Genesis 17:1-27, The Artist Formerly Known As Abram

I think I'm ready for a Bible study you guys excited I'm excited for this chapter I've been looking forward to this and there was a slight chance that I didn't think I was gonna have time to prep and study with you guys because we had a conference in Castle Rock these last couple days with dad and the other regional Calvary Chapel guys in the area so but I buckled down and I did it and I'm so excited so turn your Bibles to Genesis chapter 17 tonight let's come before the Lord and let's pray God we thank you again just simply put that you're here that you're going to speak to us through your word that we can expect you to speak to us through your word and I just pray for just an empowerment for your spirit to fall upon this place on me Lord that you would increase I would decrease this is your moment Lord and we just want to give glory to you and it's in Jesus name and all God's people said amen so Genesis chapter 17 from the last time we were in our study in the sixteenth chapter until right now as we're picking up in the seventeenth chapter thirteen years have passed with Abram and Sarai and Ishmael thirteen years thirteen years is a long time more specifically and I just thought it was fun to incorporate this my wife and I are celebrating 13 years of marriage and next month which is fantastic it's exciting I'm not counting but we have been married for four thousand seven hundred and twenty-one days today and if I were to look at all the things that have happened since I've been married I can't even fully I can't grasp it I mean any of you look back and think about like a dozen things you've done in the last 13 years it's hard to encapsulate it all together and so when I imagine Abram and Sarai 13 years has happened and have gone by and they have this boy Ishmael and not only do they have Ishmael guys he's 99 years old in this past in the tax ninety-nine years old raising a teenager you thought you had it bad I mean you can imagine where these guys are at and Sarah she's 90 years old and they're raising the one who they thought is the promised heir but is not God made a covenant with Abram that through him he was gonna bless the the many nations through him and it's not Ishmael and these poor guys because they're there's that moment in life the you know when you're coming to the end and for some that you label it what you will retirement that moment where things can start to settle down we say things like that things are finally starting to settle down but for these two guys not only is it not over yet it's just the beginning for Abram and Sarai because the promised son of whos to come through this couple has not been born yet in their household and he's coming he's Isaac and in the couple chapters ahead he is going to be born so Abram he's not gonna retire he's not gonna relocate to Florida he's not gonna get those obnoxiously bright clothes that everyone else has there he is just beginning he's going to have so many more kids and as hard and as impossible as that seems guys it's actually going to happen God will fulfill his promise and I want you to understand something that in the seventeenth chapter alone that statement I will that's made by God occurs 12 times in the chapter and the reason why that's even important to note is because when it comes to God's will and I will in his declarations of promises we can hold on to him we can believe them every single time and yeah but that's why we have passages in Scripture like all things are possible through God who strengthens me we say that verse almost in passing when we need to get through a moment and it's true and God's Word is powerful and true and you should you know as the scriptures say hi to his word in your heart so that you might not sin against him but I need you to understand something he's literally gonna take something so impossible on paper to allow a 99 year old to reproduce with his wife who is 89 approaching 90 and again that's like National Inquirer you don't hear that kind of stuff but it's gonna happen here in the text something big something huge chapter 17 the title of my message tonight the artist formerly known as Abram let us begin verse 1 of chapter 17 when Abram was 99 years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him I am Almighty God walk before me and be blameless right off the bat were given a fun age where Abram has introduced 99 years old and yet again because this is what we call this our inception series it's the it's the book of beginnings it's the book of starting points so it's always imperative for you to know when there's a first note or when something's first mentioned in the Bible right here we have a new term the first mention of all-mighty God and some of you actually might know what that term is and what it means and how it's translated to el shaddai el shaddai as mentioned a good 36 times in the Bible alone it means Almighty God or like we just read God the mighty one but it can also mean and I love this translation of it as God the most sufficient one do you actually know what book in the Bible El Shaddai appears the most surprisingly and interestingly enough the term El Shaddai is found more in the book of Job than any other book in the entire Bible and another thing I want to point out at the end of verse 1 God instructed Abram walk before me be blameless but I need you