What Abraham Has

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 114

Psalm 114 ESV

When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.

Scripture Memorization: Genesis 50:19-20

Genesis 50:19–20 ESV

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

2 Corinthians 9:6–15 ESV

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Sermon:

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Speaker 1

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Well once again, and as always, good morning church. I was glad when they said to me let us go and Worship in the house of the Lord. As I was preaching through Ecclesiastes. I often said that as a pastor largely, I'd rather do a funeral. Than a wedding. And having recently done quite a few weddings, it felt like there was a great uptick in my. Life of of helping perform weddings. I have softened on that stance a little bit. I do love doing weddings of the people that I love, and so I've had a great many weddings I've done recently.

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That I have thoroughly enjoyed being the efficient. But the hearts. It Still Remains true in many ways. And that's aside from the fact that at a wedding, there's a lot to mess up. And there's a lot of hopes and dreams that have been placed into this time, and there's a lot of pressure that's certainly part of why I'd rather do a funeral, I think. But when we come to a funeral? I mean, this is why I came up in Ecclesiastes, right? It's better to go to a house of mourning. Then the house of rejoicing. When we're confronted with?

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The brevity of? And the reality of death. I was reading a commentary this week and it was from Professor cured who I had for a class is commentary on Genesis. And he talks about how death removes the mask, and we can fully see the weight and the consequences of sin. I think this is his point, and it's one worth belaboring even here at the beginning. The wages of sin is death. That is, the consequence and all sin comes with this heavy consequence. But often our sins carry other temporal consequences as well. If you drink and you drive, you will go to jail.

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If you? Do certain things. There are certain consequences if you lie to people you will lose their trust. You will become untrustworthy if you live in such a way. There are consequences. But it's also true Ecclesiastes even talked about this. Sometimes it feels like the evil people get along and they get blessed and the people doing righteous things. Why are they the ones who it's suffering? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do good things happen to bad people? Well, at a funeral. At the point of death, the mask is removed, and we see sin for what it truly is.

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That which brings death and destruction in our life. And so we. We mourn the loss of loved ones. We mourn a lot of these sorts of things. We mourn the fact that we live in a world where death exists. And in that morning, we enter into fellowship with every person who has ever lived. We all face trials we all face sorrows. People we love for all of us pass away. Heaven for us happened for Abraham. As well. Today, we'll be looking at Genesis chapter 23. The ESV titles this chapter, Sarah's death. And burial.

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Into what a life of Faith looks like. Even in mourning. We'll wrestle through thinking through what Abraham. Has in this text. Genesis chapter 23 is our text for this morning. Let's start by reading God's word. Sarah lived 127 years. These were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died at kiriath Arbor, that is Hebron. In the land of Canaan. And Abraham went into mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites. I am a Sojourner and a foreigner among you. Give me property among you for a burying place that I might bury my debt out of my sight.

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The Hittites answered Abraham. Here is my Lord. You are a prince of God Among U. Barry, you're dead, and the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you, his tomb, to hinder you from burying your dead. Abraham Rosen bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land, and he said to them. If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and intriate for me. Ephron, the son of Zohar that he may give me the cave of macpayla, which he owns. Is it the end of his field for the full price. Let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place.

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Now, Efron was sitting among the Hittites and Ephraim. The Heptites answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites of all who went in the gate of his City. No, my Lord, hear me, I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the sight of the sons of my people, I give it to you. Bury your death. The Abraham bowed down before the people of the lands. And he said to Ephrad in the hearing of the people of the land, but if you will hear me. I give you the price of the field, accept it from me that I might bury my dead there.

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That from answered Abraham. My Lord. Listen to me a piece of land worth 400 shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? Barry, you're dead. Abraham listened to Ephron and Abraham wait out for Ephra on the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites. Four hundreds shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants. So the fields of Efron and macpayla, which is to the east of mamre, the field of the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field throughout the whole of the area was made over to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites before all who went in at the Gate of his City.

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After this, Abraham buried Sarah, his wife in the cave of the field of macpayla, east of mammary, that is Hebron in the land of Canaan. The field in the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as a property for the burying. By the Hittites. These are the words of the Lord for us this morning. Let's open our time together with a word of prayer.

