mention is that God
always hears our inner conversations, where we
144
00:14:05.690 --> 00:14:11.639
might have difficulty sort of knowing even
ourselves and especially other people. Are they
145
00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:15.320
angry? Are they sad, are
they happy? What's going on? And
146
00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:18.360
that can be very difficult to tell. God always hears the inner conversation.
147
00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:26.269
God always knows what's going on,
and that's not necessarily a bad thing to
148
00:14:26.429 --> 00:14:31.029
know that everything you say, either
out loud or quietly, God hears.
149
00:14:31.309 --> 00:14:37.149
That's something that we should very much
want. Of course, that's embarrassing,
150
00:14:39.179 --> 00:14:43.139
at least for me, to think
that God hears all of my inward thoughts,
151
00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:48.779
to know my heart. That's an
embarrassing thing, but imagine how things
152
00:14:48.820 --> 00:14:56.409
would be if God could not figure
you out. That would be awful,
153
00:14:58.370 --> 00:15:03.330
because we know what it's like to
struggle to figure other people out. Or
154
00:15:03.610 --> 00:15:07.360
perhaps when relationships with friends or on
family members were like, I just want
155
00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:13.440
to know what you're thinking. We
struggle to communicate. Can you imagine how
156
00:15:13.559 --> 00:15:18.399
terrible things would be if God didn't
really know what you were thinking or feeling
157
00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:26.389
or what you really needed? Pastors
and doctors and psychiatrists and people that try
158
00:15:26.470 --> 00:15:31.710
to probe into your health and your
inner life, we just sort of ask
159
00:15:31.750 --> 00:15:35.220
questions and try to draw out as
best we can, and sometimes we don't
160
00:15:35.220 --> 00:15:41.779
even know what to say. We
have a hard time diagnosing ourselves. It's
161
00:15:41.779 --> 00:15:45.820
a good thing that God knows.
He always knows, and that's good because
162
00:15:45.820 --> 00:15:50.889
he always knows exactly what to do. He hears us, he knows us
163
00:15:50.970 --> 00:15:54.169
and he knows what we need,
which means you can trust him like you
164
00:15:54.250 --> 00:15:58.970
can't trust anybody else. That's not
to encourage you to fear everyone either.
165
00:16:00.090 --> 00:16:03.649
That's not what I'm trying to say, but I'm saying the Lord is good,
166
00:16:03.809 --> 00:16:07.480
good, and he knows you,
just as he knew Abraham here in
167
00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:12.759
this situation, and Sarah as well
in chapter eighteen, when she also laughs
168
00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:21.629
about this situation. So back to
Abraham's reaction. What is going on here?
169
00:16:22.389 --> 00:16:26.629
I tend to think it's a mixture
of both belief and unbelief. On
170
00:16:26.710 --> 00:16:30.590
the one hand, we see in
God's response to these inner thoughts and to
171
00:16:30.750 --> 00:16:34.940
what Abraham says out loud. May
it be Ishmael. He is rebuked,
172
00:16:36.100 --> 00:16:41.059
and a minor way, but he's
rebuked and he's told no. We also
173
00:16:41.179 --> 00:16:44.419
note that in the next chapter,
Sarah has a very similar, almost the
174
00:16:44.500 --> 00:16:49.889
exact same, reaction, and she
tries to hide it when it is pointed
175
00:16:49.929 --> 00:16:55.250
out to her. You laughed.
No, I didn't, yes, you
176
00:16:55.370 --> 00:17:00.529
did. Genesis Eighteen, thirteen,
the Lord said to Abraham. Why did
177
00:17:00.649 --> 00:17:03.480
Sarah Laugh and say, shall I
indeed bear a child now that I am
178
00:17:03.559 --> 00:17:07.880
old? This is, of course, exactly what Abraham said. Verse Fourteen.
179
00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:15.069
Is Anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time, I
180
00:17:15.390 --> 00:17:19.269
will return to you about this time
next year, and Sarah shall have a
181
00:17:19.390 --> 00:17:23.069
son. But Sarah denied of saying
I did not laugh, for she was
182
00:17:23.150 --> 00:17:30.619
afraid, and he said no,
but you did laugh. I think that
183
00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:37.019
these things lead us to believe that
Abraham and Sarah did have doubts. However,
184
00:17:38.259 --> 00:17:42.059
they were not doubts of the deadly
sort. I could, if I
185
00:17:42.099 --> 00:17:45.329
could, put it that way.
They were not a doubts of the deadly
186
00:17:45.490 --> 00:17:51.970
sort that keep us from God,
the keep us separated from him in a
187
00:17:52.089 --> 00:18:00.319
state of unbelief. They're they're doubts
that they had were the doubts and struggles
188
00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:07.920
of believers who belong to God and
were being kept by him. Now why
189
00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:14.789
might I think this? Well,
couple reasons. One comes from Romans Chapter
190
00:18:15.029 --> 00:18:18.430
Four, which I'll read to you
now. It's it's a brief verse,
191
00:18:18.549 --> 00:18:26.470
but Romans Chapter Four, verse Nineteen, we read about Abraham, that he
192
00:18:26.630 --> 00:18:30.420
did not weaken in faith when he
considered his own body, which was as
193
00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:34.980
good as dead since he was about
a hundred years old, or when he
194
00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:41.369
considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.
