6.1.51 11.17.2019 Traditions, Transitions & Temptations

Start:

Entice: 2019 is passing us by. Has our Church been all it can be and done all it can do to seek the lost, edify the saved, and prepare the saints for service?

Engage: Seek. Save. Serve. I have tried to support our mission this year with preaching that has focused on "the Grind". Our daily, in-day out commitment to service. After 3 1/2 years of residency in Grayville I have a pretty good idea of where we have come from and what we need to do as we move forward as a church. I am excited about the parts of the Bible we will share together next year. But as for the end of this year there are a couple of matters we need to discuss as we prepare for the frenzy of the holidays and the fresh opportunities of 2020. There are some issues which can keep us from reaching the lost and bringing Jesus to our community.

years of residency in Grayville I have a pretty good idea of where we have come from and what we need to do as we move forward as a church. I am excited about the parts of the

Bible we will share together next year. But as for the end of this year there are a couple of matters we need to discuss as we prepare for the frenzy of the holidays and the fresh

opportunities of 2020. There are some issues which can keep us from reaching the lost and bringing Jesus to our community.

An inordinate

focus on tradition

and an inordinate

fear of transition

and

the temptation to focus

the temptation to focus

on the wrong things.

•These issues are really expressions of one phobia:

fear of change.

Expand: reminds us that our faith is grounded in the saving behaviors of Abraham.

reminds us that our faith is grounded in the saving behaviors of Abraham.

reminds us that our faith is grounded in the saving behaviors of Abraham.

reminds us that our faith is grounded in the saving behaviors of Abraham.

Galatians 3:6 ESV

6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

succeeded and failed in the on-going faith quest. The New Testament story recounts how Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law and the faithfulness of Abraham. The rest of

The Old Testament story recounts how Abraham's fleshly descendants succeeded and failed in the on-going faith quest. The New Testament story recounts how Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law and the faithfulness of Abraham. The rest of human history is the story of how we complete the quest until consummation.

human history is the story of how we complete the quest until consummation.

Faith consists of the things we believe, that which is taught in the Bible...

As well as our ongoing response.

This has been true from the Moment Abraham left Ur. His story is full of reminders of this give and take between God's Word and our response.

• His story is full of reminders of this give and take between God's Word and our response.

• Excite: Abraham served God with gratitude and gumption. The faith he modeled was full of risk. It was different. It was counter-cultural.

serve Him with gratitude and gumption

Where can God take us as we continue to serve Him with gratitude and gumption?

• Explore:

Biblical Faith will keep us from being frozen in the past, victimized by the present, or fearful of the future.

• Explain: Three familiar episodes from the life of Abraham remind us of how God can lead us beyond our fears when we go with him in faith.

▾ Body of Sermon:

1 The promise of His call

Genesis 12:1–4 ESV

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

1 Hearing.

1 Hearing.

2 The confirmation. //ProcessGenesis 15.1-6 The process of confirmation

▸ 2 The confirmation. //ProcessGenesis 15.1-6 The process of confirmation

2 Believing.

3 Doing.

2 The process of confirmation. Genesis 15.1-6

Genesis 15:1–6 ESV

1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

2.1 Growing, changing relationships.

▾ 1 Growing, changing relationships.

Sarah

Lot.

His neighbors.

God.

2.2 More give & take, questioning, probing.

2.3 The outcome comes as Abram works through the consequences of his conviction.

Faithful people are by nature counter-cultural.

Even those closest don't always understand or have total buy-in.

3 The provision comes through challenge.

Genesis 22:1–19 ESV

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” 15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

.1-19

Abraham continues hearing…

▾ Shut Down:

• 1 Abraham continues hearing…

Abraham continues believing…

Abraham continues doing…

—Abraham now understands that God's provision is what makes faith real, vibrant, and active.

And on from here...

• God will provide. The process is a life-long journey. His promises seem elusive because we are embedded in an unbelieving world.

• The temptation is to stay. To avoid further transition. To focus on past traditions and not move forward. The faith of Abraham is a faith which moves toward God, and away from

self.

• It is not easy. It requires continuous growth. It requires regular renewal.

Hebrews 11:8–10 ESV

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 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. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

•

• I challenge you to keep following Jesus; that is who Abraham was really following the journey is rewarding and the reward is out of this world!

• I challenge you to keep following Jesus; that is who Abraham was really following