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O God of all comfort and strength. The one who holds us, the one who knows us, the one who cares for us. The one who loved us so much that you would yescend, your son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. We thank you and praise you for your goodness and Grace. We thank you for the precious gift of your son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Christ, the one who paid the price. That we owed. The one who conquered sin and death? The one in whom we find life. And freedom.

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May we rest in his work? May rest in his word. We ask that as we open your word to us this morning, you would speak to our hearts. I asked that you would speak through your servant. May my words be clear. May your truth shine through. It's in Jesus name. We pray.

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Speaker 2

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Amen.

1

Speaker 1

07:13

Amen.

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At its heart. This is a narrative about Abraham burying Sarah. It's a rather long portion of scripture. It's a rather strange in many ways. We've sort of been getting moving through quickly through Abraham's life, and here, one full chapter, a very, very long section. Relatively speaking, all referring to one event. The buying of a burial plot for his wife? It's as if the the story of Abraham. And we've been given Isaac and Jacob. Last week, we ended with Bethul father, Rebecca. I said, that's a hint for what's to come. Well, in chapter 24, we're going to deal with Isaac and Rebecca.

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So, in the middle of introducing us to Rebecca and then finding a wife for Isaac. We have this story. Abraham's wife has died, and he must bury her. This text is is to tied together. With the phrase berry berry bury over and over and over again, bury your dead. Let me bury my dead. You can bury your dead. I must bury my dead. This is Abraham dealing with in many ways. The death of a loved one? And so that's how I want to start our introduction to this text. What is going on here? Well, we need to understand Abraham's sorrow.

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For us. We read Sarah lived 127 years. And I can give you Bible trivia. Did you know that Sarah is the only women woman whose name is mentioned in scriptures? It's interesting. Sarah here, the mother of the promised seed. She becomes the mother in many ways of all who will live by faith. Only woman we know how old she is when she dies.

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But Abraham. Probably's not wrestling through? Oh, my wife was the mother of all believers. He lost his wife.

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He lost.

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One he cared for.

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Been married to her.

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For countless years. It's like lowest if we wanted to think through and lowball this. She's 127, probably about 60 when they received the call. She was already married to Abraham at this point. It's almost 70 years married to this man. We think a lot about Abraham and his, his walk of faith, and what it looked like and hearing God's promise and learning to live by faith. And what does this look like? Sarah was there with him every step of the way.

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We think of Abraham. Powerful scene. When God changes his name. He changed Sarah's name, too. She was one steride. Now, Sarah. God's worked in her life. God's cared for her. She has been to Abraham, a constant companion. She's gone.

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Often at funerals. When we do funerals, we will, we'll preach. The works of Paul. And I shy away from asking where o death is your sting?

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Because at a funeral. When we're in the process to use the language of Genesis 23 of burying our dead? We can tell you all too, keenly, where exactly the sting of death is? And yes, it's true that Christ has conquered death that in him, we have no fear of death that what awaits us is a glorious Resurrection that he being the firstfruits. We, we know all of that.

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But in the moment. When we are, as Abraham is in verse 2, weeping and mourning, Abraham went into mourn for Sarah and to weep for Sarah. When we're in the midst of that? It's hard. But in this difficulty, we are often confronted then. With the truth. Of what faith looks like? Even here, Abraham must have faith. If we think in context, I think this. Important. Last chapter. Abraham was asked. We spent some time figuring this out if he would be willing to offer his son. If he'd be willing to lose his son here, he loses his wife.

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So, he more. And their sorrow. And at this point, he has to enter into business negotiations. The longest part of this text really is. Is verse 3 through verse 18? Is a Chronicle. Of the real estate process. Of the ancient near East. Right? Any of us who bought a house, we know okay, you go. You tore the house, you find a realtor. You have to go, get your lending. You do all this, you do that, you're 46 different steps. And when you think you have the house well, then you got to get your loan origin. You got to do all this this. That, and the other thing. And then, finally, you get your key. And then, finally, you get the house. There's a process every culture has it.