to note something that that word blameless here it doesn't mean sinless obviously we can't attain that the Bible says for there all have fallen short of the glory of God there's none righteous no not one there's no perfect person ever except Jesus Christ Himself the word blameless here means loyal hearted it means to walk with God to live with such a profound awareness of presence and this isn't just a single responsibility instructed only to Abram it's something that's for each one of us that we see all throughout scripture pertaining what it means to live with a profound awareness to walk with God and I'll give you some examples they won't be on the screen but Galatians talks about it I say then walk by the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh walk in a manner worthy of the Lord he is a shield to those who walk is blameless so God - he wants us to live with a profound awareness of his presence and guys you always hear me say that that reverence that reverential awe where you can come before God and you just not only do recognize that his spirit is in the air in the room before you in you filling you afresh it brings you to that point of God you're here I sense it thank you to walk blamelessly that's what Abram is instructed here also in verse 2 let's look what it says in our text chapter 17 God says and I will make my covenant between me and you and will multiply you exceedingly now I need you guys to understand something that the last time God even established mentioned spoke of this covenant with Abram was 25 years prior to this moment that we're reading and I want you to look at the reaction of Abram hearing God again for the first time by the way in 13 years so he's heard the Covenant for the first time in 25 years prior to this but the last time he heard from God was 13 years before this look look how Abram responds in verse 3 and 4 then Abram fell on his face and God talked with him saying as for me behold my covenant is with you and you shall be a father of many nations I have to point this out this was the first thing that stood out to me when I was prepping for this this week why is Abram falling to his face here because if you've been with us or if you've gone through the book of Genesis God has spoken to Abram in numerous chapters this is not the first time God has spoken to him but never once in any of those instances did Abram fall to his face as were reading here in chapter 17 I mean the Lord conversed with him all the time in Chapter 12 in chapter 13 in chapter 15 and every single one of those instances the text specifically says in those chapters the Lord said to Abram the Lord appeared to Abram the word of the Lord came to Abram the Lord brought Abram outside and it was at that moment when God showed him the Stars and he helped him understand that just like the numbers of stars in the sky so will come the descendants that will come after Abram so God has spoken to Abram every single time and never once in any of those instances did he fall to his face like he did right here in the 17th chapter why and the only thing that I can conclude from this because I've read all of these different commentators and all of these different theologians and what they thought but the only thing I can conclude from this is that the last time Abram heard from God was 13 years ago prior to this moment and he didn't even hear from God directly it was through it was through Hagar Hagar had escaped and fled from the presence of Sarah and Abram and God spoke through Hagar to instruct Abram that you're gonna have some name Ishmael and you need to raise him that was the last time Abram had heard anything from God I mean guys he's approaching a hundred years old he is still waiting he thinks for this multiplying of kids that are supposed to come through him much less I mean and at this point in the in Scripture he doesn't even know that Ishmael is not the promised heir but it makes you wonder if Abram at any of those moments doubted like if he genuinely wondered and doubted it's God really gonna fulfill everything he promised I mean I haven't heard from him in 13 years Charles Spurgeon put it this way look at the screen all of these 13 years so far as scripture informs us Abram had not a single visit from his god we do not find any record of his of his of this either doing anything memorable or having so much as a single audience with the most high and I think he's hearing God for again and I agree with Spurgeon I think now at this point he's hearing from him again and the only thing he can do is fall to his knees and just almost that that reverence again think thank you I thought you were gone but you're here thank you that I'm here and he's burying his face in the ground and it was it was a sign of respect it was a reverence I'm hearing from the Most High yet again I wonder how many of you feel like Abraham in those moments where you you you hear from God you do but those moments when you you it's so evident that it's him and it's so and I'll use the word addicting to sense his presence and say oh I missed this and sometimes you can't do anything but fall to your face and say the Lord don't hide your presence for me because that I can't get enough of this guy's Abraham's gonna become a man of faith but you don't become a man a great man of faith overnight you don't in fact and I hope that encourages you I hope that encourages