Genesis 12-15 / The God of Abraham

Morning. I am came across the phrase recently. It's not a new phrases. We wouldn't even something that I hadn't heard before. It's in sermons and hymns and songs that have been written a long time ago. Let God be God let God be God and I was thinking about it. And I think I know what that means. It's something like the many other sort of christianese phrases that we come across like turn it over to the Lord Walk It Out With God or the Recently popular but somewhat vague Let Jesus Take the Wheel.

But you know those that last one especially kind of highlights the problem with some of these Christian these sorts of phrases. What is that look like right? Like what is that? What is that? How do you do that? How do you let God be God? Something I love about God's word is that God doesn't just speak to us in short phrases. Right like turn it over to the Lord or let God be God in his word. He shows us what that looks like first. What it means to an end to put it in biblical terms walk with God or to live by faith. What does it look like letting God be God trusting God is God. What is that mean? We'll Abram and Sarai his wife illustrate for us both what it doesn't look like to trust God is God and what it does look like in in their life and that's recorded for us. And today we're going to take a brief. Look at that kind of a big picture. Look at the life of Abram. We're going to drop in on several episodes. It's not a comprehensive. Look at each one is a little different for us here. We're trying to get a handle on the big picture what it looks like for Abraham to trust God as God. And it doing that to get a sense of what that looks like for us as well. Okay, I broke it up this morning into three parts. I could hurt. I think it's hard to call them three points, but you got them listed in your notes there 3.3 parts. Abraham's failures Abraham's faith and Abraham's faithful God those three things. And before we go any further this morning limit, let me play one more time. Lord we thank you for bringing us here this morning. We come in faith believing that you would you would have us gather together to Remember You To Worship You to encourage one another to be buildup. That's why that's why we're here and there we just ask that you would do that that you would fill us that you would teach us by your spirit. Lord we ah, we know we need to hear from you were here to hear from you. And we pray that you would speak to us through your word and them and most of all we know when he's your son we need Jesus and we thank you for him. We thank you for his life for everything that we have in him. And in his name we pray. Amen.

so Abraham's failures Abraham's Faith Abraham's faithful God that's where we're going. Let's go turn to Genesis 12 with me if you would Genesis 12, that's where we were last week kind of picking up a little bit where we left off at. Like I said, we're going to be Moving throughout the book and kind of getting a big picture of you while you're turning there just a quick assignment. Most everybody knows this. But if you don't get one point in Abraham's life God renames him Abraham renames Sarah Sarah, it's very Vivid and personal way that got emphasizes his commitment to fulfill his promises to them. We're not going to get into that more today. I just wanted to mention that because as we're going through I know I'm going to swap names Abraham Abram Sera Sera by same people. So that's what we're looking at Genesis 12 and before I reach here in the Bible with the exception of Jesus himself everyone who's mentioned in more than just a few verses everyone basically who gets any significant amount of their time in the Bible. Has some sort of flaw or failing okay and ungrateful God doesn't hide these things. I'm grateful. God doesn't hide these things first of all because it reminds us we aren't alone in our weakness. And if God has chosen to work through through weak and flawed people from the beginning. Well, we fit right into his plan. Don't we and with that God never shows us human weakness without also showing us his strength his faithfulness. As we look at the starting here at the failures of Abraham. We need to keep those things in mind. So Genesis 12, we're jumping in immediately following what we read last week, which is this Triumph and all the scriptures where God calls Abram out of over the Chaldeans and tells him to leave his lands and his family and his father's house and start walking. It doesn't even tell him where he's taking him where where he's going to end up. And at the same time got promises to be an to do for Abram more than he could possibly have imagined. He's a 75-year old man. Whose wife can't have children. And and God is going to make a nation out of them. God is going to make a nation out of them and through their family line. God is going to bring blessing to the whole world. Do all the people the world and Abram at that point does exactly what God has been calling people to do from the beginning to believe God to just take him at his work. All right, you say that's what we're going to do what you're going to do. And I trust God we trust God and so they pack up the head out to get to Canaan. And God says this is the place this whole land is going to belong to your descendants and Abram worships. God their calls on the name of the Lord Yahweh. That's where we left off.