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Genesis 23, 3-19, or 3-18 really is. The process of buying property in the ancient near East?

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And I want to belabor this a little bit, but Abraham moves from sorrow. But we also want to see Abraham is going to get land. But I put this land. In quotation marks. Because usually a graveyard is not considered Prime real estate. Even the buying of the land. One of my commentaries said, this is answering the question. Where will Abraham bury his princess? Is?

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And we read of the story of Abraham, buying a plot of land.

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From Efron.

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And this lands. Will be the only lands. That Abraham will ever truly up. We noted a few weeks ago. There's this whole thing with the well. That he dug the well, and so he had rights and the best way to think through, that is, he didn't know the land he owned the well. So, while like you'll see sometimes now, someone will own the rights, right? Like, you can own the land. We just want the oil rights to your land. Any oil we find there that we're going to pump it all out, but the land's still yours.

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In many ways. What Abraham had with King?

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Abimelech was the water rights to this land. Here, Abraham will have a piece of land.

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But it's a great.

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And Abraham will go to Great Lengths. There's bartering that's going on. In fact, in the grace point this week, we'll talk about what exactly is going on business wise and Abraham's not getting a great deal? To be charged 400 shekels of silver. When later. The land that the temple will be on.

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Which we consider maybe even a more important piece of land than a gravesite. Will be given. And judges will read of a plot of land being bought for. Shackles. This is an exorbitant price. Abraham will pay it. And so the only deed the only land the only title that Abraham will have to his name when he himself dies. Is this? A field with a cave to hold dead bodies in at one end. To bury yoga aside, that's all he will have. Though Abraham has received many promises. You will have this land, right? He goes in. You'll have this land lot picks the choice part. God takes him to the top, he says. Look north, south east west, all of it's yours.

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Your people, your children, your descendants will inherit all of this land. Here, Abraham has one plot. Have God's promises failed? No?

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But maybe Abraham? Has learned how to grasp God's promises.

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Because ultimately, here's the message.

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Like, I don't want to get into the details of of what exactly the bartering system right, the haggling system and? You don't need to get into all that. Abraham has sorrow. Flavor also. Has. This, I believe, is the point of this storm. This story is a message about faith. And our faith must remain strong even in the midst of Sorrow and difficulty. When I was a youth pastor, we would have nights where, where I would say we would do ask a pastor or anything they could ask me anything they wanted to. And I'd get some ridiculous questions, right?

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Just off the wall stuff, I get some very deep and profound and difficult questions. And, and sometimes we come up different versions of the problem of evil. Now, the problem of evil is. How does a good if God is all good and all-powerful? Why does evil happen in the world? The fact that evil happens either either proves this is what they will say he's not good because he's allowing people he's allowing evil or he's not powerful because he can't stop the evil. I will say this. There are answers. There are deep theological answers. People have spent a long time dealing with a lot of this.

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This is not a new problem, and Christians throughout 2000 years have formulated answers that I find a very accepted, acceptable and, and able to answer that question. That's not what I want to do today. Because what I would often tell kids when they would bring this up. The problem of evil is often a very personal one. Often people say. Well, I won't believe in a God who allows good things to happen to or bad things to happen to good people. What they mean is? I watched my mom die of cancer. I won't believe in The God Who allows my mom to die of cancer.

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It's a very particular way to ask this question. Question is not? Well, why does God in general allow bad things to happen? The question is, why does God allow me to endure these difficulties? And the the message of Sarah's death and burial, then, is not an answer to that question in so much. That is, as it is a point pointing to Abraham saying, you're not going through difficult things alone. Abraham had to bury his wife.

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Abraham had to bury this woman he loved.

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So, maybe we don't give you an answer to why bad things happen, but we can give you this Comfort to know you are not alone in your suffering. And what got Abraham through? Was his fate?

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Abraham's.

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Is what purchased for him. Land Beyond. What he saw. And this purchase of a grave became. John Calvin says. It cries out that no obstacle can prevent our possession of God's promises. This great! Because it was land that Abraham purchased as a small token of what he would eventually purchase. By faith. I'm going to give you a lot of verses. Because I want to paint a picture for you. Of how important this grave is?

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Four figs. We can start with Abraham.

