BLESSING
Amen, and amen, Let me walk you guys out. my Facebook
Thank you, Troy.
Go ahead and let's go to Genesis chapter 12. Genesis chapter 12, right Last week we always started in this text this major transition in the Book of Genesis the calling of Abram. I want to start again in verse 1 now the Lord said that you go. Go from your country go from your Kindred go from your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great so that you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you I will curse and in you. all the families of the Earth Chubby, black amazing moments in history a definitive Act of God in space and time God intervenes in his creation. He calls this man a Remember to Remember the context remember we just come out of Genesis 10 and 11 the Tower of Babel incidence. The the the the the secondary proliferation of evil God's judgment upon the nation's he disinherits them. He confuses their language. He scatters them. Places them under the Dominion of the Divine Council now God steps in to his creation because in spite of the Divine Rebellion against his Sovereign rulership in spite of humanities Rebellion against his rightful kingship. God has not will not and will never give up on his original plan. McGovern with his creation all of his creation Just because we've blown it. God does not give up on us. Somebody say Amen. So he comes the Abram and this is an amazing 3 vs. I'm just 3 Simple vs. But when you when you think about and you and you try to unpack what's going on, this is a big ass. This is a big moment. Comes to Abram. Who is Abram. He's one of the disinherited. Abram and his family worship another guy. God doesn't call him because he's righteous. Doesn't come and say men Abram you're killing it you're doing so good. I'm so impressed by you come on into my favorite know God comes and chooses him wife because of God's choice is Abram. I'm going to do something in and through you that's going to change the trajectory of human history. But but here's what you got to do. You got to go you got to leave here. He comes to a brand with an offer. It's not an easy offer. But it's a potentially rewarding one Abraham to leave his land. The gods going to give him another land. Abraham to leave his family, but God's going to make up him a great family a great nation. ancient Mesopotamia where Abraham came from the gods we're Geographic. If you lived in a town, you had a temple in that town in you worship the god of that town. If you move from that town to another town just by virtue of moving. You're leaving that God no longer. Can you offer worship for sacrifices at that Temple when you leave that one that lands to go to another land you're leaving that God for another guy. This is what God is inviting Abram to do you got to leave what you've known so that you can have something new.
In the same way in ancient Mesopotamia world not only did they worship Geographic but they worship ancestral deity. And this is still true in large parts of the world.
Worship the local deity of the village and the ancestral Spirits those that have come before. There's a lot happening in the subtext of this calling of Abraham. When God says I want you to leave your land. I want you to leave your Kindred and your father's house. When you interpret that in the grid of the ancient near East God is calling him out. Of the Dominion and authority of everything that he has known. The enter into a relationship a governmental relationship with Yahweh himself. The god takes the initiative in this is absolutely vital and important and that God is the one who guarantees. It is absolutely essential for us to understand in the rest of Genesis this morning. No doubt God steps in and says I'm going to do something. to you in you and through you So we saw that Abram responded. The cerebrum went just as the Lord told him lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he departed from her an Abram took Sarah his wife and lot his brother's son and all their possessions that they had gather and the people that they had acquired in her ran and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they come to the land of Canaan Abram pass through the lands the place at shechem to the Oak of moreh at that time. The Canaanites were in the land and the Lord appeared to Abraham and said to your Offspring. I will give this land you see the connection between the first I'm going to give you a family. I'm going to make you a nation. I'm going to give you a lamp now. God is saying here it is. This is where it's going to happen. Not yours yet. The Canaanites are still in it right there going to be a process, but I'm going to give this to your Offspring. Says. I'm going to do this.
So he built there an altar to the Lord would have appeared to him from there. He moved the Hill Country on the east of the South and pitched his tent with the fell in the west and I on the East and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. Abraham's Journey, Don still going toward in the gap. Fascinating to me. Called him and he and he responds he obeys gathers his family. He gathers his possessions and he leaves and he begins to follow he comes to this place the Lord leads him to and they're the Lord says this is it. This is the land that I am going to give you. He builds an altar. He goes farther. Yep, you're in the land. He builds another altar. I mention the last week's this is deeply connected to Genesis chapter 2 in the Eden events. Eden is the temple where God dwells with his people. Abram is called by God to be God's people the ones who God dwells with the when he comes to the lands with the Lord brings him to what does he do? He build on also a place where he can commune with God.
fascinating Beauty can we have a broom and his family walking in obedience? In this place with weird. God has led them and they are. They're building altars. They're communing with God. They're calling upon the name of the Lord and at this point in the narrative we're going maybe this is it. Maybe Abrams the dude. He's going to pull it off. He's going to be fishing hero. He's going to be the one that does would Adam didn't do he's going to succeed where Kane fail. He's going to deliver in a way that no, I didn't even dream Abrams the guy he's with God. He's in the landscape and New Beginnings Abrams going to be the hero. We we love heroes, don't we?