you for multiple reason that yes it takes a years of God's working us years of what you might label as mundane trusting and God acts of building your faith but I need you guys to understand that the reality is faith isn't birth overnight in fact the Bible says in Romans 10:17 you can look at the screen so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord I just spoke in the springs this last Sunday at a church and this woman came up to me afterwards and she was mildly frustrated not with me thank God and she was she was basically saying I just need be honest with you I see all of these people's faith and they love the Lord they're on fire for God and she's like Anna Mae that I don't have that I'm literally mad that they have something that I don't have and you know wait it was a sincere genuine frustrated comment and we talked about this this very same thing and trying to explain to her that faith not only doesn't occur overnight but the Bible does say that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word that your faith will grow on the basis of only absorbing the Word of God but believing it and trusting in it and if you want your faith to grow like this thing called building our faith thing it can't guys it can't just be hearing a pastor speak it can't I'm just gonna say it can't just simply hearing a Bible say it has to be you taking this thing absorbing it and not just absorbing it but saying god this is hard to wrap my mind around and it's hard to even believe but God give me faith like a kid oh I want faith like a kid I love watching my girls and their faith in Jesus and talking to Jesus and I want that too and I can just see that it's the same thing for you guys are gonna find that in God's Word each and every time and Abram I don't doubt that he fellowship with God and sought after God but now he's hearing from him for the first time in 13 years and God reminds him in that 13 year silence or at least what the Scriptures record he reminds him in that moment Abram as for me Abram as for me behold my covenant is with you and you shall be a father to many nations I haven't forgotten by you Abram it's still gonna happen and Abram believed it and he put his faith in that and just like we read in a couple chapters ago from two weeks ago and in Genesis 15:6 and you can look at the screen because of this act of belief in God the Bible says he believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness so not only does God remind Abram of this promise that he made 25 years ago but now he's going to tell them that he is now the artist formerly known as Abram oh yes he's gonna change his name now look at verses five through eight in the text no longer shall your name be called Abram but your name shall be Abraham for I have made you a father of many nations verse six I will make you exceedingly fruitful I will make nations of you and Kings shall come from you and I shall establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you in their generations for an ever lasting covenant to God to be God and to you and your descendants after you also verse eight I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger I love this last part all of the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession and I will be their God let's break it down so now we have Abram which by the way it's gonna be hard for me to transition that to go from Abram to Abraham some of Carolyn's family have changed their names like legally changed their names and I still don't call them by their new legal name not because I'm trying to be rebellious I just genuinely forget it's like how I forgot to change your name but Abram is now Abraham do you guys remember what the name Abram means it means exalted father and that's got to be mildly embarrassing for him and I'll tell you why because he has to introduce himself to everyone he comes into contact with the names Abram exalted father oh that's lovely so how many children do you have mmm none actually Oh salted father well you know you can change your name at the DMV to whatever you want like Gino it doesn't matter exalted father it just seems like such a hard name to hold on to because for him not only does it seem backwards it's like why am I called this if I can't even have kids this doesn't make any sense it would be like if Kirk Cameron the Left Behind series actor it would be it would be like if his name meant talented actor it's backwards right doesn't seem like it's true it's because it's not true it's actually quite wrong I said it I said it love Kirk Cameron that he loves Jesus but he can't act but also another thing we need to remember is that in Abraham's mind he's looking at the situation he's thinking Ishmael the guy that I had relations with Hagar this is the promised son and maybe okay exalted father doesn't seem as hard anymore because at least I have one kid now at least I have something you can feel good about but now God's changing it from Abram to Abraham and you know what Abraham means we just read it in the text father of many nations the bar was set high before but now it's just if that's just insane and I could just imagine Abram after he hears that okay I know one kid alone was enough pressure but now I have we have a nation of them it just seems like a lot but guys this is exactly why this is exactly not only why but how God operates guys he takes what is literally impossible