And then it's 12:10. We find out that the land of Canaan experiences of food shortage. Okay famine. And so Abram moves to Egypt to get food. But crossing the border into Egypt raises some concerns for me for him. And that's where we're going to pick it up Genesis 12 verse 10. It says there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine in the land was severe. When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife's or I look I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptian see you they will say this is his wife. They will kill me. But let you live. Please say you're my sister. So it will go well for me because of you and my life will be spared on your account. So just briefly what what's you know, it's pretty obvious. What's the fear he kind of says that the people in Egypt are going to kill Abram. and steals r i

And before we go any further, let's just be reminded and I think this is obvious, but let's just be reminded of what God promised right? God promised that he was going to make a broom into a great nation if Abram is killed. Before he has an heir will there won't be a nation right? So there's already some Assurance here that God isn't going to let him get robbed and left to die in some back alley in Egypt frame. But even more to the point. Also told Abram in this is verbatim. He says I will bless those who bless you I will curse those who treat you with contempt like anybody who's for Abram. God will be for them. Anyone who is against Abram. God will be against them. This is protection right Abram can trust God to protect him no doubt about it, but here and what we just read Abram is looking to his wife to be his protection. What God is already promised to be in do for a room instead of trusting God is a shield his protector Abram throws his wife in front of himself and asked her essentially to be his protector big hero move, right which creates a real mess verse 14 when Abram entered Egypt the Egyptian saw that the woman was very beautiful pharaohs officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh. So the woman was taken to Pharaoh's household. He treated a broom well because of her and Abram acquired flocks and herds male and female donkeys male and female slaves and camels quite the trade. He's made. so, right so the court officials Ceaser and because of Abraham's half-truth half-truth because

I'm being held. I don't know what's going on.

Yes, we can.

Actress half-truths. Yeah.

Right, cuz she's his half-sister which weird strange times for sure. But because he didn't tell the whole truth. I assume Saray is an available woman. The king takes her into his Harem and then Abram gets rich off the deal.

And let me add to hear that. They that likely this whole deal included a particular servants a particular Egyptian woman named Hagar who comes up again later. This whole scheme right built on Deception is leading toward adultery. Just so we're clear. This is not this is not what trusting God is God looks like this is not letting God be God. Abram is made a mess. Right his lack of trust in God's in the Lord's promises put both him and even more so his wife and a terrible situation. I can't imagine what the conversation was like going home after this, right? What would that even look like?

Made a total mess of this and that's when God enters the scene. Right? Like we said God never shows as human weakness without also showing us his faithfulness. God comes keeps his promise to watch over them and God rescues them out of Egypt. I'm not at out of away from Pharaoh won't be the last time you'll have to do that.

again, this is not this is not what trusting God has God looks like but even though Abraham's faith is not perfect God's faithfulness is praise the Lord for that. Amen. Because this is not the last time a broom will fail to trust God as he should. In fact, this is not the last time a broom will fail to trust God in exactly the same way a chapters later. You don't have to turn there now 8 chapters later 25 years after this Abram who was at that point renamed Abraham did it all again aren't you can read about it in Genesis 27 set of circumstances. Same fears on Abraham's Park trying to save his own skin by telling half-truths and hiding behind his wife. Same results at the mess. Reading about Abraham and Sarah gives us a humbling but true picture of the Walk of Faith because in the end even though Abraham and Sarah stumble in their walk with God. God doesn't stumble. He's still faithful and gracious you and I need a God like that you and I need Abraham's God to the god of the Bible a guy who doesn't stumble even when we do. Now reading through Abraham's life. There's some commendable moments for sure. We're getting there. We'll talk about that. But the hero is always Abraham Scott and Abraham and Sarah are at their best when they are trusting God as God and at their worst when they are not again, this is one of those not moments. Let's pass for just a little bit too. Perhaps the clearest picture of what it look like to not trust God is God in the life of Abraham. We find that in Genesis 16 turn their real quick with me Genesis 16. This is a familiar story. Most of you if you've been around the church, if you've worked your way through the Bible you you know, what's coming, you know what this is about.

Genesis 16 Of course God had promised and Heir had promised a child and promise that God would make Abraham and Sarah into a great nation, and they've been waiting.

Genesis 16:1 Abraham's wife Sarah had not borne any children for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar. What's the rice at the Abram since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children go to my slave perhaps through her. I can build a family and Abram agreed to what sir I said. So Abraham's wife Sarah took Hagar for Egyptian slave and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife for her. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan 10 years and just stopped there for a minute 10 years and years and years of waiting 10 years of waiting for a child 10 years of waiting for God to come through 10 years. You don't no one says no one says you know what? I think I'll step outside the will of God today right know what nobody thinks you don't think I'm going to screw up my life today.

