A while back Meagan and I discovered a television show called Turn. The show is about spies in the Revolutionary War. I like the show because I love history, especially Revolutionary War history. I have read books and biographies on that time period. I remember reading a book about Alexander Hamilton and that book talked about what would have happened to our founding fathers if we lost the war. So, the show Turn always has me on the edge of my seat. I am always thinking, “Oh no, I hope he is not caught by the British!”

In real life, I have read and have knowledge of Christians meeting in secret because of fear of persecution. I have read and have shared with you stories, real stories of people being imprisoned for having a Bible in many countries today.

I want us to look at the narrative of how Rahab protected the spies. She was trusting the Lord, even though she was not Hebrew. I want to show you how the Hebrew spies trusted the Lord as well.

I hope you and I can think about where our trust is.

Let’s read Hebrews 11:31:

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

Now, turn back to Joshua 2 and I want to read verses 1-24:

Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

² The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” ³ So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”

⁴ But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. ⁵ At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” ⁶ (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) ⁷ So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

⁸ Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof ⁹ and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. ¹⁰ We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.¹¹ When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

¹² “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign ¹³ that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.”

¹⁴ “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”

¹⁵ So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. ¹⁶ She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”

¹⁷ Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us ¹⁸ unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. ¹⁹ If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. ²⁰ But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”

²¹ “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

²² When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had searched all along the road and returned without finding them.²³ Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. ²⁴ They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.”

1. Let me share a few words about this passage. We must know the passage before we can apply the passage:
   1. Joshua 2:1-7: The Intro: Spies sent out, Rahab hides the spies and tricks the king’s men
      1. This is not the first time they tried to spy out the land:
      2. Numbers 13:2: The Lord had told Moses that they would have the land of Canaan. The Lord keeps His promises.

• In Numbers 13-14 Moses sent twelve spies out to look over the Canaanite land and look it over about its’ defenses, manpower, and fertility.

1. Joshua was one of those spies. Now Joshua sends the spies out. (Numbers 13:8)
2. Joshua’s name was then Hoshea. Moses changed his name to Joshua.
3. Joshua and Caleb were the only spies of the 12 sent who came back with faith that they could take the land. (Numbers 14:30)

• The other ten said they were like grasshoppers in the sight of them.(13:33) Because of their lack of faith they had to wonder in the wilderness 40 years. Some of them died. (numbers 14:28-45)
• In Numbers 22-24 Balak was afraid of the Israelites although the Israelites were afraid of the Canaanites.

1. Now, the men are sent, two of them to view the land.
2. It says especially Jericho.
3. They end up in the house of a prostitute.

• James 2:25: In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
• Verse 2: the king of Jericho finds out that spies are in town.
• Verse 3: the king of Jericho goes to Rahab and suspects her.

1. Interesting that she responds and he leaves her alone.

• Verse 4-5: she admits they did come to her, but she did not know where they were from.
• She recommends to pursue them quickly.
• Verse 6: this verse explains how she had hid them under stalks of flax on the roof.
• Verse 7: the pursuers leave and they shut the gate.

1. Joshua 2:8- 14: Rahab confesses the Lord is Lord and the beginning of the deal of two way protection
   1. Verse 8: before they lay down: this must mean that she slept there.
   2. Verse 9-11:

• She admits that the Lord has given them the land. She admits that there is fear because of the Lord.

1. She speaks of different events that they have heard:
   1. They have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the sea of Reeds or Red Sea.
   2. The two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordon.
   3. To Sihon and Og who they utterly destroyed.
2. Their hearts melted when they heard this.
3. They had no courage.

• The confessions: The Lord their God is God in Heaven above and in earth beneath.
• Verses 12-14: She wants a pledge that her father’s household will be spared (mother, brothers, sisters and their families).
  1. She says that she has dealt good with them.
  2. The two men say that they will be spared.

1. Joshua 2:15-21: The Promise to Rahab
   1. Verse 15: She lets them down a rope.
   2. Notes that she was living on the city wall.

• There is interesting information about her house on the wall:
  1. Translated literally, the Hebrew reads, “Her house was against the vertical surface of the city wall, and in the city wall she lived.” How was her house preserved when the wall fell? Remarkably, archaeology provides an answer. German excavations from 1907–1909 on the northern section of the site uncovered a portion of the lower city wall that did not fall as it did everywhere else. The still-standing section rose as high as 8 feet (nearly 2.5 m), with houses built against it still intact. A second wall at the crest of the embankment revealed that these particular houses were situated between the upper and lower city walls and were thus “in the city wall.” Since the lower wall also formed the back wall of the houses, an opening (window) in the wall would have provided a convenient escape route for the spies. From this northerly location it was only a short distance to the hills of the Judean wilderness, where the spies hid for three days (2:16, 22). See also “New Testament Jericho”.

1. Verse 16: she recommends a route:
2. the hill country
3. three days of hiding, then go on your route

• Verse 17-19: the terms of the oath. They are free unless certain conditions are met:
  1. Scarlet thread hangs outside the window
  2. Gather in the house all the family
  3. Father
  4. Mother
  5. Brothers
  6. Father’s household
  7. If they leave the house the Israelites are not responsible for them.
  8. The Israelites are responsible to protect anyone in her house.
  9. If she reports of this the Israelites are free from this oath.
• Verse 20-21: she agreed to the terms.

1. They left.
2. She tied the scarlet cord on the window.

1. Joshua 2:22-24: The men escape
   1. They leave and the pursuers did not find them.
   2. Verse 23: They leave and return to Joshua son of Nun.

• They share what happened.

1. Verse 24: they share the fear the people have.

1. We must trust the Lord as the spies did.
   24. I notice in the first few verses that these spies went out into a dangerous city and trusted the Lord. I have read about how people back then would treat prisoners. They would make Jack Bauer look nice. That is a reference form the show I have read accounts of them cutting off a person’s thumbs and big toes and letting them go. They risked it all.
   25. Can we trust the Lord like the Hebrews spies did?
   26. Will we go into a hostile area for ministry?
   27. Will we go out and share Jesus with other people?
   28. It is my goal that we have a foreign mission trip in the next few years.