on paper and not only makes it possible to prove the validity of his deity it forces us to conclude nothing but God it's you it's there was no other possible way for this to happen and that's why we have these terms miraculous and miracles because sometimes you can't explain anything other than to say it's a miracle it's it's a god-given miracle in this moment because think about it we just read that Abram would be a father the text says of many nations exceedingly fruitful not only that it says I will make nations out of you and Kings shall come from you this is remarkable guys not just from just the text itself but historically speaking everything God spoke of is actually going to happen never before to God specifically say that multiple nations would come from Abram in in Genesis chapter 12 he spoke of a covenant a singular nation in Genesis 12:2 he never previously gave a covenant or a promise that that Kings would come from Abram now he's giving the specifics that not only can you believe that I'm your shield and your strength and your exceedingly great joy and a great nation is gonna come out of you it but actually nations plural and Kings plural are gonna come from you and your descendants this means also that the Covenant is not just between Abram now Abraham but now it's between Abraham and those who aren't even born yet and this covenant that's going to come from this man a promise to those men and women that haven't even been born God tells them I will give to you and your descendants after you the land in everlasting possession that land that God is referring to here in verse 8 it's God's covenant and promise to the Jewish people ladies and gentlemen Israel he's promising them Cain and this is yours I mean even when he was with his nephew Laden and he was so gracious enough to divide the land he's like pick the right and I'll go to the left he picked the left and I'll go to the right that it was you know it wasn't he didn't have to do that because God had given it to Abram and through that moment was this establishment that nolley are you gonna possess tons of kids you're gonna possess the land and everlasting possession the text says it was a land and this is where it's crazy guys it was a land that he promised them even though Abram himself isn't gonna see the fulfillment of that land during his lifetime until Jesus actually is gonna return guys and establish his thousand-year Kingdom where Abram is finally fully going to see this happen and so not only is this a promise that God has shown Abram in this moment one day we're gonna party guys we're gonna be able to see this we're gonna be able to participate in this in fact the writer of Hebrews expounds on Abraham's faith even more Hebrews 11 9 through 10 look at the screen it says by faith he dwelt in the lane of promise as a foreigner as a foreign country dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise for he waited for the city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God and I want you guys to wrap your mind around this concept and just even what I read right here Abram lived as a sojourner in a land that not only did God promise he's never gonna own any of it except the plots that he and his wife are gonna be buried in eventually and the passage of Scripture in Hebrews that I just read it's so interesting because it says by faith he dwelt in the land of promise that word dwelt in the Greek is Paro Coase and Paro Coase the way that it can be translated and what it means as a resident alien more specifically the meaning behind it it's someone who lives in a certain place but they don't have a permanent status there Abram is given promised property that he is never going to fully experience not yet at least but it's still promised to him continue into verse 9 and then God said to Abraham as for you you shall keep my covenant you and your descendants after you throughout their generations doesn't seem unrealistic does it I could just imagine Abraham thinking yes yes yes this is such an amazing mode I'm gonna keep your your covenant your Commandments because you just promised me a bushel of children so yes of course they're gonna do what I do what do you need me to do God look at verse 10 so this is my covenant which you shall keep between me and you and your descendants after you every male child among you shall be circumcised verse 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins and it shall be a sign of the Covenant between me and you which is you just imagine Abram saying I can come again it sounded like you just said every male child to be circumcised oh you did say that yeah I can we just like sign some papers and make this official in a different way kind of a thing the thing that you guys need to understand pertaining to circumcision believe it or not this isn't something that was invented in this moment of history in the scriptures circumcision for generations was practiced by numerous nations around that part of the world as well as the Middle East in fact we have texts that tell us that the ancient 6th dynasty of Egypt practice circumcision that the Roman Empire practices that the priests of the Roman Empire and the offspring of the priests were circumcised as well as they the ammonites the Moabites so it's interesting because god he's taking a social practice that they're familiar with in this time of scripture and he's turning