It's more like I'm tired of waiting, right? It's been 10 years. I'm I'm done waiting. This can't possibly be God's plan for me. He'd never make me wait this long.

Sarai and Abram are going to look to another person to do and be with only God can so they take Hagar and try to bring about God's promise their own way, and it's another disaster for Spore. He Abrams slept with Hagar and she became pregnant and when she realized that she was pregnant. She treated her mistress with contempt then sir. I said to Abram you are responsible for my suffering. I put my slave in your arms and ever since she she saw that she was pregnant. She has treated me with contempt. May the lord judge between me and you. Neighbor replied to sir I hear your slave is in your hands and do whatever you want with her then sir. I mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.

Haggar despises Sarai Sarai despises Abram right? This is all your fault my fault. This was your idea and then Abram have used Hagar hands her over to sir. I do whatever you want with her right now, very big of him.

It's the right Reese egg are so badly that you finally runs off into the desert absolute mess.

And how did this all start right now this all start sir. I had a really really dumb idea. Be brilliant at the time but it was a really bad idea. As we look at it now and we think you know that it it might seem obvious. Right? This wasn't going to work out. Well, I think it's very obvious. This was not going to work out. Well, what was she thinking? If someone who wants I don't know who said this but somebody wants that impatience can cause wise people to do foolish things.

No matter how long you've lived no matter how much wisdom and maturity God has developed in us at any moment in patients can reduce any one of us to foolishness and that foolishness brings disaster. You go back to Eden try to go back to the Garden to the the trees there the temptation to take Ethan something good, right? It was good. It was a good fruit good tree. Even to take something good but to take it on their own terms in their own time outside of what God has said. It's a disaster. Eve gave the fruit to her husband and he ate serai give Hagar to her husband in both cases everyone ignored God in the process and it led to disaster. Now before we move on just real briefly and it again this is not an in-depth look at any one of these passages, but I do want to highlight something here for some people they read these parts of the Bible and think you see this is why the Bible is so outdated. Okay hear the heroes the heroes of the story a Abraham and Sarah are at their acting like Monsters treating a servant like dirt and I'm supposed to respect the morality of the Bible. You misread the Bible if you think that's what's Happening Here far from God justifying Abram and Sarai and their actions. He's showing us their sin nature. And got never shows as human weakness without also showing us his strength is faithfulness. God doesn't play favorites after Hagar runs off into the desert. Okay. She's at the end of her rope and wouldn't you know it who shows up God ride. The angel of the Lord comes to Hagar and says, basically listen Saray is going to mistreat you, but I won't I'm going to bless you. She comes away marveling that God sees her. God sees her and at that point her whole shifts and she goes back then did the people in her life Abram. He's a pathetic. He's passive happy to use Hagar to get a child, but he wasn't going to treat her like his wife and he handed her over to psoriasis rise going to continue to treat Hagar badly. Even though this whole thing was sarai's idea. What hope can Hagar have? There's a God who sees her and knows her by name is going to bless her as well. It's important to see that. So then after that, I'm not only does Hagar have a son Ishmael. But Sarah does to Sarah those to a boy named Isaac 25 years of waiting 25 years.

And someone at this point my say okay, I see I got it. I got it. That's it. Letting God be God just means wait. It just means it means Waiting for God to hack. That's that's the Common Thread. You're right. They were him and Sarah just needed to wait. Well, that's half of it. It's a very important half. It's a very important half. I remember growing up before cell phones. We had a single wired landline phone in the house. No answering machine and sometimes maybe my mom was expecting an important phone call and the phone would ring and she would say I'll get it. I'll get it right when Mom says I'll get it. You know what you don't do? You don't go and run and get the phone right? You let Mom be mom. If she says she's going to get it you let her get it and she can let it ring as many times as she wants but you let her get it, right. Not a Perfect Analogy, but you you see right when you get the drift. There are places where God is said I'll get that. And letting God be God means you don't. If if if you said he'll be the one to protect you you don't make your wife into a human shield, right? Deep Urology going on here is like, what did you learn in church don't use my wife as a human shield.

A piece that he's going to give you a child. You don't you don't do what they did here.