• We must trust the Lord as Rahab did.
  1. If the spies are foreign mission, I guess we could call Rahab local missions.
  2. Will we offer to pray with someone in public? These are little things but they are big for us aren’t they?
  3. Why not trust the Lord with your life, get involved in a new ministry.
     1. The food pantry is a possibility.
     2. Do you know that Men’s Challenge needs mentors.

• The Caring Committee is a great ministry of this church and they need more volunteers.

1. I know that Keith and Tonya need helpers with certain youth activities.
2. Maybe there is a ministry idea on your mind, what do you have to fear? Bring it up.

1. Certainly many of you need commended for your work with Mission Encounter and many other ministries.
2. However, even within these ministries, how do we lay it all on the line? How do we share Jesus?
3. Sometimes it is the introduction which is the hard part and I think children can help with that. Mercedes and I will be running together and she will see people and say, “Who is that? Does she go to our church?” Occasionally, we are at the grocery store and the same thing happens. Mercedes will ask, “Who is that, does she go to our church?” Recently, Meagan was at Rite Aid in the drive through and the lady called Meagan by her name and Mercedes said, “Who is that? How does she know our name? Does she go to our church?” This led to a conversation.
4. I was in an evangelism class in college and the professor shared a story about a student who had a problem stuttering. In class we always shared times when people received Christ. This student who stuttered had lots of opportunities to share Christ and victories. On one occasion he shared Christ with a motorcycle gang. Sounded scary. The professor asked the student’s partner how the student was doing with stuttering. The partner says, “When he is sharing the Gospel, he doesn’t stutter.”
5. Wow!!!
6. Do we trust the Lord in living the Christian life?
7. Do we trust the Lord in standing up for TRUTH?

1. The Lord is Sovereign, look at the big picture of Rahab and the Bible:
   1. The Lord knew what would happen.
   2. Nothing took God by surprise. Even though the first spies failed, the second did not. What did God do with Rahab?
   3. Rahab ended up being listed in the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:31.
   4. Rahab was used as an example of good works in James 2:25.
   5. In Mathew 1:5 Rahab is mentioned as an ancestor of Jesus.
   6. In Mathew 1:4-5 it shows that Rahab ended up being the wife of Salmon whose son was Boaz.
   7. Boaz ended up being Ruth’s husband. (Ruth 4:13)
   8. Boaz was the grandfather of Jesse who was the father of David the second King of Israel.
   9. We never know what God is doing do we? But God is at work.

Conclusion:

How can God use your faith today? How can God use your faith today for tomorrow?

Think about that. I can go out of this place and share Jesus with someone and this can change their life. Really.

Greg Stier, founder and leader of the youth convention Dare2Share, and widely sought after speaker writes about taking his son and his friends to share the Gospel with people at a mall. He then recounts a story of his own time sharing the Gospel:

I’ve seen God do some unbelievable miracles in the context of “stranger danger” evangelism. Almost 20 years ago I gave a drunk guy named Kevin a brand new More Than a Carpenter book after fruitlessly trying to share Jesus with him and his drinking buddies. Between the F-bombs, he promised to read it. Ten years later he walked into my office and threw that now marked up edition of Josh McDowell’s classic book on my desk. He said, “I read it. I trusted in Jesus. And now I carry 40 of those in the trunk of my car to hand out to the young people I meet.”

I would have totally missed that opportunity if I could only share the Gospel with him in the context of a relationship. The only reason I shared the message is because God put him and his two drunk friends on my heart as I walked past them at a shopping mall. I saw them there, obviously drunk, and God just moved in me to tell these complete strangers about Jesus.

It seemed like a complete bomb at the time. I remember thinking to myself that I just wasted that perfectly good book on a guy who will never read it. Boy was I wrong! Who knows how many will be in heaven as a result of us scattering seeds of hope wherever we go? God knows! And someday, on the other side of eternity, we will meet them and be shocked at the difference all those conversations made!

Another blessing, especially of taking teenagers out to share the good news with strangers, is that they are forced to rely on God.

How are we relying on God today?

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

It is Father’s Day once again.
I enjoy being a father. It is the most important job that I have. I notice certain things about this job more and more. I notice responsibilities, pressures and joys. Just yesterday I was running with Mercedes and she had her barbies with her and she was having a good time. She was singing and talking and pretending while I was running.

As I look at Hebrews 11:23 I find that Moses’ parents protected him. I want to charge this congregation that we are to protect and nurture our children spiritually which has repercussions physically and emotionally. We are to look out for the spiritual needs first and then physical and emotional can fall in line.

Let’s read these passages.

Hebrews 11:23:

By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

Exodus 1:15-2:4

¹⁵ The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, ¹⁶ “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” ¹⁷ The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. ¹⁸ Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

¹⁹ The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

²⁰ So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. ²¹ And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

²² Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”

The Birth of Moses

2 Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, ² and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. ³ But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. ⁴ His sisterstood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

Certainly, we see that the Hebrews midwives were part of the protection process, but the focus is on Moses’ parents. I am not going to teach this passage. I want to focus on the whole of the Scriptures ways we are to protect and nurture our children spiritually and this has impacts physically and emotionally.

Before I talk about the spiritual aspect, let’s talk about forgiveness and second chances. Some of you are parents of children who are not grown and I hope this can help you along. I suspect that most of you are grandparents or your children are grown. What does this mean to you? I hope that as a Christian whenever the Word of God is preached that helps you. I hope we thirst for the Bible because as God’s Word it is part of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) However, I think these applications can help you be better grandparents and parents still. There are some things that a grandparent can talk about with his or her grandchildren that a parent never can. Now, what if you never led spiritually? It is never too late. I think the first step is to humbly talk with your adult children and say this is where I was when you were growing up. Tell them that you made mistakes that you were not a Christian or certainly not a growing and committed believer. Tell them that now you are a believer in Christ. Model being a Christian regardless of age. Pray for your children, regardless of age. After today, you are more informed, but apply it as you can.

So, how do we protect and nurture our children as Moses’ parents protected and nurtured him?