Part of our problem when we read the scriptures is it we're looking for hero.
We find them. But we find the wrong hero. Abraham's not hero got gyro if there's no mistake the after this this radical call this beautiful scene of faithfulness and obedience and God's blessing here. They are in the land.
No mistake. But the very next story we get is this. Now there was a famine in the land think about that. Think about that. God called Abram I'm going to make of you something. I'm going to give you this land. I'm going to take care of you in ancient near Eastern culture the god. That's the deal right? I'm going to your in this land. I'm going to take care of you. So God has called Abrams keys left everything. He stepped out in faith. He's followed him. He's come into the land. And now what does the experience? salmon Finn is still a reality. The world is still broken. The calling of Abraham is the beginning of a fix.
But it's something that goes Dee there's famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt. the sojourn there the famine was severe in the Latin. We read that we cuz I make sense. If a man has no food where you're at, so you go where there's food. In the context, this is 8.
He left everything to follow God and the first time it gets bad the first time it's difficult the first what does he do? He leaves the land. What does it mean in the ancient near East when you leave the land? It means you're leaving.
Lego Egypt wife cuz there's food there. What are the implications of that the gods of Egypt? Stronger more powerful more loving more good than the god that called Abram to the last Sweet Leaf. goes to Egypt and it just gets worse. When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarah his wife. I know that you are a woman. beautiful in appearance Sarah was a hottie.
She was drop-dead gorgeous. This is not the compliment you think it is. He says there I know that you are beautiful. And when the Egyptians see you they will say that's his wife. How I feel everyday, what you doing with him? This is what they're saying. Then they will kill me. Unless you live so then we go in there and they see me. We're not that powerful. We're not that significant. We're going into a good you can go.
So here's the plan.
Are you my sister?
You're my sister that it may go well with me because of you and that my life may be spared for your sake. On a human level. It makes a lot of sense. on a human level from a selfish self-preservation standpoint. It makes a lot of sense from a marital level. icrate decision on a spiritual level It reveals a disturbing lack of faith and trust.
Say you're my sister when Abram entered Egypt Egyptian saw that the woman was very beautiful. When the princes of pharaoh saw her they praised her to Pharaoh himself and the woman was taken into Sarah's house. Translation. She's made a part of his harem.
Because of that for her sake he dealt well with Abram Abrams plan actually worked.
Said he had she been oxygen and male donkeys and male servants female Servants of female donkeys.
Farrell's so smitten with Sarah thinks Abrams the brother on so happy.
but got to pay attention to the butts in Scripture. but but the lure
velour
Abraham and Sarah had walked out on God in the land.
The god wasn't going to walk out on them. Even when they were faithless, he was safe. Ramas that God made with Abram was not dependent upon Abrams obedient. It wasn't depending on Abrams faithfulness. It was on God's faithfulness. So even though Abraham and Sarah are blowing it is with them. And what did God promise them? I'm going to give you the land. I'm going to make you a nation. They're not in the land. They're still in fertile. And now she's been taken from Abram and made a part of the hair on the pharaoh. In order for God to pull off what God said. He's going to pull out he's going to have to do something and clearly Abrams decision-making is suspect the best.
God steps in Don't you love it when God steps in? The Lord did exactly what he said those who bless you I will bless those who dishonor you I will curse.
Girl doesn't know he's dishonoring them but he is so the Lord Afflicted pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarah Abraham's wife if this is a proof refrigerator something else that's going to come. in Egypt
the dishonoring of God's people resulting in the plagues taken out against the Pharaoh and his household. The text doesn't tell us how but Farrell figures it out. The Pharaoh called Abram and said what is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me but she with your wife?