But it would be missing the point to think trusting God is God is totally passive, right? It is waiting part of it is waiting. But it isn't sitting on your hands. It's actually about being reasonable is more more the point. It's admitting only God can do what he has promised to do. Only God can do what he's promised to do. And the question naturally follows. You know, what hit What will what is he said he would do then write Abraham and Sarah have this nice sync to list of promises to go by it's right there Genesis chapter 12 and it gets repeated throughout but nice short little Lips This is what God said he's going to do so letting God be God means. Okay, the things on the list. I'm going to let him handle the things on the list, right? He said I'll get that you let him get that. What about us if I'm going to let God be God in my life. How do I know what he said? He would do what do I need to rely on him for? What? Is it? What's what's the list? What are the things? Welcome to the Bible. We're not going to cover every single individual things that he has said all the individual promises. We don't have time to go through all the specifics, but we can actually some it up we can sum it up. Some of the way Jesus doesn't John 15 where he's talking about living the kind of life. God has made us the live and you know what? He said. He said apart from me. You can do nothing. You what the list is it's everything. It's actually everything.

We have to rely on God for everything everything starting with relying on him to be the one to make you write with him. Relying on him to be the one to deal with your faults and failures just like with Abraham and Sarah every disaster. They made every mess they created by not trusting God. He had to be the one to come in and rescue them. It's the same with us. It's the same with us. Letting God be God in your life means relying on him. For everything and Abraham's failures. It's clear humans are at their worst when they grow impatient and self-reliant and don't trust God is God. What does it look like when they do trust God as go? Right if all we had was the examples that we've looked at we might say. Oh, well it just it it just looks like waiting. It looks like not doing anything just waiting for God to move for God to act will let's let's talk about that. Let's talk about Abraham's faith for a moment. Abraham did have failures and trust in God is God, but it one particular point. He trusted God in a way. I'm not sure many of us could even imagine. I think you probably know what I'm talking about. He came after their son Isaac had grown some Isaac the promise son 25 years they had waited. And then one day God comes to Abraham and he says this this isn't Genesis 22. It's just a few pages over Genesis 22 Does after these things God tested Abraham and said to him Abraham? Here I am he answered.

Take your son. He said your only son Isaac whom you love. Go to the land of Moriah. And offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains. I will tell you about unimaginable unimaginable that God would ever ask this your only son. The son whom you love like are you rubbing it in or what?

Yeah him offered as a burnt offering its it's Unthinkable, right? This is one could even say uncharacteristic of the god. We've seen so far human offerings. This is this Pagan stuff. What is God and not only is his personally unimaginable. It puts the line of the promised messiah in Jeopardy because without Isaac Wright the let the line ends. Remember last week. We thought we talked about how the call of got of the Lord sounds like a death sentence. Sometimes how God asks us to give up things that we would look to instead of him. Right off the bat we learned this is a test. Its he's testing Abraham. And versus recessed this in this is this is mind-boggling first three. So Abraham got up early in the morning.

Saddled his donkey and took with him two of his young man and his son Isaac. No delay, no hesitation. No waiting right in this case letting God be God trusting God is God, right? You can look like waiting but here it looks like getting up early saddling a donkey splitting some wood and going and doing exactly what God is asking to do when they get to the place that the Lord let him out Isaac asks his father Abraham. He's as we brought the fire and we brought the we brought the wood. Where's the sacrifice? And Abraham answers and tells him the Lord will provide. Any kind of Wonder is like Moses just Abraham trying to distract from the issue. Right and the Hand wavy answer to stall Isaac from putting two and two together. I don't think so. I don't think so. Abraham is truly counting on God to come through here. Abraham goes out. He does what God told him to do. He's not waiting. He's acting. But he knows the critical piece in this all of this doesn't work. Unless God comes through God has to provide just like God had to be the one to protect him wherever he went just like God ultimately had to be the one to bring Isaac and the world in the first place. He doesn't know how God will provide or when all he has to hang onto is that God is the provider and that's enough right right here Abraham really is relying on God for everything letting God be God is Sons on the altar all the chips are down and if you know the story, you know, Got those for mine. He provides an offering and plays advisor key provides a ram as a substitute and it's a beautiful picture amazing picture what God has done for each of us in Jesus Christ. Provided to substitute so that the one condemned to die could live.

What do we do with this what we do with all that? We've got these kind of pictures these illustrations in life of Abraham life of Sarah. What do we do with this? You know what the first of all if you haven't ever trusted in Christ to provide for you everything you need. Starting with being made right with God. He's the only one who ever can.