1. Spiritually, we watch over our children spiritually. This is first because this is most important. Without Christ we have nothing. Without Christ our children have nothing. OH, but with Christ we have everything. With Christ our children have everything.
   1. Life jacket illustration:

One day, some men and boys went fishing on a lake. Before they got into the boat, they began to put on their life jackets. One of the men refused to put on a life jacket. Perhaps he thought it made him look like a weakling, or maybe he thought, “I know how to swim. If anything happens I can save myself.” They had only been on the lake for a short time when a sudden storm came up. The wind blew and the waves became so high that they turned the boat over. The ones who were wearing life jackets made it to shore and were saved. The man who was not wearing a life jacket drowned because he had refused to take the one thing that could have saved him.

The Bible tells us that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus wants to save us and take us to Heaven to be with him, but there are some people who think they might look weak if they admit that they need Jesus. They think that they can take care of themselves without him. When the storms of life come up, they are thrown overboard and are lost forever because they refused to take hold of the one thing that could save them… Jesus.

It is foolish to go out onto the water without a life jacket, but it is even more foolish to try to sail the sea of life without Jesus!

1. Psalm 78:1-6: My people, hear my teaching;
   listen to the words of my mouth.
   ² I will open my mouth with a parable;
       I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
   ³ things we have heard and known,
       things our ancestors have told us.
   ⁴ We will not hide them from their descendants;
       we will tell the next generation
   the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
       his power, and the wonders he has done.
   ⁵ He decreed statutes for Jacob
       and established the law in Israel,
   which he commanded our ancestors
       to teach their children,
   ⁶ so the next generation would know them,
       even the children yet to be born,
       and they in turn would tell their children.
2. We must start this spiritual upbuilding when our children are young.
3. What type of legacy to you wish to leave to your children?
4. Sitting at his father’s bedside after watching him take his last breath, John Piper spoke these words:

   I look you in the face and promise you with all my heart: Never will I forsake your gospel. O how you believed in hell and heaven and Christ and cross and blood and righteousness and faith and salvation and the Holy Spirit and the life of holiness and love. I rededicate myself, Daddy, to serve your great and glorious Lord Jesus with all my heart and with all my strength. You have not lived in vain. Your life goes on in thousands. I am glad to be one.

5.  Max Jutes was a no-account horse thief, drunkard whose 1299 descendants were studied. 310 became vagrants, 440 lived in debauchery, 180 became prisoners, including 7 murderers, 100 alcoholics, 60 habitual thieves, and 190 prostitutes. Contrast this with the family of the great 18^th century preacher, Jonathan Edwards. A study done by A. E. Winship revealed that of 1700 descendants, 13 became college presidents, 65 were professors, 100 studied law (one dean of a law school), 30 became judges, 66 were physicians (one dean of a medical school), 80 held public office, 3 were US senators, 3 became mayors of large cites, 3 were elected governors, 1 was vice president of the US and 1 became Controller of the US Treasury. Long term studies of just these two lives and families show we are the products of over 100 years of our forefathers’ actions and decisions and that WE affect our descendants’ lives for over 100 years.
6. Name some “ripple effects” you’ve seen go on for generations in your family, good and bad (Deut 5:6-10; Gal 6:7-10). Do you believe you can break bad cycles and be life-giving as you pass on a godly legacy?
7. I have recently notice Mercedes picking up on things. We go through devotions most everyday and she is at church frequently. I will take her running and biking. She rides in the jogging stroller or the bike pull behind. We see people and say “hi.” Mercedes will say, “Who is that, does she go to our church?” We will be at Wal Mart and Mercedes will see people and say, “Who is that? Does she go to our church?” A few weeks ago Meagan was at Rite Aid and the lady at the window said hi to Meagan, calling her by her name. Mercedes said, “Who is that? How does she know your name? Does she go to our church?” The lady heard this and Meagan was able to talk with her about church. The pharmacist tech said that her relative attends our childcare because she say me lead prayer at an event.

2. The spiritual is most important and this impacts the physical.
   1. This includes purity and modesty as well as modeling work habits and teaching them responsibility.
   2. 2 Thess. 3:10: For even when we were with you,we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
   3. 1 Timothy 5:8: Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has deniedthe faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
   4. The spiritual impacts the emotional. Emotionally, we watch over our children emotionally
   5. John Ortberg shares the following in his book: The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People:

 I was leaving for work after a tense morning at home. I had snapped at the kids, I was feeling pushed for time, and I was preoccupied. As I was going out the door, my son Johnny asked whether I was coming to visit his class that day for the hour when parents were invited. I started to snap “no” and then felt a discernible tug. Something— Someone— invited me to think things over. I felt a stab of pain at my impatience that morning, at the needless hurt I had impetuously caused those I love. That pain, I believe, was part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. So I apologized as best I could and told Johnny I would be at his school.

When I arrived at Johnny’s class, I observed that all but two or three children had parents there. Johnny’s face lit up. For the next half-hour he sat in my lap as we joined in the activities. We were each to draw a picture— not a task I enjoy, being unable to draw a straight line. What made it worse is that the dad next to me drew like Michelangelo. He sketched a hearthside scene, incorporating perspective, shading, and chiaroscuro.

“Use some blue, Daddy,” his son said. “No,” said Michelangelo. “That would throw off my color scheme.” The teacher came by, looked at the man’s drawing, then called the other parents just to observe it. She pointed out mine as a kind of study in contrast. Now I felt another kind of guilt— the guilt of an inadequate artist. But that was the pain of creatureliness, not something that calls for repentance. I had to find another way to deal with my inadequacy. So I waited until the dad next to me wasn’t looking, then marked on his picture with a blue crayon. Then I had something to confess. I looked at Johnny’s picture: clouds, snow, one tree, and what looked like Barney the dinosaur with a human face. Underneath my son had a caption: “I’m thankful for God, my dad, and snow.” I felt pretty good about the sequence. When it was time for the parents to leave, Johnny grabbed me and said, “I just can’t let you go.” I left, but for a few moments I just stood in the doorway and looked at my son. It seemed like only a few years ago that I was a little boy in first grade. Now here he was. Now it was my son’s day. That is his little world— his little turkey up on the chalkboard, his little desk, his slender little fingers determinedly gripping the pencil, his learning how to make letters. And in what will seem like only another few days, he will be the one standing in the doorway and it will be his little boy sitting at the desk. “What if I hadn’t come?” I mused. “What if he had sat here all alone while other kids were surrounded by their parents? How long will I carry in my heart that little picture that says, ‘I’m thankful for God, my dad, and snow’?”