it into something that has a spiritual meaning about God because again it's a social practice but then he takes what other cultures are familiar with and he has this redeeming factor behind it lay it in to apply into the covenant that he's making with Abraham in this moment and this isn't the only time in scripture that this happens because baptism again we look at baptism and we think that it was invented in this moment John the Baptist invented it but baptism was practiced even before John the Baptist you know but it didn't just begin with the early church and Christians that Jews practice baptism for generations but for us for crit for Christians now for believers it was a symbol it was an outward sign of a covenant you making a public declaration that you follow Jesus another important thing to know is that whenever God and I love this whenever God makes a covenant he provides an outward sign as well it's true with Noah he made a covenant he provided the rainbow as the outward sign with Moses the Mosaic Covenant he provided the sign of the Sabbath to the church he gave the sign of baptism an outward sign of inward reality you follow Jesus now and it now shows for the Italian people covenant he made them short and hairy that was their outward covenant that was made and established all our important things but God has always been intentional about showing that not only am i making a covenant here's the sign behind it I also want you to notice in the text that we just read that God told Abraham every male child among you shall be circumcised now this is for the first time God giving instructions to Abraham to do something in regard to the covenant he told him that him his descendants have to take upon themselves the sign of the Covenant showing that not only did they receive it but they received it by faith that was the whole purpose behind it and oh boy could we go into a whole different talk on circumcision of the heart talking about what the New Testament talks about pertaining to circumcision that's another day another Bible study but but at the same time this idea of making a covenant with God even for us there should be an outward sign like Morgan specifically if you've been baptized here at the church or it's some other time before you came to the church you made a public declaration I follow Jesus I want people to know about it and the sign of that covenant was shown not just in that moment but with your actions because remember Paul the Apostle is gonna say in Philippians 1:27 you can look at the screen for this let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ other passages of Scripture talk about this as well show fruit worthy of repentance in Matthew James will say show faith is with faith without works is dead so in the same way that if you follow Christ at least you identify with Christ we're given something to do in regard to this profession of faith that we've made with Jesus we're no but we're by no means gonna perfect Christianity because none of us can but something it's reflected in the way that we behave that shows an interchange I followed Jesus now and that's normal and that should be practice and so God gives Abram further detailed instructions for this cutting away of flesh how it's required of him and his descendants he gives specifics look at verses 12 through 14 in our text so he who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised every male child in your generations he who is born in your house or brought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant verse 13 he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant and the uncircumcised male child who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin that person shall be cut off from his people and he has broken my covenant first thing I want you guys to notice is that God instructs Abram first of all for every single male child every male baby specifically to be circumcised on the eighth day but why the eighth day interestingly enough we have health studies anatomy we have research and science that actually have shown us not only of the value importance of circumcision but we actually through circumcision and seeing through these studies that it's preventing diese diseases that are residing in the folds of the foreskin and again I know you guys love health class as a kid you're gonna love even more here in church today so if you need to squirm a little bit as I go through this is totally fine but science tells us that on the eighth day of a boy's life this is where it's crazy all vitamins nutrients antibodies are in the bloodstream that make things necessary for the only the boy to function properly but now that his body is able to do the things that it needs to do and what I love about God's foreknowledge what I love about God in the way he's done things that he knew that if circumcision took place for the eighth day that hemorrhaging actually could take place from it so not only is this a medically safe thing to do he did it with with a spiritual symbolism behind it but he also did it specifically on the eighth day it's a perfect time but this wasn't just a fun great fantastic news for Abram and every male child after him as they all said amen to this passage of Scripture God's got great news for Sarai now look at verse 15 and 16 of chapter 17 so then God said to Abram as for Sarai your wife you shall not call her name