If you have trusted in him for that remember that walking by faith letting God be God. Is still relying on him for everything everyday? Sometimes it looks like waiting. Sometimes it looks like obeying without delay. You know, what's interesting about Abraham and Sarah's walk with God. It's that letting God be God isn't just some abstract spiritual concept. That's why the short little phrases just don't work for us so much because it is tapping into some abstract concept.

But in the reality of everyday when we when we look at Abraham and Sarah's life, we see that that letting God be God in every turn their relationship with him impacts their relationships with each other with their family with everyone around them. It's connected the whole thing's connected and the same is true for us just take just take a marriage for instance. You know, the Bible says our spouses can be the source of our greatest Earthly blessing. Or they can be like a leaky faucet God's words not mine.

No matter what no matter what though your your spouse cannot be your God Only God can be God. And the difference between whether your marriage will be a source of blessing or a source of Heartache has everything to do with who is at the center of it you throw yourself on the Lord and live with your husband or your wife letting God be God. That that's what you need most. That's what they need most.

I say that I say that and I don't know how the strikes some of you here because I know for for some people that might tell you know what I don't know how to do that and honestly just to be fair maybe Jared you're living in sort of, you know, you've got your pastoral Leave it to Beaver world, and I've got serious problems. Okay serious problems. But I don't know if it's a serious is I don't know how to react to put this but I don't know if it's as serious as Abraham pimping out his wife to the kings of the earth to save his own neck and get rich off of it. If it's that serious will then you need the god of Abraham, right? He's the only one who can handle that sort of problem. I don't know if it's as serious as sir I bringing another woman into the relationship if it's that messed up that serious. You need to rely on the Lord for everything.

When you say it's not serious, I mean that's really messed up. But it's that serious, right? He drinks too much. She gambles her money away. She doesn't respect me. He won't take responsibility. She only criticizes me. I think he's been unfaithful. Is it that serious?

God has to take his place as God and there are times to wait on him and there are times to step forward but make every choice looking to him to do what only he can do.

Only he can convicted of sin. Really really we we speak the truth. We speak it in love. He's the only one who can drive it home. Us yelling and screaming doesn't help right. It doesn't help the Holy Spirit has a way with words when it comes to speaking to the people. We love let him be God with your words. Let him be God in the way you speak to one another when it comes to talking to your spouse your children your neighbors only he can heal. Only he can open the eyes of the blind physically or spiritually speaking the lies Abraham and Sarah illustrate to us the danger of trying to bring about even good things. I even good things on her own terms is most thing is like that it really is. You know, what temp source is often a good thing a good thing but taken in impatience. Taking on my own terms you remember that Jaws theme of The Bible we talked about that from the very beginning. They saw it was good. So they took and then there was blood in the water. Maybe maybe you're somebody this morning, you know, you want to be married. You want to be my you're not married. You want to be married. That's a good thing. Nothing wrong with that. But you're tired of waiting and in some way you were tempted to do an end-run around God's plant, right? Skip God's timetable. In order to have with marriage promises and patience can make a fool out of even the wisest person.

You you want to have what God promises in marriage don't look too human to be and do for you would only God can be in do wait on him pray for and seek to have the kind of relationship where he takes his place for you and your spouse. That's the kind of marriage that really sinks.

You it may have been waiting and waiting for years for your ship to come in for financial relief for pain relief for healing waiting for a child or a spouse or someone to wake up to change. You know, I don't waiting maybe you've heard the call. You know, God has asked you to do something to give something up and instead of getting up early and saddling the donkey. So to speak you slept in right you're dragging your feet. Trust him is God to provide what you need along the way when you need it get going. Stop the Ling. Make the phone call have that conversation write the check. Resign apply start-stop. I don't know. This isn't about me standing up here in imagining scenarios that might apply to you. I'm not that smart and we don't have that long.

It's about each of us considering whether or not the Bible. It's true when it says that God can be trusted.

Whether or not the god of Abraham is the god I'm trusting in for everything right so that it's that that as I wait. I trust words I go and do what he's called me to do, even though it cost me that feels like it'll cost me everything letting him be God. Not just on a Sunday morning not just in our songs and prayers but in our words and our actions when we go out the door.

Last thing you might say, you know, I hear that I hear that Jared and I've heard this before.