That little stab of pain that called me to think again, to decide differently, is spoken of in the church as the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. We can all experience that. It is the still small voice that nudges us and says, “You have spoken bitter words that have hurt someone. You need to go back and make things right.” “You cheated on your taxes. You need to make restitution.” (One financial expert who works with an evangelical clientele estimates that 50 percent of his clients cheat on their tax returns.) “You spoke deceit. You need to go back and tell the truth.”

This is hopeful pain, the sorrow of wounds that heal.     

Ortberg, John; Ortberg, John (2009-05-18). The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People (p. 137). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Close:

A few years ago there was a movie called Courageous, this resolution is in the bulletin. Men, young men, older men, men without children, men with great grandchildren, if you would stand, let’s read this together.

Show clip from the movie:

Courageous Resolution:

• I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.
• I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the

spiritual leader of my home.

• I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my

life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.

• I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of

their minds, and all of their strength.

• I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.
• I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.
• I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.
• I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.
• I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.
• I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a

man answerable to God.

• I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His

will.

• I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

Author Philip Yancey writes:

In high school, I took pride in my ability to play chess. I joined the chess club, and during lunch hour could be found sitting at a table with other nerds poring over books with titles like Classic King Pawn Openings. I studied techniques, won most of my matches, and put the game aside for 20 years.

Then, in Chicago, I met a truly fine chess player who had been perfecting his skills long since high school. When we played a few matches, I learned what it is like to play against a master. Any classic offense I tried, he countered with a classic defense. If I turned to more risky, unorthodox techniques, he incorporated my bold forays into his winning strategies. Although I had complete freedom to make any move I wished, I soon reached the conclusion that none of my strategies mattered very much. His superior skill guaranteed that my purposes inevitably ended up serving his own.

Perhaps God engages our universe, his own creation, in much the same way. He grants us freedom to rebel against its original design, but even as we do so we end up ironically serving his eventual goal of restoration.

If I accept that blueprint–a huge step of faith, I confess–it transforms how I view both good and bad things that happen. Good things, such as health, talent, and money, I can present to God as offerings to serve his purposes. And bad things, too–disability, poverty, family dysfunction, failures–can be redeemed as the very instruments that drive me to God.

Philip Yancey, “Chess Master,” Christianity Today (5-22-00), p.112

Today, let’s talk about Joseph and his faith. If you know of Joseph in the Old Testament he had quite a roller coaster ride. Beginning in Genesis chapter 37 it is written about Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt. From seventeen until thirty years old Joseph was in slavery and/or prison in Egypt. (Genesis 37:2 and 41:46) Following his imprisonment he becomes second in charge of all of Egypt and God used him to rescue the people of Egypt and Israel. God preserved Israel through Joseph.

Now, we come to the end of the book of Genesis and Joseph’s final recorded words. First, let’s read Hebrews 11:22:

By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

Now, turn to Genesis 50:22-26:

Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years ²³ and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.

²⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” ²⁵ And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

²⁶ So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

My theme and application is that we can learn trusting God through Joseph.

What can we learn from Joseph’s faith and blessings?

1. God has visited us as Joseph said He would. (verse 24)
   1. Do you see that in verse 24: God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”?
   2. By the way this is the first time we see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob mentioned together in this way. God promised the land to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but they never saw the fulfillment. Now, they are in Egypt. What are they to do? Joseph tells them that God will come to their aid. Joseph tells them that they will come out of Egypt.
   3. We learn trust from Joseph. Joseph was pretty much the Secretary of State of the nation of Egypt. He was highly revered. He could have trusted in Egypt but he did not. Joseph still clung to God’s promises. Joseph had faith trusting in the Promised Land.
   4. I think that Joseph had his own royal chariot and his own cooks and the ear of the Egyptian Pharaoh but his trust was not in that.
   5. God did come to their aid.  
   6. God has come to our aid as well.
   7. God came to Israel’s aid some 430 years later and he blessed the world through Jesus Christ.
   8. We can trust in the same promised that Joseph was trusting in.
   9. Remember: Immanuel: God with us. (Matthew 1:23)
2. We have been redeemed; we are given the promise of the Promised Land, though we are not there yet. In Joseph’s context, the people were not yet redeemed out of slavery and given the Promised Land, yet Joseph prophesied this. (verse 24)
   1. Sometimes we have promises, but we have to wait on them.
   2. Joseph promised his brother’s that they will go to the promised land, but they had to be patient.
   3. Now, they could wait patiently and comfortably because at that point the Pharaoh was friendly to the Hebrews. (that is because they brewed good coffee, at least the “he’s” did) Eventually, Exodus 1 tells us the Pharaoh was no longer friendly to the Hebrews, but they still had to wait.
   4. Like they waited, we must wait patiently for Jesus’ coming Kingdom on earth. They waited, we must wait. We have a promise that Jesus is coming for us as He came for the Hebrews. Right now, we are pretty comfortable in the United States, but remember this is not the Promised Land. Someday we may not be comfortable and that will remind us that this is not the world God intended, but it is coming. In other places of the world currently they are uncomfortable and persecuted for their faith. In other places they are hungry and without food and clothing. Even in the U.S. some of these things are going on. This reminds us that this is not the world God intended. Remember, don’t forget, God is coming back for us through Jesus. This is not the Promised Land.
   5. Joseph had faith that God would come back for them and so must we.

• Even though Joseph could have had an elaborate burial in Egypt he chose the Promised Land. No matter what this world can offer us we must look to the Kingdom of Heaven.
  1. Think of all that Joseph could have had in Egypt.
  2. You’ve seen the pyramids, right?
  3. I think he could have had that type of a burial. He could have been buried with gold in some pyramid. That is not what he chose. He chose the Promised Land.
  4. We must trust in God’s promises, not this world.