Why did you say she is my sister so that I took her from my wife now then here is your wife take her and go.
The stories are so beautiful. So
so Regal
get out just get out.
feral gave men orders concerning him and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had
who's the hero in the story? Champion Abraham It's certainly not Sarah. We're not going to give Pharaoh any credit here. God is the hero in this story. and though in the ancient world the other God we're limited to geography and ancestry. God the Elohim of all Elohim the Creator and sustainer is not limited to one play. For all the Earth is here. And even though he has disinherited the nation's for a season.
Does it purpose? and Redemptive That through his chosen people. He might bring a blessing. to All the Other Nation
We're here this weekend on Memorial Day. We sing God Bless America. We say the Pledge of Allegiance. You can't watch a sporting event because of cold. When they come back and before that you couldn't watch a sporting event without somebody thanking God for the victory. You can't you can't watch an award ceremony or a presidential address without somebody saying God Bless America. God Bless America think about what that mean.
And why should God Bless America and why could or can God Bless America? Because at this point in the narrative in Genesis chapter 12, God has disinherited the nation's he's Chosen One people to be his representative. To demonstrate through them to his sufficiency and his Supremacy. And it looks like if you don't read any further, it looks like God made a really bad choice, cuz the first sign of trouble he bail. any fail but God doesn't give a we we know the rest of the story. We know that in spite of Abraham's failures. God was faithful. Did give him the land in a family and we know that in spite of Isaac's failures and Jacobs failures and Israel's failure. We know that in spite of the failures of the Kings and the prophets and the people as a whole that God did not give up and we know no that a descendant of Abraham an offspring of Abram a son of Abram was given. Who is also the very Sun God? We know that Jesus came to fulfill all that was promised in and to and through Abram fit in Jesus. God is reconciling all things unto himself. The only reason we can say God Bless America is because of Jesus. Jesus has destroyed the barriers and wall that God directed between the people. Jesus has brought a unity and a wholeness to one people of God.
Except for the very same reason that we can say God Bless America we can we must and we should say God blessed turkey. God bless Canada. God bless them Bob way. God bless Cuba. God bless it all. Because the heart and the plan and the desire and the design of God is to bring all his children home and that is possible because of Jesus.
We're Abram. safelist Jesus was faithful.
Where Abraham was incomplete and insufficient Jesus was whole and adequate. We're Abram did not experience the fullness Jesus brings. Entirety of God to Bear not just to Abraham's descendants. me you Jesus makes it possible. That's a weird sound. It ain't me.
drone
maybe Dan but
good to be bad.
I am in the middle of a sermon preaching about Jesus and a 10 year old boy just comes right out.
Jesus comes to do for us. We couldn't do for a cell. And Jesus Bridges the gap between us and God. In the way that Abram was supposed to and yet never did. In a way, that would really bring the people's back the got Jesus did that. Psalm 82 has been such an important x4s in this series and ends this way arise o God judge the Earth for you shall inherit all Ganesha Albanese
let's let's understand that but understand that God and his thing them is above every Kingdom and that the house of Jesus hear me. God does not belong to one people or one place any longer. He did for a season 5 shoes design.
But now in Christ The Gates have been blown wide open.
God is the God of all people and all places. So yes, we should pray and cry out. God Bless America not because we deserve it. Not because we're better than other countries or other people exist tragically. This is this what we've done sweet off the the grace and the freedom in the beauty of Jesus into a nationalism. Enter patriotism the tries to merge America and God's people.
That's the cultural reality that we live in but that's not the biblical dynamic. America is not more blessed than any other country because worth more righteous than any other country. The reality is on any who will receive it and God's heart and desire is for every tribe every tongue Every Nation to come unto him.
So weak we can cry out God Bless America because we know the gods that is the god of the whole Earth.
I love song to.
One of them are quoted Psalms in the New Testament. I want to read it in its entirety.
song to why Do the nation's rage? And the people's plot in vain. Like the ancient psalmist watch our news.
It's almost like there's nothing new Under the Sun.
Why why why do the nation's rage and the people's plot? in vain the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together.
Here's where the psalmist takes us on a journey. It's not that they just take counsel amongst themselves against each other.
What do they say they take counsel against the Lord and against his anointed? when we Elevate our human Kingdom the place that only God deserves and is the rightful King of the earth when we Elevate our kingdom against him.