But I'm struggling. I answer the call. I moved I gave I did what I believed God asked me to do I pinned it all on him. And I tell you what, it's been hard because I'm still waiting. My youth is gone. My time is getting short. I'm still looking to him. But I'm tired. And I feel pretty spent and I have not gotten to see the good things that I wanted out of life, right? I wanted some good things in life things that desired for good things that I feel like you're from the Lord and have not seen them and I waited and I waited and I am still waiting. Here's our last point. Abraham's faithful God we've been talking about this all the way through but when we say God is faithful, it's important to know how far that faithfulness goes how far that carries here's perhaps one of the most beautiful in important things God shows us through the lives of Abraham and Sarah. Here it is. They died and never saw all the good things that God promised them.

Denis daily

I was that beautiful. How does that make God's Abraham's God Faithful turn lastic turn real quick other end of your Bible Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11

Hebrews 11:8 says it was my faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as an inheritance and he went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him he lived there by faith or he was like a foreigner living in tents and so did Isaac and Jacob who inherited the same promise. Let me stop entertaining in chapter 12. And God says this this will all belong to your descendants. Right? Do you know how much of that land? You know how much of that land that Abraham had taken possession of by the time he dies in chapter 25 enough for a grave and that's it. A burial plot the hittite sold in a cave to bury Sarah and and they buried him in it too. But he lived like a foreigner in the land that God had promised waiting waiting. waiting waiting despondent Lee. No Hebrews, 11:10. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations a city designed and built by God. It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child though. She was Barren was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise right Sarah died, you know this Sarah died and she never saw her grandchildren.

Abraham died when Jacob was about 16 right one. That's it. Yet God promised a whole nation would come from them and they said they didn't see a God still kept his promise for 12 and so a whole nation came from this one man, who is as good as that a nation with so many people that like the stars in the sky in the sand on the seashore. There was no way to count them. Hey, that's great. But Abraham and Sarah didn't get to see that keep reading first 13 all these people died still believe in one God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it and they agreed that they were foreigners and Nomads here on Earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country. They can call their own if they long for the country they came from they could have gone back but they were looking for a better place. I have in the Homeland and that is why God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared a city for them, right? They died still believing what God had promised didn't receive anything in this life that was promised. But they also won't be disappointed. They won't be disappointed in here's how we know that because long after this. Jesus was born as a descendant of Abraham and Sarah of Isaac & Isaac son, Jacob and Jesus said that the god of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob is not the god of the dead but of the living.

God is still God beyond the grave and Jesus went to the cross and then rose again from the grave and proved for all who believed in God. All the put their trust in him. Let him be there God that there is life after this one. So Abraham Abraham won't just see Isaac and Jacob, but every single one of his descendants still get to live in the land. God promised not in a tent but in the city and so if the god of Abraham can do that for him. You can know he'll be faithful to you. He will not withhold any good thing. You wanted good things in this life.

And you waited and you waited and you waited on this Lord on on the Lord. This life is not all that there is.

And the way you can know without a doubt that God will keep his promises to you beyond your grave is because Jesus rose from his grave and then there is life beyond this one. There's Resurrection. Can I ask those for serving communion to prepare for that now?

Every every week we come together and we do this we do this remembering Jesus remembering his life and death and Resurrection.

And remembering that it's for us for each one of us. We have an open table. If you're trusting in Jesus as your savior, you are more than welcome. We we welcome you to eat with us this morning to drink with us this morning. And remember him. I'm going to pray just as the elements are passed out if you hang on to him and wait so that we can all eat as a family. Let's pray.

Father God we want we want to see you take your place in our lives and our marriages. in our families and Lord we We want to be looking to you with confidence. Trusting that you are capable. You are the provider and Lord where you've asked us to wait help us to wait patiently. We look the Christ is our confidence in Our Hope.

We know that because he was willing to give everything for us. That we have a future. And that you will withhold no good thing from us. If you would give your only son for us. We are certain there is nothing good that you will withhold from us. But it's hard waiting since we ask we just asked for your help in the midst of those things. in the midst of family struggles broken marriages

Health crisis financial problems you you know You know where ratlord was just asking that you would help us to wait patiently on you. And and we know you were good and we know you will provide so we give you glory for that and where you call this word to step up the step forward.

to stop the Ling to get up early and saddle the donkey. We just pray the Lord to help us in that to to look to you with confidence. Not knowing where we're going on knowing how it's going to work out not knowing when or how you will provide but knowing that you will. And again, we look at your son and we see you did provide. Manchester Ram caught in a Thicket with the Lamb of God given for each one of us

Thank you. amen