Basics of Christian Life

1 FLIGHT 401 WAS BOUND FOR MIAMI FROM NEW YORK CITY • AS THE PLANE APPROACHED THE MIAMI AIRPORT FOR ITS LANDING, • A LIGHT THAT INDICATED LANDING GEAR FAILED TO COME ON. • THE PLANE FLEW IN A CIRCLE OVER THE SWAMPS • WHILE THE CREW CHECKED OUT THE LIGHT FAILURE. • HAD THE LANDING GEAR ACTUALLY FAILED TO DEPLOY? • OR WAS THE LIGHT BULB DEFECTIVE? • THE FLIGHT ENGINEER FIDDLED WITH THE BULB. • HE TRIED TO REMOVE IT, BUT IT WOULDN'T BUDGE. • ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE CREW TRIED TO HELP OUT...AND THEN ANOTHER. • BY AND BY, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, • ALL EYES WERE ON THE LITTLE LIGHT BULB • NO ONE NOTICED THAT THE PLANE WAS LOSING ALTITUDE. • FINALLY, IT DROPPED RIGHT INTO THE SWAMP. • MANY WERE KILLED IN THAT PLANE CRASH. • WHILE AN EXPERIENCED CREW OF SEASONED PILOTS • MESSED AROUND WITH A SEVENTYFIVE-CENT LIGHT BULB, • AN ENTIRE AIRPLANE AND MANY OF ITS PASSENGERS WERE LOST. • THE CREW MOMENTARILY FORGOT THE MOST BASIC FUNCTION OF THE PILOT – • "DON'T FORGET TO FLY THE AIRPLANE!" • IN OUR WALK AS CHRISTIANS WE CAN GET DISTRACTED • SOME LITTLE SOMETHING COMES UP • AND WE GET ALL FOCUSED ON SOME SIDE ISSUE • AND WE CAN FORGET TO FLY THE PLANE • WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DO NOT FORGET • THE MOST BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE • “OBEY GOD AND WORSHIP HIM” • I NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST • I HAVE TO OBEY GOD • WE NEED TO KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MOST • IMPORTANT THINGS WE DO AS A CONGREGATION IS WORSHIP GOD TOGETHER • MAYBE YOU ARE DISTRACTED BY SOME LITTLE SOMETHING • THAT IS KEEPING YOUR ATTENTION FROM • OBEYING GOD AND WORSHIPING HIM • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT HOW • ABRAM RESPONSES TO SOME INSTRUCTIONS • AND PROMISES FROM GOD • TURN TO GENESIS 12:4 • GOD HAD JUST GIVEN ABRAM TWO INSTRUCTIONS • AN INSTRUCTION LEAVE HIS COUNTRY, RELATIVE AND FATHERS HOUSE • AND AN INSTRUCTION TO BE A BLESSING • WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS GOD HAD INCLUDED SOME PROMISES • ABRAM WOULD HAVE LOTS OF DESCENDANTS • ABRAM WOULD HAVE GOD’S BLESSING • ABRAM WOULD HAVE GREAT INFLUENCE • AND ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH WOULD BE BLESSED BY ABRAM • SO HOW DID ABRAM RESPOND TO THESE COMMANDS AND BLESSINGS GENESIS 12:4–5 SO ABRAM WENT FORTH AS THE LORD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM; AND LOT WENT WITH HIM. NOW ABRAM WAS SEVENTYFIVE YEARS OLD WHEN HE DEPARTED FROM HARAN. ABRAM TOOK SARAI HIS WIFE AND LOT HIS NEPHEW, AND ALL THEIR POSSESSIONS WHICH THEY HAD