1. God is in control we can trust Him.
   1. We can trust God’s promise as Joseph did.
   2. My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing that my God can’t do. We’ll come back to that.
   3. When life is falling apart as it was for Joseph we can trust Him.
   4. When we are caring for elderly parents we can trust God.
   5. When we lay family members and friends in the grave, we can have hope in the Resurrection and the life. (John 11:25)
   6. When we are caring for sick children we can trust God and we can look to a time without sickness. (Rev. 21)
   7. When we don’t know where to turn we can turn to God in prayer. (James 5:16)
   8. When dealing with children and grandchildren who are constantly getting into trouble you can hope in Jesus who can turn lives around. (2 Cor. 5:17 and 21)
   9. When you, yourself, are having trouble with sin, having trouble with addictions you can turn to Jesus who has promised to Help. (Matt. 11:28; John 4:14; 2 Cor. 5:17 and 21; Gal. 2:20)
   10. When the world is falling apart and you are afraid to turn on the news we can look forward to the Promised Land. (Rev. 21)

Conclusion:

Man Finally Finds Meaning in his Father’s Murder

In 1986, a Christian worker named Steve Saint was traveling through the country of Mali when his car broke down. Stranded and alone, Steve tried to rent a truck, despite warnings that he wouldn’t survive in the Sahara Desert. After he failed to find a truck, in his fear and discouragement, Steve’s thoughts ran to his father, Nate Saint, a former missionary in Ecuador. When Steve was only five, natives speared to death his dad and four other missionaries. Now, thirty years later, Steve found himself questioning his father’s death. Steve reflected, “I couldn’t help but think the murders were capricious, an accident of bad timing.”

When Steve asked some locals directions to a church, a few children led him to a tiny mud- brick house with a poster on the wall showing wounded hands covering a cross. A man in flowing robes introduced himself as Nouh Af Infa Yatara. Nouh started sharing with Steve about his faith in Christ. After becoming a Christian, his family disowned him. His mother even put a sorcerer’s poison in Nouh’s food at a family feast. He ate the food but suffered no ill effects.

When Steve asked Nouh why he was willing to pay such a steep price for following Christ, he simply said, “I know God loves me and I’ll live with him forever.” But Steve pressed, “Where did your courage come from?” Nouh explained that when he was young, a missionary gave him books about Christians who had suffered for their faith. Then he added, “My favorite was about five young men who risked their lives to take God’s good news to people in the jungles of Ecuador. The book said they let themselves be speared to death, even though they had guns and could have killed their attackers!”

Utterly shocked, Steve said, “One of those men was my father.” Now Nouh felt stunned. “Your father?” he exclaimed. Then Nouh told Steve that God had used the death of those five brave missionaries to help him, a young Muslim who had become a Christian, hold on to his faith.

Possible Preaching Angle: Steve realized that if God could plan the death of his own Son, he could also plan and use the death of Steve’s dad, Nate Saint, to accomplish his sovereign purpose—including reaching one young Muslim for Christ and orchestrating this God-ordained meeting of two men at the ends of the earth.

Adapted from Randy Alcorn, If God Is Good (Multnomah, 2009), pp 400-401

Joseph faced hard times, but God was in control. We may face hard times but God is in control. God has a future plan. Trust Him as Joseph did. Trust His promises.

My God is so big, so strong and so mighty
There’s nothing my God cannot do
My God is so big, so strong and so mighty
There’s nothing my God cannot do

The mountains are His, the rivers are His
The stars are His handiwork too
My God is so big, so strong and so mighty
There’s nothing my God cannot do, hey, hey

My God is so great, so strong and so mighty
There’s nothing my God cannot do
My God is so great, so strong and so mighty
There’s nothing my God cannot do

The mountains are His, the rivers are His
The stars are His handiwork too
My God is so great, so strong and so mighty
There’s nothing my God cannot do

My God is so big, so strong and so mighty
There’s nothing my God cannot do
My God is so big, so strong and so mighty
There’s nothing my God cannot do

The mountains are His, the rivers are His
The stars are His handiwork too
My God is so big, so strong and so mighty
There’s nothing my God cannot do

There’s nothing my God cannot do
There’s nothing, nothing, nothing He can’t do
Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/veggie-tales-veggie-tunes/my-god-is-so-big-lyrics/#64CqmcpSPCjqLYt1.99

Repeat after me: God is in control, God is in control.

Ps 89:13

Your arm is endued with power;

your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

(from New International Version)

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

Notes:

Hebrews 11:22:

Now, turn to Genesis 50:22-26:

My theme and application is that we can learn trusting God through Joseph.

What can we learn from Joseph’s faith and blessings?

1. God has visited us as Joseph said He would. (verse 24)
   1. Remember: Immanuel: God with us. (Matthew 1:23)
2. We have been redeemed; we are given the promise of the Promised Land, though we are not there yet. In Joseph’s context, the people were not yet redeemed out of slavery and given the Promised Land, yet Joseph prophesied this. (verse 24)

• Even though Joseph could have had an elaborate burial in Egypt he chose the Promised Land. No matter what God can offer us in this world we must look to the Kingdom of Heaven.
• God is in control we can trust Him.
  1. We can trust God’s promise as Joseph did.
  2. My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing that my God can’t do. We’ll come back to that.
  3. When life is falling apart as it was for Joseph we can trust Him.
  4. When we are caring for elderly parents we can trust God.
  5. When we lay family members and friends in the grave, we can have hope in the Resurrection and the life. (John 11:25)
  6. When we are caring for sick children we can trust God and we can look to a time without sickness. (Rev. 21)
  7. When we don’t know where to turn we can turn to God in prayer. (James 5:16)
  8. When dealing with children and grandchildren who are constantly getting into trouble you can hope in Jesus who can turn lives around. (2 Cor. 5:17 and 21)
  9. When you, yourself, are having trouble with sin, having trouble with addictions you can turn to Jesus whose promised to Help. (Matt. 11:28; John 4:14; 2 Cor. 5:17 and 21; Gal. 2:20)
  10. When the world is falling apart and you are afraid to turn on the news we can look forward to the Promised Land. (Rev. 21)

Joseph faced hard times, but God was in control. We may face hard times but God is in control. God has a future plan. Trust Him as Joseph did. Trust His promises.

