The Fullness of God's Promises

THE FULLNESS OF THE GOSPEL GENESIS 13:14-18 A SOAP MANUFACTURER •AND AN EVANGELICAL PREACHER •WERE WALKING ALONG TOGETHER, •THE FORMER NOT BEING A CHRISTIAN. •THE SOAP MAKER SAID, "THE GOSPEL YOU PREACH •HAS NOT DONE MUCH GOOD, •FOR THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WICKEDNESS, •AND THOUSANDS OF WICKED PEOPLE." •THE PREACHER WAS SILENT AWHILE, AND IN A FEW MOMENTS •THEY PASSED A CHILD MAKING MUD PIES IN THE STREET. •HE WAS EXCEEDINGLY DIRTY. •THEN THE PREACHER'S TURN CAME. •"SOAP HAS NOT DONE MUCH GOOD IN THE WORLD, I SEE; FOR THERE IS STILL MUCH DIRT, •AND EVER SO MANY DIRTY PEOPLE!" •"OH, WELL," SAID THE MANUFACTURER, •"SOAP IS ONLY USEFUL WHEN IT IS APPLIED." •"EXACTLY," REPLIED THE OTHER, "SO IT IS WITH THE GOSPEL." YES, THE GOSPEL •IS ONLY USEFUL WHEN IT IS APPLIED •BUT TO APPLY THE GOSPEL FULLY •WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE •WE KNOW IT FULLY YES, GOD HAS OFFERED US •ETERNAL SALVATION IN HEAVEN •BUT THE OFFER OF THE GOSPEL •IS SO MUCH MORE THAN SALVATION •HE OFFERS US AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP THIS RELATIONSHIP INCLUDES •PEACE THAT SURPASSES UNDERSTANDING •CONFIDENCE TO COME TO GOD IN PRAYER •AN ADVOCATE BEFORE GOD •THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT AS A GUIDE •AND MUCH MORE IN THIS CHRISTIAN LIFE •WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYES •FIXED ON WHAT GOD HAS PROVIDED •IN THE OFFER OF THE GOSPEL •MAKING SURE WE APPLY ALL HE PROVIDES THE MAN WHO IS •BEAT DOWN BY ALL LIFE THROWS AT HIM •CAN LIFT HIS EYES AND LOOK •UPON THE PROMISES GOD HAS MADE •IN THE OFFER OF THE GOSPEL HE CAN KNOW FOR CERTAIN •THAT THESE PROMISES WILL BE FULFILLED •THAT HE CAN HAVE THE PEACE OF GOD •THAT HE CAN ENTER INTO PRAYER •THAT HE CAN YIELD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THIS CERTAINTY •HE CAN COME TO GOD •ABIDE IN GOD, HE CAN •COME TO GOD IN WORSHIP •HE CAN GROW IN HIS WALK WITH THE LORD TODAY WE ARE •GOING TO LOOK AT ABRAM •GOING THROUGH A SIMILAR PROCESS •HE WILL LOOK AT ALL THAT GOD HAS PROMISED •HE WILL TRUST IN THAT PROMISE AND WORSHIP GOD TURN TO GENESIS 13:14 •AFTER COMING BACK FROM EGYPT •ABRAM AND LOT HAD SEPARATED •BECAUSE THE LAND COULD NOT SUPPORT BOTH OF THEM •ABRAM HAD ALLOWED LOT TO CHOOSE AND LOT HAD CHOSEN •THE RICH, FERTILE, LAND TO THE EAST •HE HAD SETTLED NEAR SODOM •WHERE THE MEN WERE EXCEEDINGLY WICKED •AND THEY SINNED AGAINST THE LORD GENESIS 13:14–15 THE LORD SAID TO ABRAM, AFTER LOT HAD SEPARATED FROM HIM, “NOW LIFT UP YOUR EYES AND LOOK FROM THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE, NORTHWARD AND SOUTHWARD AND EASTWARD AND WESTWARD; FOR ALL THE LAND WHICH YOU SEE, I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU AND TO YOUR DESCENDANTS FOREVER. KNOW THE FULL OFFER •REMEMBER TO LOOK AT ALL THAT GOD OFFERS •WE SOMETIMES GET FOCUSED •ON PART OF SOMETHING •AND WE FORGET THE OTHER PARTS ABRAM HAD JUST SEEN •LOT TAKE THE BEST OF PART OF THE LAND •AND MAYBE ABRAM WAS FOCUSED ON •THAT LAND AND WAS IGNORING •THE REST OF THE LAND GOD HAD PROMISED SO GOD TELLS ABRAM TO •LIFT UP YOUR EYES AND LOOK FROM THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE, • NORTHWARD AND SOUTHWARD AND EASTWARD AND WESTWARD; •REMEMBER ALL THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU •DON’T GET STUCK ON ONE PART GOD HAD CALLED ABRAM •TO THIS LAND, GOD HAD •PROMISED THIS LAND TO ABRAM •AND TO HIS DESCENDANTS…. •BUT LOT HAD JUST TAKEN SOME OF THE LAND DID YOU NOTICE •THAT GOD TOLD ABRAM TO LOOK EASTWARD •THAT WAS THE DIRECTION LOT HAD GONE •THAT WAS THE CHOICE LAND, THE BEST LAND •LOT HAD COMPARED IT TO THE GARDEN OF EDEN BUT GOD TOLD ABRAM •TO LOOK AT ALL THE LAND INCLUDING •THE LAND LOT HAD JUST TAKEN WHEN THEY SEPARATED •WE NEED TO BE SURE TO LOOK AT •ALL THAT GOD HAS PROMISED US ALL THE GOSPEL OFFERS •EVERY NOW AND THEN WE NEED •TO LIFT UP OUR EYES, JUST LIKE •GOD INSTRUCTED ABRAM TO DO •AND LOOK AT ALL GOD HAS PROMISED LIFT UP OUR EYES AND •AND LOOK FROM THE PLACE WHERE WE ARE •IN DEPRESSION, IN CONFLICT, IN ANXIETY… OR LOSS… •LOOK AT WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED US •NOT JUST SALVATION WHICH IS AMAZING BUT LOOK TO THE •EAST AND WEST, TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH •AND SEE THE PEACE GOD OFFERS •THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT •THE TRUTH.. THE WORD OF GOD THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD •THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ONE ANOTHER •THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE GOD •THE ASSURANCE.. OUR SECURITY IN CHRIST •GRACE & MERCY… THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS AND THE LIST COULD •GO ON AND ON… •ABRAM HAD BEEN THROUGH •A ROUGH TIME IN EGYPT… •HE HAD JUST SEPARATED FROM LOT AND GOD COMMANDS HIM •TO LIFT HIS EYES AND LOOK •AT ALL THAT GOD HAD PROMISED HIM •THIS IS A WONDERFUL INSTRUCTION •FROM GOD THAT WE ALL NEED TO FOLLOW AND WHEN WE SEE •ALL THAT GOD HAS PROMISED •WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW •CERTAIN IT IS THAT HE WILL FULFILL •THOSE PROMISES KNOW THE CERTAINTY •IT IS ONE THING TO KNOW •WHAT A PROMISE SAYS •IT IS SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT •TO TRUST A PROMISE COMPLETELY GOD REASSURES ABRAM •THAT HE WILL DO WHAT HE HAS PROMISED •WHEN HE TELLS HIM THE REASON THAT •HE IS TO LOOK AT ALL THE LAND •FOR ALL THE LAND WHICH YOU SEE, I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU AND TO YOUR DESCENDANTS FOREVER. GOD TOLD ABRAM •TO LOOK AT ALL THE LAND •SO THAT HE COULD REMIND HIM OF THE PROMISE •NOTICE GOD SAID ALL THE LAND YOU SEE •NOT SOME, NOT MOST, NOT ALL↓ BUT THAT LITTLE PART •LOT JUST MOVED ON TO •HE SAID ALL… AND HE SAID •HE WOULD GIVE IT TO •ABRAM AND TO HIS DESCENDANTS FOREVER NOW.. IF I PROMISE •TO DO SOMETHING FOREVER •THAT DOES NOT REALLY MEAN THAT MUCH •I MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT •PROMISES EVEN IF I REALLY REALLY WANT TO. BUT… WHEN GOD MAKES •A PROMISE IT IS A DONE DEAL •HE IS NOT ONLY ABLE TO KEEP IT •HE IS FAITHFUL AND WILL KEEP IT •THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT OF HIM KEEPING IT THIS SAME CONCEPT •APPLIES TO ALL THE PROMISES •OF THE GOSPEL.. THERE IS NO DOUBT •THAT GOD CAN AND WILL KEEP ALL •THAT HE HAS PROMISED US WE CAN REST •IN THE ASSURANCE THAT HIS PROMISES •ARE SECURE AND CERTAIN •WE CAN LEAN ON THESE PROMISES •WE CAN RELAX IN THEM “I REST BENEATH •THE ALMIGHTY'S SHADE, •MY GRIEFS EXPIRE, MY TROUBLES CEASE; •THOU, LORD, ON WHOM MY SOUL IS STAYED, •WILT KEEP ME STILL IN PERFECT PEACE.” BUT, FOR US TO BE STILL •IN PERFECT PEACE WE HAVE TO KNOW •THAT GOD HAS PROMISED PEACE •AND WE HAVE TO TRUST IN THAT PROMISE… GENESIS 13:16 “I WILL MAKE YOUR DESCENDANTS AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH, SO THAT IF ANYONE CAN NUMBER THE DUST OF THE EARTH, THEN YOUR DESCENDANTS CAN ALSO BE NUMBERED. GOD HAD PROMISED •TO MAKE ABRAM A GREAT NATION •BACK IN 12:2… NOW GOD •REMINDS ABRAM OF THAT PROMISE •AND PROVIDES MORE DETAILS THE LAND GOD PROMISED •WOULD BE FOR ABRAM’S DESCENDANTS •FOREVER… AND GOD WOULD •MAKE ABRAM’S DESCENDANTS •AS NUMEROUS AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH THIS IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL •ABRAM IS AROUND 80 AT THIS POINT •AND HE STILL HAS NO CHILDREN •GOD KEEPS PROMISING •TO BRING A GREAT NATION FROM ABRAM BUT HAVE TO HAVE •AT LEAST ONE SON TO HAVE A NATION •AND ABRAM IS STILL WAITING ON THAT ONE SON •I THINK GOD REMINDS ABRAM •OF THIS PROMISE AT THIS POINT TO HELP ABRAM •UNDERSTAND THE CERTAINTY •OF ALL THE PROMISES GOD HAD MADE HIM •IF GOD CAN DO THIS ONE THING •AND HE CERTAINLY CAN THEN ALL THESE •OTHER PROMISES ARE EASY •IF GOD CAN MAKE A GREAT NATION •FROM AN 80 YR OLD MAN WITH NO SON •THEN HE CAN DELIVER ALL THE LAND INCLUDING THE LAND •THAT LOT TOOK WHEN THEY SEPARATED •GOD IS SAYING… LOOK •I AM GONNA MAKE YOUR DESCENDANTS •MORE NUMEROUS THAN THE GRAINS OF SAND DON’T STRESS •OVER SOME PIECE OF LAND THAT LOT •JUST PITCHED HIS TENT ON •YOU ARE GONNA HAVE ALL •THE LAND YOU CAN SEE WHEN WE HEAR •SOMEONE MAKE A PROMISE •WE IMMEDIATELY JUDGE WHETHER THEY CAN KEEP IT •IF THE PROMISE INVOLVES BUYING SOMETHING •WE GAUGE WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE THE MONEY TO MAKE THE PURCHASE IF THE PROMISE •INVOLVES CARRYING SOMETHING •WE GAUGE WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE THE STRENGTH TO LIFT IT •WHEN THE PROMISE IS FROM GOD •WE CAN KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE PROMISE IS HE CAN LIFT IT, •HE CAN BUY IT, •HE CAN FULFILL THE PROMISE •NO MATTER WHAT THAT PROMISE MIGHT BE IT IS NOT LIKE •SOME PROMISES ARE HARDER FOR GOD •THEY ARE ALL EQUALLY SURE •EQUALLY CERTAIN… WE CAN TRUST •ALL OF THEM NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY MIGHT SEEM SOMETIMES WE NEED •TO JUST LIVE IN GOD’S PROMISES •SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THEM •WALK IN HIS PEACE, DWELL IN HIS GRACE •YIELD TO HIS SPIRIT, SO WE UNDERSTAND HIS PROMISES GENESIS 13:17 “ARISE, WALK ABOUT THE LAND THROUGH ITS LENGTH AND BREADTH; FOR I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU.” GOD