ACCUMULATED, AND THE PERSONS WHICH THEY HAD ACQUIRED IN HARAN, AND THEY SET OUT FOR THE LAND OF CANAAN; THUS THEY CAME TO THE LAND OF CANAAN. OBEY QUICKLY • GOD HAD COMMANDED ABRAM TO GO • AND THE VERY NEXT THING WE SEE HIM DO IS GO • HE DID NOT ARGUE, OR OFFER AN EXCUSE • HE DID NOT SAY HE WAS BUSY, • HE DID NOT SAY HE WOULD GO NEXT WEEK • HE OBEYED QUICKLY • DELAYED OBEDIENCE IS A FORM OF DISOBEDIENCE • WHEN WE MESS AROUND AND MAKE EXCUSES • WHEN WE ARGUE WITH GOD…. OR ANYONE ELSE • WE ARE DELAYING OUR OBEDIENCE • AS SOON AS WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS GOD IS CALLING US TO DO • WE NEED TO GET UP AND GET GOING… JUST LIKE ABRAM DID OBEY ACCURATELY • MOSES WRITES; SO ABRAM WENT FORTH AS THE LORD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM; • THAT LITTLE WORD AS IS KINDA IMPORTANT • IT MEANS ACCORDING TO THE WAY • OR IN THE MANNER… IN THE SAME WAY… • SO ABRAM WENT FORTH • IN THE MANNER… IN THE SAME WAY • THAT GOD HAS INSTRUCTED HIM • HE TOOK WHAT GOD ALLOWED HIM TO TAKE • ABRAM TOOK SARAI HIS WIFE AND LOT HIS NEPHEW, • GOD HAD INSTRUCTED ABRAM TO LEAVE HIS RELATIVES • THIS WAS TALKING ABOUT EXTENDED FAMILY • IT IS LIKELY THAT ABRAM WAS RAISING LOT AFTER LOT’S FATHER DIED • ABRAM WAS CALLED TO LEAVE HIS FATHERS HOUSEHOLD • BUT HE WAS ALLOWED TO TAKE • ALL THEIR POSSESSIONS WHICH THEY HAD ACCUMULATED, • IN ADDITION TO THEIR STUFF • GOD’S COMMAND TO GO INCLUDED • THE PERSONS WHICH THEY HAD ACQUIRED IN HARAN, • NOW… SOME FOLKS WANT TO SAY THIS MEANS SLAVES.. • THAT THEY HAD BOUGHT SOME SLAVES IN HARAN • AND THEY TOOK THEM WITH THEM WHEN THEY LEFT • THAT IS POSSIBLE… MANY PEOPLE OWNED SLAVES AT THAT TIME… • BUT I DO NOT THINK THAT IS WHAT THIS IS TALKING ABOUT • AND THE REASON IS FOUND IN THE WORD PERSONS • THE WORD WE ARE SEEING TRANSLATED PERSONS • IS LITERALLY THE WORD FOR SOULS…. • THE SAME WORD TRANSLATED LIVING BEING IN GENESIS 2:7 THEN THE LORD GOD FORMED MAN OF DUST FROM THE GROUND, AND BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE; AND MAN BECAME A LIVING BEING. • THIS COULD BE A STATEMENT THAT ABRAM • HAD TOLD SOME PEOPLE ABOUT GOD • AND THESE PEOPLE HAD BELIEVED AND SO • WHEN ABRAM LEFT HARAN, HE TOOK THOSE • WHO HAD BELIEVED IN GOD WITH HIM… • THE POINT OF THE VERSE IS THAT ALL THE THINGS • THAT ABRAM DID WHEN HE LEFT HARAN • WERE DONE IN THE WAY… IN THE MANNER… IN ACCORDANCE • WITH WHAT GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM • ABRAM HAD OBEYED GOD ACCURATELY • THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO STRIVE FOR • ONE OF THE PRIMARY THINGS GOD CALLS US TO DO • IS TO LOVE OTHERS, OUR NEIGHBORS… ONE ANOTHER • OUR ENEMIES… YOU KNOW THAT