My God is so big, so strong and so mighty
Repeat after me: God is in control, God is in control.

Ps 89:13

Your arm is endued with power;

your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

(from New International Version)

Introduction:

The movie Love’s Unfolding Dream is based upon a series of books by Janet Oke. In this scene Belinda (Scout Taylor-Compton), an aspiring doctor in the little Western town of Anderson’s Corner, is caring for Ms. Stanfordsmythe, a wealthy stroke victim from Boston, Massachusetts. Belinda is unaware that Ms. Stanfordsmythe lost both of her children to death, and Ms. Standfordsmythe is unaware that Belinda lost her mother and father when she was just nine years old. The conversation that ensues shows the stark difference between Belinda’s resilient faith and Ms. Stanfordsmythe’s cynical doubt.

“How ya’ doing today, Ms. Stanfordsmythe?” Belinda asks.

“How do you think I’m feeling—being forced to endure these primitive conditions?” she replies.

“You know, we’re not all uncivilized here,” says Belinda.

“Really? Did I somehow miss seeing the opera house or a good library or even a hat shop with the latest from Europe? No? I thought not!”

“Anderson Corner has other things to offer,” replies Belinda.

“Such as?”

“Good people, and a church that welcomes everybody—including strangers. We take care of each other in difficult times,” says Belinda.

“You’ve never even been outside this small town, have you?” asks Ms. Stanfordsmythe.

“Actually, I was born in New York,” replies Belinda. “I didn’t come here till I was 14. So I do know a few things about the world outside. But I much prefer Anderson Corner.”

“You actually like it here!”

“Compared to New York, it’s heaven on earth!” says Belinda. “I’m gonna miss it terribly when I leave to study to be a doctor.”

“Well, there’s a surprising ambition for a farm girl,” says Ms. Stanfordsmythe.

“I believe it’s what God called me to do,” says Belinda.

“God? Ha! Don’t put your trust in God, young woman. He is unconcerned with your ambitions!”

“You don’t mean that,” Belinda insists.

“The only thing you have to rely on in this world is yourself!” Ms. Stanfordsmythe insists.

“It must be awful lonely believing in nothing but myself,” Belinda replies.

“When you’ve had a little experience with the harsh realities of life, you’ll abandon that naive faith!” Ms. Stanfordsmythe fires back.

“I’ve had a great deal experience of harsh reality. Without my faith, I expect I’d be much like you.”

Ms. Stanfordsmythe looks puzzled: “How’s that?”

“Very unhappy,” Belinda replies.

Elapsed time: DVD, scene 6; 00:26:08–00:27:46

Rated PG

Loves Unfolding Dream (Twentieth Century Fox, 2008), directed by Michael Landon Jr; submitted by Van Morris, Mount Washington, Kentucky

So, how does your faith make you feel? Does trusting in God make you happy? Does God make you happy? Without your faith would you be unhappy? Now, I really do not believe that all Christians are happy and joyful all the time. But I like to believe that being reminded of God’s promises will encourage and equip us for the good times and the bad. I want to believe that coming back to God’s promises, will gives us renewed hope.

Today, I want to get into a passage about that will once again take us back to Genesis. We will look at Jacob and how he blessed his son and two of his grandsons. In this blessing he was prophetic, but in this blessing he was trusting in God’s promises.

My theme and application:

Jacob blesses both of Joseph’s sons relying on the promises of God. We also can have faith, relying on God’s promises.

Recall that we introduced Jacob last Sunday. Then he was not yet married. He was a conniving man and he stole his brother’s birthright. But recall that this showed God’s sovereignty. God was in charge in everything.  God’s will came to pass.

Read with me Hebrews 11:21:

Heb 11:21

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

Now, years later Jacob is 147 years old and has had a large family. He has 13 children, 12 of them sons.

I heard about a pastor who said:

On one of my pastoral visits, I had just stepped inside a hospital elevator and punched the button for the fifth floor when a young pregnant woman slipped in beside me.

Noticing she glanced at the button panel, but didn’t press a button for another floor, I asked, “Number five?”

“Heavens no!” she gasped. “It’s only my first!”

Preston A. Taylor, Hondo, Texas. Christian Reader, “Lite Fare.”

Well, her first but Joseph had 13 children. A lot has happened in the last few years to Jacob. Now, here he is and he is grateful.

1. God made a promise to Abraham and that promise was still being fulfilled. The promise is called the Abrahamic covenant and that was first in Genesis 12:1-3, let’s turn there.
   1. Gen 12:1-3: The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.“
   2. Now, turn over to Genesis 13:14-18: The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.
   3. Now, this covenant is again repeated in Genesis 15: 18-21: On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates–the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”
   4. Once again, now turn over to Genesis 17:6: I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.
   5. These are the promises of God to Abraham and his descendants, understand that Christians are grafted into these promises. (Romans 11:17-24; Galatians 3:15-29 (especially 29); 4:1-6; 21-31 (especially 28))
   6. Jacob knew these promises and God, who is sovereign and in control, was going to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant even through conniving, Jacob. God fulfills his promises even through you and me.
   7. So, we come to Genesis 48 and Jacob is about to die and he is going to bless his children and grandchildren.
2. Let’s look at the blessing:
   1. Turn to Genesis 48:15-16: Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the Angel who has delivered me from all harm –may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly upon the earth.”
   2. This blessing predicts the future similarly to the blessing that Isaac gave upon Jacob and Esau in Genesis 27.
   3. How can anyone predict the future?
   4. In 1995, an American scientist named Clifford Stoll boldly predicted that the Internet would be just another passing fad. He wrote an article forNewsweek titled “The Internet? Bah!” Here’s what Stoll said in an interview with Minnesota Public Radio:
   5. I expect the value of the Internet for communications in general isn’t very high. I don’t think it will ever replace face to face meetings and real rallies—things that get commitment and involvement from people. Rather, it induces a very shallow … involvement and as such, I think it’s grossly over-promoted and there’s a great deal of hyperbole surrounding it.
   6. I think it’s grossly oversold and within two or three years people will shrug and say, ‘”Uh yep, it was a fad of the early 90’s and now, oh yeah, it still exists but hey, I’ve got a life to lead and work to do. I don’t have time to waste online.” Or, “I’ll collect my email, I’ll read it, why should I bother prowling around the Worldwide Web …” simply because there’s so little of value there.
   7. Ten years later, in a 2006 TED talk, Stoll reflected on his failed predictions and said, “If you really want to know about the future, don’t ask a technologist, a scientist, a physicist. No! Don’t ask somebody who’s writing code. No, if you want to know what society’s going to be like in 20 years, ask a kindergarten teacher.”[1]
   8. I like the last line, ask a kindergarten teacher!
   9. Or, God. God knows the future and God had already given future promises to Jacob. Jacob, personally heard God’s promise. Turn over to Genesis 28:13: here above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
   10. Jacob knew God’s promise and he clung to God’s promise as he blessed. Next he blessed two of his grandsons. He blessed the younger one first.
   11. Turn back to Genesis 48:17-22: When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” He blessed them that day and said,
   12. “In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'” So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers. And to you, as one who is over your brothers, I give the ridge of land I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”
   13. Jacob knew God’s promises and blessed accordingly. This was faith, for this was trusting in God.