Sarai but Sarah shall be her name and I will bless her and I will also give you a son by her and then I will bless her and she shall be a mother of Nations kings of people shall be from her so now Sarah is Sarah and you know what Sarah actually means it means princess which to me it seems like a way much better less embarrassing less pressure name than Abraham it just seems like an appropriate name and it's a very similar I mean that was such a close change in letters it goes from I to H at the end from Sarai to Sarah I also want you to notice the wording and I'm sure Abraham loved this part and I'm sure God emphasized it in that moment that I'm gonna bless her and also give you a son by her because even in Sarah's mine who is the one who instigated the idea that well maybe Hagar is the one that we're supposed to that you're supposed to have this relation with because you said God promised you and through your body would come this nation and these descendants well you didn't say anything about me well he is right now he is right now Sarah has always been the one that God was referring to pertaining to this promise that Sarah herself from her 90 year old body is going to have Isaac this is insanely exciting news because not only do we serve I mean guys it's easy for us to read this passage of Scripture and just be like let us move I need you to really wrap your mind around this concept that God allowed two people who are way beyond their age of reproducing to have kids at almost a hundred years old and ninety and it makes sense why Abram reacts the way that he does look at verse 17 Abram fell on his face he laughed and he said in his heart shall a child be born to a man who's a hundred years old and shall Sarah look he doesn't call her Sarah I shall Sarah who's ninety years old bear a child it seems like an odd response but I know you all have done this before have you ever heard such amazing news such amazing news that your response is you just laugh because you can't even you it's almost like you can't believe it you're almost so ecstatic to the point like what that's amazing and so Abraham's laugh here it was enough cynicism it wasn't of doubt it wasn't like like that will happen God it was like he was like he was like the dad from the lady in the or he's like boy oh boy it's a boy I would have a boy at a hundred years old he was so excited he was so excited he laughed guys he laughed because outwardly it's impossible this is impossible but with God it was possible he believed it guys he believed it and that's why he said shall a child be born to a man who's a hundred years old shall Sarah who's 99 years old para child again there passed the normal age of reproduce of reproducing but he knew in his heart I believe it though I believe it and look at the first thing on his mind after God makes this declaration as things as things are beginning to settle and he's like I'm gonna have a kid and then the first thing that comes to his mind verse eighteen in the neighbor him said to God oh oh that Ishmael ship might live before you then God says no Sarah your wife shall bear you a son and you shall call his name Isaac I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his descendants after him verse 20 and as for Ishmael I I have heard you behold I have blessed I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly and he promised that to Hagar from our last study he shall be he shall be get twelve princes and I will make him a great nation but my covenant I will establish with Isaac whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year and then he finished talking with him and God went up from Abraham as it's all sinking in now for the artist formerly known as Abram he's considering Ishmael more specifically his age because remember guys it's been 13 years and 13 years of age is like that coming of a man moment especially within this culture in this time so in his mind he's like he's reaching manhood and he's even asking God he's like well why why not Ishmael because he could be the heir he's at the right age and so forth but God's like no it has always been Sarah you rushed it you too rushed that it has always been Sarah depor to see this promise fulfilled and not only that I want you to call him Isaac God is still gonna bless Ishmael and we learned that from the sixteenth chapter last week and again that's why it is important for you to remember guys it's so important for you to remember this moment that God's covenant will come through a son of promise not a son of flesh this means that Isaac is going to be born one year from this declaration that God is making in this moment as he's announced it to Abraham and Abraham when he and Sarah have this kid Isaac is gonna be a century 100 years old and you know we talked about faith that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word and I always say this to people if you don't do it start journaling even for the guys I don't have a diary I don't care call it journaling call it diary whatever you want but the reason why you need to start journaling guys it's because sometimes we're just so fickle to forget how God has fulfilled certain promises in her life and when you read back on how God not only came and helped and brought you through whatever it was rereading it reminds you Oh God who were so good then it is still good today I could just imagine Abraham's faith growing in