We're elevating ourselves against him.
Does this this is what they say? Let us burst their bonds apart and Cast Away their cords from us. We want to be free from God. We want to do things our way. We want to be large and in charge.
He who sits in the heavens?
The Lord holds them in derision, or they make their plan. They have their strategies they build up their army. They lay out their arguments. on a human level in time and space it often looks like they succeed. We're living in a culture that is boldly and proudly proclaims god of death. We no longer need God science is God. We are our own and it looks like it looks like Arbonne.
but the Lord laughs then he will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his Fury.
I know we've got modern books and movies saying that God is Not wrathful. And God doesn't have Fury and God's just a giant Mochi fuzzball that wants to hug us all.
That's not love love is not angry. A broken this is not love at all.
Because God loves God is wrathful. Because God loves he's furious at the Brokenness that we experience in our lives in the Brokenness that we inflict on each other and on God's creation. And don't we make plans and the dough we reject him and we go our own way and we Elevate ourselves to a place that only he deserves.
God will act
As for me God says I have set my king on Zion my Holy Hill and nobody knew nobody knew that the way God would set up his King on Zion with the elevation on a cross.
But that's how we did it. I set my King in Zion my holy kill I will tell of the decree the Lord said to me you are my son today. I have begotten you ask of me and I will make
Who's he talking to? talking to Jesus ask of me and I will make the nation's your heritage and the ends of the Earth your possession. This is the Fulfillment of Genesis chapter 4. Angie now it's time to he's looking forward to it that what we're in this weird place where we're on the other side of the Cross, but we're still reading the Return of the King. Transitional already not yet moments where Jesus has been elevated as king over all people and all places and yet not all people and places have bent the knee.
But they will.
You should break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a Potter's vessel. Now therefore of Kings be wise be warned rulers of the Earth.
careful
Be careful how you treat God. Your heart your might. Be careful.
Serve the Lord with fear.
Kiss the sky. Let P be angry sign of almonds. Kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish in the way or his wrath is quickly kindled blessed are all who take refuge in him. I can be black.
how to descend into labor I could be black. because of Jesus you can be black week. All the people of the Earth can be blessed because of the hero. We've been given a beautiful gift. And that we've been given a little Glimpse at the end. It's a little Glimpse Book of Revelation. Why would a fun read that can be?
It's not meant to be a detailed road map. It's not a GPS. It's fuzzy on purpose. But it does give us. hand hole does give us some things to grip so that we might have hoe. there's a passage here in Revelation 11 that references back to some to We see it in its fulfillment Revelations 11 says in the seventh angel blew his trumpet and they were loud voices in heaven worship.
This is what they say. Listen to what I say. the kingdom of the world look at the text carefully and say kingdoms. the kingdom the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his cry. And he shall reign.
forever ever and ever
Kingdom of the world after Babel, it's Kingdom. After Christ it sting dumb. We're not quite there yet. I know that. But it's coming. One day all the people's will be together in one Kingdom with one Lord.
The only one who is worthy to rain. Only one who is capable.
King of the world become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever in the 24 Elders who sit on their Thrones before God fell on their faces and worship God saying we give thanks to you Lord. God Almighty who is and who was
Are you have taken your great power? and begun to rain
Genesis to replay'd out this time it ends differently.
Nation raged this is our reference the song. Is what the elders are crying out in worship before Jesus before God on ourselves to send the nation's rage fitted everything they could. They plotted in vain a giraffe pain. And now is the time. the Dead bejac now is the time for the rewarding of your servants the prophets and Saints and those who fear your name both great and small.
the Destroyers of the earth he who has ears. Let him hear.
I'm afraid that one of our biggest challenges is that we mistake God's patience for weakness.
Is forbearance for an inability?
or ineffective
We had our own Peril. Forget that God is God. He is The Sovereign righteous rightful ruler and judge and king of all of creation. and one day
one day Kingdom of the world
that's not the USA. My Canadian friends, it's not Canada.
the kingdom of the world will be king. of our Lord and his crying When we cry and pray and sing God Bless America. The only way to biblically do that.
To do it in a way that longs for that day.
For that when all peoples in all places. Joyfully, then the knee and confess that Jesus the king. Is the Lord forever and ever and ever and the church say Amen?