• Okay, now is for us to also trust in the promises of God. Have faith like Jacob.
  1. God has promises found in Scripture and we must trust in these promises.
     1. We must trust as the Lord being our Light and our Salvation, whom shall we fear. (Psalm 27:1)
     2. We must trust that we can look our eyes unto the hills our help comes from the Lord. (Psalm 121)
     3. We must trust the Lord is our Shepherd. (Psalm 23)
     4. We must trust Phil. 4:4-13: We are to pray with prayer and petition with thanksgiving and then there is peace that passes understanding. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
     5. We must trust James 4:7 that when we submit to God, we can resist the devil and he will flee from us.
     6. We must take security and trust in John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
     7. We must cling to the promise of Rev. 21 and the new Jerusalem.
     8. We must cling to the promise that absent from the body is present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:8)
     9. As Jacob held true to the promises when giving out this prophetic blessing, so we must cling to the promises of Scripture.

Close:

Saharan Run Shows Amazing Endurance

Charlie Engle, Ray Zahab, and Kevin Lin know endurance better than most. For 111 days, they ran the equivalent of two marathons a day in order to cross the entire Sahara Desert on foot. They touched the waters at Senegal and then made their way through Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya, and Egypt to touch the waters of the Red Sea. Along the way, the trio faced blazing afternoons of over 100 degrees, jarring, freezing nights, sandstorms, tendonitis, violent sickness, and the usual aches, pains, and blisters. But the biggest challenge they faced can be summed up in one word: water. Finding it in its purest, cleanest form gets to be a bit of a chore while in the middle of nowhere!

Crossing the Saharan Desert on foot is an amazing accomplishment. But just as commendable are these marathon finishers:

• Christians who finish their lives still growing, still serving.
  • Husbands and wives who stay faithful to each other “until death do us part.”
  • Young people who preserve their virginity until marriage, in spite of crushing peer pressure.
  • Pastors who stay passionate about ministry until their last breath.
  • Church members who weather the rougher patches and remain joyful, loving, and faithful.

Jon R. Mutchler, Ferndale, Washington; source: Anna Johnson, “3 ultra-athletes run across Sahara,” USA Today (2-20-07)

Let’s pray

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

[1] Molly Bloom, “The Internet will be a fad, claimed scientist in ’95,” MPR News (2-16-12)

‘Toy Story 3′ Shows the Power of Blessing Others’ Gifts

In the movie Toy Story 3, Andy, the owner of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and other toys, is preparing to leave for college. At the end of the movie, he decides to give his toys to a young girl named Bonnie.

The scene starts with Andy entering the front gate of Bonnie’s home and showing her the box of toys. Andy tells her, “I’m Andy. Someone told me you’re really good with toys. These are mine, but I’m going away now, so I need someone really special to play with them.” Then as Andy proceeds to hand the toys to Bonnie, he introduces them by saying something special about each one.

He begins with his toy cowgirl Jessie: “This is Jessie—the roughest, toughest cowgirl in the whole West. She loves critters, but none more’n her best pal, Bullseye.”

Andy then hands Bonnie his toy Tyrannosaurus, Rex, “the meanest, most terrifying dinosaur who ever lived.”

For the Potato Heads, Andy says, “The Potato Heads—Mister and Missus. You gotta keep em together cause they’re madly in love.”

Slinky the Dog “is as loyal as any dog you could want.”

Andy blesses Hamm, the Pig, by saying, “He’ll keep your money safe, but he’s also one of the most dastardly villains of all time, Evil Dr. Pork Chop!”

Buzz Lightyear is “the coolest toy ever. Look, he can fly, and shoot lasers. He’s sworn to protect the galaxy from the evil Emperor Zurg!”

Finally, for his pal Woody, Andy says, “He’s been my pal as long as I can remember. He’s brave, like a cowboy should be. And kind, and smart. But the thing that makes Woody special? Is he’ll never give up on you—ever. He’ll be there for you, no matter what.”

Toy Story 3, Scene 33, “Goodbye Andy,” 1:28:55 to 1:32:05; Submitted by Derek Chin, Portland, Oregon

Today, we continue our walk through Hebrews 11 and we come to verse 20. For the next two weeks we will look at blessings. Today, we look at Isaac and his blessings of Jacob and Esau. This is an insightful passage and it is a passage that gave me more insights the longer I looked at it. I have read this passage again and again, but until now it never stood out to me how God’s sovereignty came through and how Isaac had faith.

As we look at these two passages we will see that

Isaac blessed his two sons in faith.

Isaac’s blessings are prophetic.

Application:

God is sovereign we can trust Him. This means that we can have faith in Him.

Read with me Heb. 11:20:

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

1. Now, I must start by summarizing this event in the Old Testament.
   27. If you want to follow along, which I recommend you do, please turn to Genesis 27.
   28. It can be so very easy to get bogged down with the story line of how the blessing came about, but the reality is that in these blessings we see a great God. God was, and is over everything. God’s will came about. God had determined that the older will serve the younger (Gen. 25:23), and the blessings show that.
   29. We have four main characters in this narrative.
       1. We have Isaac and he is the dad. He is the son of Abraham and Sarah.
       2. We have Rebekah and she is the mother and Isaac’s wife.