PRETTY MUCH COVERS EVERYONE • I MEAN IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT… EVERYONE IN THE WORLD • IS EITHER YOUR NEIGHBOR… A FELLOW CHRISTIAN… OR AN ENEMY… • SO, IF WE ARE GONNA OBEY GOD’S COMMAND TO LOVE… ACCURATELY… • THAT MEANS WE CARE FOR… SERVE… TAKE CARE OF … EVERYONE • BOY THAT IS REALLY HARD… • BUT THEN WE ARE CALLED TO… OBEY WHEN IT IS CHALLENGING • IT CAN BE REALLY HARD TO OBEY GOD • ABRAM FACED TWO PARTICULAR CHALLENGES • THE FIRST IS STATED HERE • NOW ABRAM WAS SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD WHEN HE DEPARTED FROM HARAN • WE KNOW MANY PEOPLE LIVED MUCH LONGER LIVES IN THOSE DAYS • BUT I DON’T CARE HOW LONG YOU LIVE • STARTING OUT ON A JOURNEY LIKE THIS ONE • WAS REALLY A CHALLENGE FOR A 75 YEAR OLD • THE SECOND CHALLENGE ABRAM FACED IS STATED A LITTLE LATER • NOW THE CANAANITE WAS THEN IN THE LAND • ABRAM IS GET’N UP IN YEARS… HE HAS NO OFFSPRING • HE DOES NOT KNOW WHERE HE IS GOING (GOD HAS NOT TOLD HIM YET) • AND THE PLACE HE IS GOING TO IS OCCUPIED…. • OH YEA… AND THE JOURNEY GOD HAS CALLED HIM TO GO ON • IS A REALLY ROUGH JOURNEY • AND YET EVEN IN THE FACE OF THESE CHALLENGES • WE SEE ABRAM OBEYING… QUICKLY… ACCURATELY ↓ • OBEYING WHEN IT IS CHALLENGING • I WONDER HOW WELL I WOULD DO • IF WHAT GOD CALLED ME TO DO WAS AS CHALLENGING… • I MEAN I MIGHT OBEY SOME… BUT WOULD I…. OBEY COMPLETELY • I SAID THIS WAS A ROUGH JOURNEY • BUT YOU KNOW MOSES KINDA SKIPS OVER THE ROUGH PART • AND THEY SET OUT FOR THE LAND OF CANAAN; THUS THEY CAME TO THE LAND OF CANAAN. • BUT IN-BETWEEN SETTING OUT FOR THE LAND • AND COMING TO THE LAND • THEY HAD RIVERS TO CROSS… NO BRIDGES.. JUST RIVERS • THAT IS PRETTY DANGEROUS STUFF • THEY PASSED THOUGH SOME OF THE ROUGHEST LAND ON THE PLANET • THE JOURNEY FORM UR TO HARAN WAS ABOUT 700 MILES • THIS JOURNEY FROM HARAN TO CANAAN FURTHER THAN THAT. • NOW, LETS KEEP IN MIND THERE WERE NO BUC-EES ALONG THE WAY • NOT HOLIDAY INN… JUST MORE THAN 700 MILES OF SAND AND ROCKS • THEY COULD HAVE STOPPED AND SETTLED IN DAMASCUS • IT WAS A BIG THRIVING CITY AT THE TIME • BUT DID YOU NOTICE THAT THEY WENT ALL THE WAY… AND • THUS THEY CAME TO THE LAND OF CANAAN • ABRAM OBEYED COMPLETELY. • I DON’T KNOW ABOUT ABRAM • BUT I WOULD HAVE BEEN MIGHTY TEMPTED • TO STOP SOMEPLACE ALONG THE WAY • YA… UHM… THIS IS THE PLACE.. YA RIGHT HERE • THIS IS WHERE GOD WANTS US TO STOP…. • SOMETIMES WE GET A GOOD START ON OBEYING GOD • WE WALK A LITTLE WAYS… LIKE JESUS… • WE DO THE FIRST PART REAL WELL… • THEN IT GETS ROUGH.. AND WE SETTLE.. • YA… THAT’S ENOUGH OF THAT STUFF… • LET ME GET BACK TO THE STUFF I WANT TO DO.. • I DID ENOUGH OBEYING GOD FOR TODAY.. • BUT SEE.. OBEDIENCE