So the scriptures tell us themselves that he
195
00:18:41.569 --> 00:18:51.329
did not weaken, he did not
that he did not doubt. So what
196
00:18:51.410 --> 00:18:55.759
do we do? This seems like
he's doubting, he's rebuked for his doubting,
197
00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:59.599
Sarah tries to cover up her doubting, and yet Romans, for I,
198
00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:04.359
says he didn't doubt. I think
the way to reconcile these these things
199
00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:11.029
is to recognize that there's a difference
between doubting is one who does not believe,
200
00:19:11.269 --> 00:19:18.509
and doubting is one who does believe, and that's the latter here with
201
00:19:18.670 --> 00:19:22.430
under him and with Sarah. In
other words, like all believers, they
202
00:19:22.589 --> 00:19:30.019
had bumps on the road. Some
of those bumps are even very serious car
203
00:19:30.220 --> 00:19:37.420
crashes, like David that we wrote
about earlier in Psalm fifty one. Sometimes
204
00:19:37.460 --> 00:19:41.049
we strugle. How could he be
called a man of God when these sins
205
00:19:41.289 --> 00:19:48.970
so greatly at this particular point in
his life? Way Beyond externally anyways,
206
00:19:48.049 --> 00:19:55.799
what many people do who are not
not given these great are standing ovations and
207
00:19:55.960 --> 00:20:03.640
God's word. Why do scripture speak
in that way? Or Peter the Rock,
208
00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:08.309
a pillar of the church who gave
into peer pressure when his fellow Jews
209
00:20:11.269 --> 00:20:15.950
wanted him to reject or spurn the
gentiles, earning him a public rebuke from
210
00:20:15.990 --> 00:20:21.819
Paul, among other things. Jesus
said to Peter at one point, get
211
00:20:21.859 --> 00:20:30.140
behind me, Satan. And yet
he is the rock some people that think,
212
00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:34.420
if some people think, that faith
is like a person at a swimming
213
00:20:34.420 --> 00:20:37.490
pool. You jump in, your
jump out. You're either in or you're
214
00:20:37.529 --> 00:20:41.410
out, your innery out, and
we're sort of constantly falling in and out
215
00:20:41.450 --> 00:20:47.809
of the grace of God, falling
in and out of God's protection and his
216
00:20:47.970 --> 00:20:53.759
promises, including his promise to preserve
our faith and keep our faith. But
217
00:20:56.559 --> 00:21:00.720
the Christian life is not like that. The faith of a believer is like
218
00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:04.509
a road. If you use a
maps APP, lets say, on your
219
00:21:04.630 --> 00:21:11.029
computer or smartphone, and you you
you might look at that map from a
220
00:21:11.190 --> 00:21:17.470
distance and you see this almost perfectly
straight line going from here to here,
221
00:21:17.549 --> 00:21:21.019
let's say, use zoom in on
it a little bit and you see that,
222
00:21:21.140 --> 00:21:25.140
okay, it's a little bit wiggly
as it goes from here to here,
223
00:21:25.380 --> 00:21:26.619
and then you zoom in a little
more you like, you realize this
224
00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:30.500
is actually some ups and downs like
this, and then new zoom in more
225
00:21:30.500 --> 00:21:36.250
than you realize there's actually some big
backtracks. Even the Christian life is like
226
00:21:36.450 --> 00:21:38.490
that. In the moment there can
be, you know, great ups and
227
00:21:38.650 --> 00:21:42.849
downs. There can be serious falls, car crashes. I'm mixing all kinds
228
00:21:42.890 --> 00:21:48.400
of metaphors now. But when we
but when we look at the trajectory of
229
00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:52.960
our lives as a whole, when
we look at what God is doing as
230
00:21:52.119 --> 00:21:57.720
a whole, what do we see? We see that he perseveres his saints,
231
00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:03.190
we see that he makes his promises
to them and he does not give
232
00:22:03.269 --> 00:22:12.750
up that's why Paul says this about
Abraham. And he was strong in many
233
00:22:12.789 --> 00:22:17.940
ways, and you see it,
I think, even here in genesis seventeen.
234
00:22:18.339 --> 00:22:22.819
That is what he says. In
seventeen he says the neighbraham fell on
235
00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:27.140
his face and laughed and said to
himself, shall a child be born to
236
00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:33.170
a man who is a hundred years
old? Shall Sarah, who is nine
237
00:22:33.250 --> 00:22:37.650
years old, bear a child?
Maybe it's not a big deal, but
238
00:22:37.769 --> 00:22:42.410
it seems significant to me that he's
already using the new name that his wife
239
00:22:42.529 --> 00:22:48.640
was given just a verse or two
before. He's hearing God's word, he's
240
00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:56.160
responding to God's word, but he's
struggling too. It reminds me of that
241
00:22:56.319 --> 00:23:00.029
famous story of the man who came
to Jesus with a boy in Mark Nine,
242
00:23:00.710 --> 00:23:06.269
and his boy was had a spirit
in him that was causing him great
243
00:23:06.309 --> 00:23:10.470
harm. They brought the boy.