obedience because he believed this promise because he knew that he can trust in God and it's the same for us cuz guys the Bible says God is able God is who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above what we could ask or think according to the power that works in us that the same power working through Abraham is the same thing that we can access today and Abram believes that let's listen let's read the last portion of the scripture and we'll be done 23 through 27 so Abraham took Ishmael his son all who were born in his house yeah I love him explaining what he's about to do and all who were brought with his money bought excuse me with his money every male among the men of the of Abraham's house and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very same day as God had said damned Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin it's got to be a fun project to do by herself verse 25 and Ishmael his son who was 13 years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin that very same day Abraham was circumcised and his son Ishmael and all the men of his house born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner were circumcised with him he did it he did it and he got a wonder guys you gotta wonder if Abraham thought when God's instructing him to do all of this this this outward mark of a covenant because remember he's 99 years old you know God tells only you shall be circumcised those and and he who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised and it shall be sign of a covenant between me and you you have to order if Abram who now is Abraham is gonna say something to him like circumcise of the foreskin yeah um would you know Noah got a covenant too and it was a rainbow that was a great covenant no hurts my hey no we're gonna do it this way still okay but you know what whatever he thought whatever he said whether he said it or not guys he obeys he does it the text was specific to tell us he did it the very same day and so you not only do since the urgency that he's not gonna put this off he just heard from God I'm doing this I'm doing it today not tomorrow not a week not a month I'm doing it today he meant he demonstrated a measure of faith in an impossible situation and he convinced an entire household what God had spoken to him about Abraham the giddy excited probably happiest ninety nine year old who has ever lived is now holding on to this promise guys Sarah next week is gonna find out about this news she is not giddy she is cynical not only is she cynical the Bible also tells us she's gonna laugh as a response which is interesting because it was a laugh of cynicism it was a laugh of doubt like well you ever gonna happen I'm ninety and what's interesting do you know what Isaac his name means it means he laughs and it does it seems like an appropriate name because both mom and dad laugh at the situation one was with devotion and adoration the other was disbelief cynicism and the name was probably intended to be a symbol of faith struggle Akasha guys we all face it this thing called faith and depending and relying on and seeking God and despite the obstacles of this age of circumcision and despite the obstacle that they're as old as they are guys it's going to happen it's gonna happen they're gonna have Isaac against all odds it's kind of happen and that's next week in chapter 18 good chapter this was a good chapter let's come before the Lord let's pray God we thank you again for the promise of Isaac and the descendants that are gonna come from Abraham Lord and even through Ishmael that we're gonna see the 300 million plus group of people that are gonna come from this and even through satanic attempts to wipe out and create this genocide of a human race you and your grace and your love have preserved this people that you have made a covenant with and like we've always talked about we do we keep our eyes on Israel we keep our eyes on the Middle East we pray and we look to you God because you have an unfinished business with these people and I pray for us that those who are hearing my voice that might feel discouraged in their walk who feel like their faith is so fickle and dry and depleted that in this moment they would remember that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word that men and women here would come back to that reverence of your presence that like Abraham we we can fall to our face in adoration and thanking you God that you haven't left us you haven't forsaken us that we can hold on to the promises knowing that your true your good and we can trust in your promises Jesus I I can trust in your promises we just pray for us as a church for all the ministries and all the outreaches and everything taking place that we would never push Jesus out of the way that you Lord would always be the forefront because the gospel changes lives it's the gospel and it's Jesus Christ and the only name under heaven by which we can be saved is through Jesus Christ and with this time as we're about to do for our last two songs do that guys get back to that place where it's just you lore and just be honest with where your now that's worship [Music] you

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Keywords: Calvary Chapel, Christianity, Bible Study, Jon Geraci, Abraham and Sarah, Circumcission, Genesis

Id: ucPDCLpQrH0

Length: 43min 54sec (2634 seconds)

Published: Thu Sep 13 2018