IS ABOUT HOW WE WALK ALL THE TIME • NOT JUST HOW WE WALK SOME OF THE TIME.. • AND FOLKS NOTICE HOW WE WALK… • A FATHER AND SON ARRIVED IN A SMALL WESTERN TOWN • THE FATHER WAS LOOKING FOR AN UNCLE WHOM HE HAD NEVER MET • SUDDENLY, THE FATHER, POINTING ACROSS THE SQUARE • AT A MAN WHO WAS WALKING AWAY FROM THEM, EXCLAIMED, • “THERE GOES MY UNCLE!” • HIS SON ASKED, “HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE?” • “SON, I KNOW HIM BECAUSE HE WALKS EXACTLY LIKE MY FATHER.” • IF WE WALK IN THE SPIRIT, THE WORLD SHOULD KNOW US BY OUR WALK. • I UNDERSTAND WE DON’T LIKE THAT WORD OBEDIENCE… • AND THE TRUTH IS NO AMOUNT OF OBEDIENCE • IS GONNA EVER EARN US A TRIP TO HEAVEN • WE ARE NOT CALLED TO OBEY TO GET SAVED • WE ARE CALLED TO OBEY BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN SAVED.. • OUT OF THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO GOD • OUT OF LOVE AND RESPECT FOR GOD • WE STRIVE TO OBEY QUICKLY • WE STRIVE TO OBEY ACCURATELY • WE STRIVE TO OBEY WHEN IT IS CHALLENGING • WE STRIVE TO OBEY COMPLETELY…. • THIS IS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE • THIS IS AS BASIC AS FLYING THE PLANE… • WE NEED TO NOT GET SIDETRACKED ON OTHER THINGS IN LIFE • WE NEED TO FOCUS MAKING SURE WE ARE LIVING OUT • THE CORE… PRIMARY... BASIC FUNCTIONS OF FAITH IN GOD GENESIS 12:6–9 ABRAM PASSED THROUGH THE LAND AS FAR AS THE SITE OF SHECHEM, TO THE OAK OF MOREH. NOW THE CANAANITE WAS THEN IN THE LAND. THE LORD APPEARED TO ABRAM AND SAID, “TO YOUR DESCENDANTS I WILL GIVE THIS LAND.” SO HE BUILT AN ALTAR THERE TO THE LORD WHO HAD APPEARED TO HIM. THEN HE PROCEEDED FROM THERE TO THE MOUNTAIN ON THE EAST OF BETHEL, AND PITCHED HIS TENT, WITH BETHEL ON THE WEST AND AI ON THE EAST; AND THERE HE BUILT AN ALTAR TO THE LORD AND CALLED UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD. ABRAM JOURNEYED ON, CONTINUING TOWARD THE NEGEV. WORSHIP GOD IN ADVERSITY • GOD HAD NOT TOLD ABRAM WHERE HE WAS GOING • SO ABRAM JUST KEPT ON GOING… • ABRAM PASSED THROUGH THE LAND AS FAR AS THE SITE OF SHECHEM, TO THE OAK OF MOREH. • SHECHEM IS PRETTY DEEP INTO THE LAND OF CANAAN • IT IS ABOUT 40 MILES NORTH OF JERUSALEM • AND WHEN MOSES MENTIONS THE OAK OF MOREH. • WHEN IT SAYS OAKS IT IS MOST LIKELY TALKING ABOUT • A TEREBINTH TREE WHICH DOES LOOK A LOT LIKE AN OAK… • NOW… MOSES MAY ACTUALLY BE TALKING ABOUT • THE LOCATION OF A CANAANITE SHRINE • THEY USED GROVES OF TEREBINTH TREES • AS CENTERS FOR THEIR PAGAN CULT • THIS HELPS US UNDERSTAND HOW THIS LAND • IS NOT A SAFE PLACE FOR ANYONE WORSHIPPING THE ONE TRUE GOD • MOSES MAKES THIS VERY CLEAR WHEN HE STATES • NOW THE CANAANITE WAS THEN IN THE