I'm reading now Mark Nine, verse twenty.
244
00:23:10.710 --> 00:23:12.859
They brought the boy to Jesus and
when the spirit saw him, immediately
245
00:23:12.980 --> 00:23:18.220
it convulsed the boy and he fell
on the ground and rolled about foaming at
246
00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:22.859
the mouth, and Jesus asked his
father, how long has this been happening
247
00:23:22.940 --> 00:23:27.529
to him? And he said from
childhood, and it has often cast him
248
00:23:27.529 --> 00:23:32.369
into the fire and into water to
destroy him. But if you can do
249
00:23:32.609 --> 00:23:37.849
anything, have compassion on US and
help us. and Jesus said to him,
250
00:23:37.970 --> 00:23:42.680
if you can, all things are
possible for the one who believes.
251
00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:48.240
Doesn't that sound a lot like what
we are what God says to Sarah,
252
00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:53.279
all things are possible. Immediately the
father of the child cried out and said,
253
00:23:53.279 --> 00:24:03.710
I believe. Help my unbelief.
This makes it. Well, we
254
00:24:03.829 --> 00:24:10.019
have here a very realistic example of
how experience, how believers experience faith in
255
00:24:10.180 --> 00:24:15.259
this life. It has its ups
and downs, it sometimes has its failings,
256
00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:22.900
it's backtracks, it's car crashes,
but when it comes to God we're
257
00:24:22.980 --> 00:24:30.289
never lost. He keeps us,
he preserves us, he brings us back
258
00:24:30.490 --> 00:24:33.970
in. When we wander away,
he guides us back to his path.
259
00:24:33.170 --> 00:24:37.890
He reminds us again of who we
are in him, and he keeps us
260
00:24:37.329 --> 00:24:45.519
and he keeps us and he keeps
us. The love of the Lord is
261
00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:56.910
steadfast even when we are not,
and we see Abraham's faith even in this
262
00:24:56.150 --> 00:25:03.950
way, one commentator put it,
he was that his doubt was tempered by
263
00:25:03.990 --> 00:25:07.420
the was wonderfully tempered by the faith
and love in the prayer for Ishmael.
264
00:25:07.460 --> 00:25:15.980
I think this is true. Notice
how Abraham. Yes, he puts Ishmael
265
00:25:15.059 --> 00:25:19.420
forth, but he's also asking that
God would bless him, that God would
266
00:25:19.420 --> 00:25:25.529
bless his son Ishmael. And you
know what God does? He blesses him.
267
00:25:26.970 --> 00:25:33.529
He says no regarding the promise,
regarding the Covenant Promise. He is
268
00:25:33.730 --> 00:25:38.119
going to accomplish these things in these
extraordinary, miraculous ways. The covenant of
269
00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:45.920
Grace is going to go forward and
by the very extremely clear grace of God,
270
00:25:47.079 --> 00:25:52.150
where no man can take credit.
But he's not going to turn away
271
00:25:52.150 --> 00:25:59.829
from Ishmael entirely. In fact,
he's going to bless him abundantly. King
272
00:26:00.109 --> 00:26:07.380
shall come from him. He will
be blessed me. He Will, God
273
00:26:07.420 --> 00:26:11.579
says in Verse Twenty. Behold,
I have blessed him and will make him
274
00:26:11.579 --> 00:26:15.380
fruitful and multiply him greatly. He
shall father twelve princes and I will make
275
00:26:15.420 --> 00:26:21.410
him a great nation. I don't
think this cheapens the grace of God,
276
00:26:21.569 --> 00:26:25.089
but it extends it all the more. God is exercising as Grace Everywhere,
277
00:26:25.650 --> 00:26:30.569
in Especial Covenant Promises to Abraham and
out in the wider world, God is
278
00:26:30.690 --> 00:26:38.599
pouring out his favor, his undeserved
favor, on sinners. One conclusion and
279
00:26:38.759 --> 00:26:41.799
simply say this. What is God
telling us in all of these things?
280
00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:48.349
He's telling us very simply that our
salvation and really everything that we have in
281
00:26:48.470 --> 00:26:56.710
this world is by grace alone.
Even our temple, temporal blessings, even
282
00:26:56.750 --> 00:27:03.500
the blessings that Ishmael received, are
the result of his undeserved favor. And
283
00:27:03.660 --> 00:27:08.220
though it's hard to believe and we
are often attempted into striving and pressing and
284
00:27:08.579 --> 00:27:15.700
doubting and trying to get all of
these eternal things through temporal means or through
285
00:27:15.809 --> 00:27:21.529
our obedience to the law, isn't
it good to know that even our faith
286
00:27:21.690 --> 00:27:26.410
does not depend on us, that
it's a gift of God and that he
287
00:27:26.529 --> 00:27:32.480
keeps us in that? So,
beloved, we press on in his strength,
288
00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:42.799
in his love and in His grace. Let's pray, Father