HAD TOLD ABRAM •TO LOOK AT ALL THE LAND •NOW HE INSTRUCTS ABRAM TO •“ARISE, WALK ABOUT THE LAND THROUGH ITS LENGTH AND BREADTH; •GET UP, GO OUT.. AND EXPERIENCE ALL THAT GOD HAS PROMISED •THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN •LOOKING AT SOMETHING AND EXPERIENCING IT •I CAN WATCH SOMEONE SKYDIVE ALL DAY LONG •AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS LIKE WE CAN READ, LOOK AT… •ALL THAT GOD HAS PROMISED •IN HIS WORD… AND HAVE NO IDEA •WHAT IT IS LIKE TO HAVE PEACE.. •TO EXPERIENCE FORGIVENESS LIVE IN HIS GRACE •YIELD TO THE SPIRIT… •TO TRULY WALK ABOUT THROUGH •THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF GOD’S PROMISES •THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS LIKE IS TO GET OUT AND •WALK IN HIS PROMISES •TO ABIDE IN HIM, TO LIVE OUR FAITH •AND WE CAN DO THIS BECAUSE •IT IS SO CERTAIN GOD WILL PROVIDE… •ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TRUST.. GOD REPEATS HIS PROMISE •GOD TOLD ABRAM HE WOULD GIVE HIM THE LAND… •THIS IS THE THIRD TIME •IN TWO CHAPTERS THAT GOD TELLS ABRAM •HE WILL GIVE HIM THE LAND GOD TOLD ABRAM •TO WALK THE WHOLE LAND •AND THEN HE TELLS HIM THE REASON •FOR I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU.” •WALK THE LAND BECAUSE… I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU IN THE SAME WAY WE •NEED TO WALK.. OR LIVE… •IN THE THINGS GOD HAS PROMISED US IN THE GOSPEL •BECAUSE HE WILL GIVE THEM TO US… •WE HAVE TO WALK IN PEACE NOW TO UNDERSTAND THE PEACE • GOD PROMISES US IN ETERNITY •WE HAVE TO LIVE OUT FORGIVENESS NOW •TO UNDERSTAND THE FORGIVENESS GOD •OFFERS US IN THE GOSPEL EVERYTHING THAT GOD HAS •PROMISED US IN THE GOSPEL •WILL NOT BE FILLED TO ITS FULLEST •HERE ON THIS EARTH, BUT ONLY •ONCE WE ARE IN HEAVEN WITH GOD FOR US TO KNOW •WHAT GOD PROMISES… • WE NEED TO READ HIS WORD, STUDY THE BIBLE… •BUT, FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THESE PROMISES •WE NEED TO WALK IN THEM DAILY WE CAN UNDERSTAND •THE ETERNAL COMMUNION WITH GOD •JUST A LITTLE BETTER •WHEN WE ABIDE WITH HIM HERE AND NOW IN THIS LIFE.. •AS WE GROW IN CHRIST…. LIVE AS HE CALLS US TO LIVE… “EXPERIENCE SEEMS TO BE •LIKE THE SHINING OF A BRIGHT LIGHT. •THINGS SUDDENLY BECOME CLEAR IN THE MIND •THAT WERE ALREADY THERE, PERHAPS, BUT DIMLY SEEN.—” WHEN WE EXPERIENCE •JUST A TASTE OF WHAT GOD •HAS PROMISED WE CAN KNOW •MORE FULLY JUST HOW GOOD GOD IS •AND IT CAN DRAW US NEARER TO HIM GENESIS 13:18 THEN ABRAM MOVED HIS TENT AND CAME AND DWELT BY THE OAKS OF MAMRE, WHICH ARE IN HEBRON, AND THERE HE BUILT AN ALTAR TO THE LORD. DWELL WITH GOD •ABRAM HAD WALKED THE LAND •AND AFTER HE HAD SEEN ALL •THAT GOD HAD PROMISED TO GIVE HIM •HE MOVED HIS TENT AND CAME AND DWELT BY THE OAKS OF MAMRE, WHICH ARE IN HEBRON, THIS MAY NOT SEEM •LIKE A BIG DEAL TO US •THAT ABRAM SET UP HIS TENT… •BUT THE IDEA HERE IS THAT •ABRAM RESTED ON GOD’S PROMISES HE DID NOT GO LOOKING •FOR SOMETHING BETTER •HE DID NOT GO BACK TO HIS HOMELAND •HE DID NOT WANDER AROUND •HE SETTLED DOWN TO DWELL IN GOD’S