LAND. • ABRAM HAD JUST TRAVELED A VERY LONG WAY • AND THIS PLACE IS FULL OF PAGAN’S WHO WORSHIP FALSE GODS • AND YET WE ARE GOING TO SEE THAT ABRAM WILL WORSHIP GOD • IN THE PLACE… IN THE VERY SPOT… THEY WORSHIPED FALSE GODS • ABRAM WILL WORSHIP THE GOD • AND HE WILL WORSHIP GOD IN GRATITUDE • IN THIS GROVE OF TEREBINTH TREES • SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENS • THE LORD APPEARED TO ABRAM • THIS IS BIG, GOD HAD APPEARED TO ABRAM BEFORE… IN UR • BUT HIS FIRST APPEARANCE TO ABRAM IN THE LAND OF CANAAN HAPPENS • IN A GROVE OF TEREBINTH TREES • AND WHEN HE APPEARS, HE TELLS ABRAM • “TO YOUR DESCENDANTS I WILL GIVE THIS LAND.” • MOSES JUST TOLD US THIS LAND IS FULL OF CANAANITES • AND THE FIRST THING GOD TELLS ABRAM IS • THIS LAND IS GOING TO BE HIS DESCENDANTS LAND • AND ABRAM DOES NOT ASK HOW… OR WHEN… OR WHY • HE BUILT AN ALTAR THERE TO THE LORD WHO HAD APPEARED TO HIM. • THE BUILDING OF AN ALTAR IS AN ACT OF WORSHIP • ABRAM IS WORSHIPING GOD OUT OF GRATITUDE • FOR THE PROMISE GOD HAS JUST MADE • GOD PROMISED THAT THIS LAND WOULD ONE DAY • BE THE LAND OF ABRAM’S DESCENDANTS • AND ABRAM TRUSTS THIS PROMISE OF GOD • SO COMPLETELY.. SO TOTALLY.. • THAT HE BUILDS AN ALTAR AND WORSHIPS GOD • IN THANKS AND GRATITUDE FOR SOMETHING • THAT WILL NOT EVEN HAPPEN IN HIS LIFETIME • GOD HAD SAID GO… AND PROMISED TO MAKE ABRAM A GREAT NATION • AND ABRAM HAD GONE.. IN OBEDIENCE… • WHEN HE GOT THERE GOD HAD APPEARED • AND HAD PROMISED THAT THIS VERY LAND • WOULD BE THE LAND IN WHICH THE GREAT NATION • THAT GOD WOULD MAKE FROM ABRAM • WOULD LIVE AND RULE… AND PROSPER… • AND ABRAM’S RESPONSE WAS TO BUILD AN ALTAR • AN ACT OF WORSHIP… AND ACT OF FAITH THAT GOD • WOULD DO WHAT GOD HAD SAID HE WOULD DO • BUT ABRAM IS NOT DONE WITH WORSHIPPING GOD • NEXT HE WILL WORSHIP GOD PUBLICLY • ABRAM LEFT SHECHEM AND HE • PROCEEDED FROM THERE TO THE MOUNTAIN ON THE EAST OF BETHEL, AND PITCHED HIS TENT, • I READ A DESCRIPTION OF THIS LOCATION • THE AUTHOR SAID THAT FROM THIS SPOT • YOU CAN SEE THE VALLEY OF JORDAN… THE DEAD SEA… • AND THE MOUNTAINS OF MOAB… • FROM THIS ONE SPOT THAT ABRAM PITCHED HIS TENT • HE COULD SEE A VAST AMOUNT OF WHAT WOULD • COME TO BE CALLED THE PROMISED LAND… • THE LAND GOD HAD PROMISED TO GIVE TO ABRAM’S DESCENDANTS • AND LOOKING OUR OVER THIS VAST LAND ONCE AGAIN • HE BUILT AN ALTAR TO THE LORD • AN ACT OF WORSHIP… BUT THIS TIME • MOSES ADDS THAT ABRAM • CALLED UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD. • WHEN MARTIN LUTHER TRANSLATED THIS VERSE • HE SAID ABRAM PREACHED THE NAME OF THE LORD • AND THAT IS CERTAINLY AN ACCEPTABLE WAY • TO TRANSLATE THIS PHRASE… • LITERALLY TO CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD • IS TO SHOUT A PROCLAMATION OF GOD • TO LOUDLY PROCLAIM WHO GOD IS OR WHAT HE HAS DONE • THAT SOUNDS A LOT LIKE PREACHING GOD TO ME… • BUT ABRAM DOES NOT SETTLE DOWN YET WORSHIP GOD AS YOU GO • NOW WE DON’T HAVE ANYTHING IN THE TEXT • THAT SAYS ABRAM WORSHIPED GOD AS HE WENT • MOSES JUST TELLS US • ABRAM JOURNEYED ON, CONTINUING TOWARD THE NEGEV. • I THINK IT IS LIKELY ABRAM DID WORSHIP GOD ON THIS JOURNEY • IF HE DID NOT… HE CERTAINLY SHOULD HAVE • WE ARE CALLED TO WORSHIP GOD IN ALL WE DO COLOSSIANS 3:17 WHATEVER YOU DO IN WORD OR DEED, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS THROUGH HIM TO GOD THE FATHER. • AND WHATEVER WE DO.. INCLUDES GOING.. • ONE THING I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT MISS ABOUT HOUSTON • IS THE TRAFFIC, BUT… ONE THING ABOUT SITTING TRAFFIC • THAT I DID ENJOY WAS THE WORSHIP TIME • THEY HAVE SOME GREAT CHRISTIAN RADIO STATIONS IN HOUSTON • AND I COULD SIT IN TRAFFIC WITH THE RADIO GOING FULL BLAST • LISTENING TO SOME AMAZING WORSHIP SONGS • WORSHIPING GOD AS I WAS GOING… • OK STOPPING AND GOING • I SPEND A LOT LESS TIME IN THE CAR THESE DAYS • BUT WHEN I GET THE CHANCE, I LOVE • TO WORSHIP GOD AS I MOVE ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY… NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE DOING • IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE • YOU TAKE CARE OF THE BASIC FUNCTION • IF YOU ARE A PILOT THAT MEANS MAKING SURE • YOU ARE FLYING THE PLANE • IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN THAT MEANS MAKING SURE • YOU ARE OBEYING AND WORSHIPING GOD • THESE TWO THINGS ARE THE BASIC FUNCTIONS • OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE • THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IS • LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ • AND THAT IS WHAT WORSHIP IS ALL ABOUT • THE SECOND IS ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ • AND THIS IS A HUGE PART OF WHAT IT MEANS TO OBEY GOD • WE NEED TO OBEY GOD QUICKLY, NOT DELAYING OR MAKING EXCUSES • WE NEED TO OBEY GOD ACCURATELY, • STICKING TO WHAT HIS WORD ACTUALLY SAYS • WE NEED TO OBEY GOD WHEN IT IS CHALLENGING • THROUGH THE ROUGH TIMES AND HARD JOURNEYS • WE NEED TO OBEY GOD COMPLETELY • GOING ALL THE WAY TO WHERE HE CALLS US • OUR WORSHIP NEEDS TO BE IN THANKS AND GRATITUDE • FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE…. AND FOR WHAT HE WILL DO FOR US • OUR WORSHIP NEEDS TO PUBLICLY PROCLAIM WHO GOD IS • AND WHAT HE HAS DONE • THAT HE HAS COME IN THE FORM OF A MAN…. JESUS CHRIST • LIVED A SINLESS LIFE AND DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS… 89