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In Genesis. Chapter 12. When we see him.

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Genesis chapter 12, verses 1 through 4. Now, the Lord said to Abraham, go from your country and your children and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you. I will and him who dishonors you. I will curse in you, the families of the earth, shall be blessed Genesis 12, verse 4, so Abraham went. This is by faith.

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By faith. Abraham continued to wander. When he had no air when he had nothing to hold when he had nothing that he could say was his own. God comes to him Genesis chapter 15. He says, fear not, Abraham. I will be, Lucia. Abraham says, what if we remember this story? I don't have any descendants. Eleazar of Damascus, that's my Heir. I don't have one, God says, don't worry. Genesis, chapter 15, verse 6, he believed the Lord. He counted it to him. As righteousness. Abraham had faith. So he buys.

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A graveyard. A cemetery.

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And he buries his wife there. This is his only land.

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But this grave would become the vessel where he himself would. Find possession and find his. He will eventually. This is the way I'll say this. Find his. Physical resting place in this land in the middle of the land of promise.

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Genesis chapter 25. Verse 9.

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Isaac and Ishmael, his sons buried him. In the cave of makpala in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar. The hair type.

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By faith. Abraham bought this land by faith. He was then buried in it. But it's not just him. Genesis chapter 49, a passage we will eventually get to. Genesis 49, verse 31.

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There they are buried. Isaac and Rebecca, his wife, and there I buried Leia. In the field in the cave that is in it, who were brought from the Hittites. When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet of the bed and breathed his last, and he was gathered to. People.

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Jacob. So, Abraham buried there, he says. I buried Isaac, so I buried his wives. Eventually. Jacob, whose name will be changed to Israel. He will be buried in the same gray.

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And then. In chapter 50.

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Joseph. Who will be the the last sort of big character we'll read in? Genesis is some spoiler alerts for what we're going to get to when we get to the end of this book.

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He commands his sons. To carry his bones that he too can be buried, not in Egypt. Joseph doesn't want to be buried in Egypt. He wants to be buried in the grave of his father. The one land they had. And so by faith, we'll read in Exodus. That the bones will be brought out of Egypt. This is one of the things we're specifically listed. There's gold. There's all this stuff and and Joseph's bones are brought out of Egypt.

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And so by faith, Joshua, we go to Joshua chapter 24, verse 32, Joshua will bury Joseph's body in this same plot of land.

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Abraham's buried their Isaacs buried there. Jacob's buried there Joseph will eventually be buried there. Because this is the Haven of. And the promise becomes this. Faith may be difficult. Faith may be expensive, and I say that it may cost you monetarily, but more importantly, it will cost you everything that was Jesus lesson. Give up everything and follow me. Sell all your possessions, give it to the poor, and follow me. You said I, I came, and it will cause strife and disunity between households. Father and son divided over it will cost you everything to have faith.

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Faith may be expensive. Faith may be difficult, but Faith purchased for Abraham. This land. That was in seed form. All of the promises of God.

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And so we can have the same hope and faith. Abraham went in this long, arduous process of buying this land and going through this. Here's the point. In the midst of Sorrow in this of difficulty in the midst of pain. Have faith.

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Hebrews chapter 11. One we've been referencing a lot is. We've looked at the life of Abraham.

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Says this.

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Starting in verse.

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By faith, he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land living in tents with Isaac and Jacob heirs with him of the same promise.

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For, he was looking forward to the city that house a foundations, whose designer and Builder. Is?

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All he had was a grave. But that grave for Abraham was a sign of all of the promises of God.

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Christian, hear me clearly. No matter what you face in your life, no matter what difficulties, no matter what trials, no matter what things you face in your life, if you have nothing you have this. A grave. Abraham's grave was filled with his bones, the bones of his wife, the bones of his sons, and his son's wives and his grandsons. The grave we have is empty.

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Because Jesus rose in glorious Victory on the third day. If Abraham can have faith? That God will fulfill his promise. If Abraham can have faith, looking forward to this city who has foundations whose designer and Builder is God, how much more? Can we?

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Trust in the Lord. Lean, not on your own understanding. Let's pray.