PROMISES THIS PLACE, THE OAKS OF MAMRE IN HEBRON… WILL BE •THE PRIMARY SETTLEMENT •OF ABRAM AND ISAAC •THE FAMILY BURIAL CAVE WILL •BE LOCATED NEAR THIS SITE… THEY WILL DWELL HERE WITH GOD…. WHEN WE KNOW •WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED IN THE GOSPEL •WHEN WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A TASTE •OF THE GREATNESS TO COME •WE CAN REST IN… DWELL IN GOD WE CAN STOP CHASING •AFTER ALL THE WORLDLY THINGS •AROUND US.. WEALTH.. FAME.. STUFF •WE CAN PITCH OUR TENT WITH GOD •AND DWELL IN PEACE AND CONTENTMENT AND WORSHIP GOD •ABRAM HAD LOOKED AT THE LAND •HE HAD WALKED THE LAND •GOD HAD PROMISED HE AND HIS DESCENDANTS •THE LAND….. THREE TIMES… AND ABRAM HAD PITCHED •HIS TENT… SETTLED DOWN… •TO DWELL WITH GOD IN HEBRON •AND THE FIRST THING HE DOES •IS BUILD AN ALTAR TO THE LORD NOW THERE IS ONLY •ONE REASON WHY YOU BUILD AN ALTAR •YOU BUILD AN ALTAR TO WORSHIP….. •GOD HAD COME TO ABRAM •GOD HAD SPOKEN WITH ABRAM GOD HAD HELPED •ABRAM TO KNOW WHAT WAS PROMISED •TO EXPERIENCE WHAT WAS PROMISED •AND NOW OUT OF THANKS AND GRATITUDE •ABRAM BUILDS AN ALTAR TO WORSHIP GOD WHAT AN AMAZING RESPONSE •WHAT AN IDEAL THING TO DO…. •THE MORE WE UNDERSTAND •WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED US •IN THE GOSPEL.. THE MORE WE SHOULD WORSHIP GOD •OBVIOUSLY, WE DO THAT •WHEN WE SING SONGS OF WORSHIP •BUT WE CAN WORSHIP GOD •ANY TIME …. ANY PLACE… ABRAM NEEDED AN ALTAR •BUT IF WE HAVE TRUSTED IN CHRIST •WE CAN COME TO GOD IN WORSHIP •ANY TIME… AND ANY PLACE… •THAT IS PART OF THE GOSPEL OFFER •THIS IS ONE OF THE PROMISES… WE CAN BOLDLY COME •BEFORE THE THRONE •WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER •WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLING US •WE ARE IN AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD…. •WE CAN COME TO GOD IN WORSHIP NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE…. JUST LIKE SOAP HAS •TO BE APPLIED BEFORE •ANYONE GETS CLEAN •THE GOSPEL HAS TO BE APPLIED •TO OUR LIVES FOR IT TO DO ANY GOOD THE FIRST ACT IN APPLYING •THE GOSPEL TO OUR LIVES •IS TO LOOK AT ALL THAT GOD •HAS PROMISED IN THE GOSPEL •CERTAINLY ETERNAL SALVATION IS THERE… BUT GOD PROMISES •MUCH MORE THAN JUST SALVATION •IF WE WILL JUST LIFT OUR EYES •AND LOOK.. TO THE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST & WEST •WE WILL SEE GOD’S PROMISES PEACE, FORGIVENESS, ASSURANCE •GUIDANCE, GRACE, MERCY •RELATIONSHIP, PRAYER, •AND WE CAN UTTERLY TRUST THESE •PROMISES… BECAUSE THEY ARE FROM GOD WHEN WE WALK IN •THESE PROMISES WE GET A •GLIMPSE OF ETERNITY •IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE GREATNESS OF GOD •IT HELPS US DEVELOP GRATITUDE WE EXPRESS THIS GRATITUDE •WHEN WE WORSHIP GOD •GIVING HIM PRAISE AND ADORATION •FOR ALL THE AMAZING THINGS •WE HAVE BEEN PROMISED, AND HAVE RECEIVED IN THE GOSPEL.. THE GOSPEL THAT TELLS US •THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVES US •AND WANTS AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH US •BUT WE ALL SIN.. •WE THINK… SAY.. AND DO THINGS..