• We have the two sons and they are Esau, the oldest.

1. And we have Jacob the youngest.

1. We have some back story that you must be aware of:
   1. In Genesis 25:23 Rebekah is told that the older will serve the younger.
   2. In Genesis 25:25 we see the birth of the two

• In Genesis 25:33-34 we see Esau very hungry so he sells his birthright to his brother. This meant that now his younger brother has the right to the first born blessing.

1. In Genesis 25:28 we see that Esau was loved by Jacob because he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
2. In Genesis 26:34-35 we see that Esau took wives from foreign women and this made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.
3. In Genesis 27 There is a major deceptive account of Jacob stealing the blessing from Esau. Now, Jacob has already paid for the blessing, but now he actually takes it. I guess Esau was not really going to give it to him. In reality, as I shared, Isaac should have known that the blessings of the firstborn belonged to Jacob, the younger God declared that, yet, Isaac was not obeying God. Do you see how God works? Do you see that God’s will comes about in the end?

• Let me break down chapter 27:
  1. Verses 1-4: Isaac calls Esau and tells him to go hunt some game and they will eat and he will give him the blessing.
  2. Verses 5-17: Rebekah had overheard Isaac’s plan, but she loves Jacob more. So she has her own plan. Jacob is to take a few of the young goats and have them slaughtered and Rachel will prepare them. Jacob will go into his father, Isaac, and pretend to be Esau and steal the blessing. Isaac’s eyesight is failing so this should not be an issue. Jacob will wear Esau’s clothes and use goat skin to make him feel hairy like Esau.
  3. Verses 18-29: the plan works and Jacob is blessed.
  4. Verses 30-38: Esau returns and is upset that the blessing was stolen. Isaac and Esau are beyond upset. Esau gets the secondary blessing.
• The blessings are prophetic:

1. Verse 28: May God give you:
   1. Dew of Heaven
   2. Fatness of the earth
   3. Plenty of grain and wine

Verse 29:

4. Let people’s serve you,
5. And nations bow down to you
6. Be Lord over your brother’s and may your mother’s sons bow down to
   1. à He should have never given this to Esau since he knew what God has said at the birth in Genesis 25:23
7. Cursed be everyone who curses you and blessed be everyone who blesses you.
   1. This is from Genesis 12:3 given to Abraham.
8. Esau:
   1. He will be away from the fatness of the earth and away from the dew.
      1. àThis is a contrast to Jacob.
   2. By your sword you shall live and you shall serve your brother.
      1. àIn contrast to Jacob.
   3. But when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.
9. Everything in this chapter is a mess, but God’s will came through. His will was that Jacob was the chosen one.
10. Some insight that Tim Keller gives:

Many years ago, when I first started reading the Book of Genesis, it was very upsetting to me. Here are all these spiritual heroes—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—and look at how they treat women. They engage in polygamy, and they buy and sell their wives. It was awful to read their stories at times. But then I read Robert Alter’s The Art of Biblical Narrative. Alter is a Jewish scholar at Berkeley whose expertise is ancient Jewish literature. In his book he says there are two institutions present in the Book of Genesis that were universal in ancient cultures: polygamy and primogeniture. Polygamy said a husband could have multiple wives, and primogeniture said the oldest son got everything—all the power, all the money. In other words, the oldest son basically ruled over everyone else in the family. Alter points out that when you read the Book of Genesis, you’ll see two things. First of all, in every generation polygamy wreaks havoc. Having multiple wives is an absolute disaster—socially, culturally, spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, and relationally. Second, when it comes to primogeniture, in every generation God favors the younger son over the older. He favors Abel, not Cain; Isaac, not Ishmael; Jacob, not Esau. Alter says that you begin to realize what the Book of Genesis is doing—it is subverting, not supporting, those ancient institutions at every turn.

When I read Alter’s book, I then reread the Book of Genesis and loved it. And then it hit me: What if when I was younger, I had abandoned my trust in the Bible because of these accounts in Genesis? What if I had drop-kicked the Bible and the Christian faith, missing out on a personal relationship with Christ—all because I couldn’t understand the behavior of the patriarchs? The lesson is simple: Be patient with the text. Consider the possibility that it might not be teaching what you think it’s teaching.

Tim Keller, in the sermon “Literalism” (available on PreachingToday.com on 5-17-10)

1. Did you notice God’s sovereignty in these events?
   1. Some of you need to read this and be encouraged.
      1. Be encouraged that God’s will always comes about.
      2. Be encouraged that you are never too far gone for God to use you. God wants to use and will use you if you give Him the chance.

• You may think I am afraid that I will mess up what God is doing, listen: NO YOU WON’T.

1. Look God worked in all of this mess and He wants to work in your life.

1. Some of you have been refusing to let God work in your life. You need to read this, repent and turn to God.
   1. I am not saying that you are or are not a Christian. I am saying that you are running from God.
   2. Listen, God’s will will come about We see this in this chapter. God works in messy situations. You will not thwart God’s plan. However, you ought to be a part of God’s plan.

• Quit running from God. Quit telling God no. Let God, in His sovereign plan use you. Look, He will He absolutely will, use you anyways. So, are you going to go along willingly or begrudgingly.

• Apply the faith of Isaac to your life.
  1. How was Isaac faithful? Let me get back to this. Isaac was faithful in that he trusted God to fulfill His promises.
  2. These promises come from the Abrahamic Covenant. The original promise of the Abrahamic Covenant began in Genesis 12:1-3 and then in Genesis 13:14-18 and then 15:18-21 and then 17:6. These promises had to do with blessing the descendants to be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Isaac trusted God in the blessing.
  3. Do we trust God’s promises?
  4. God’s promises are found in His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17), do we trust them?
  5. Do we trust the promise of the Gospel: 2 Cor. 5:17 ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
  6. 2 Cor. 5:21: ²¹ God made him who had no sinto be sin^[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Close:

Trust God’s Word which contains His promises, Isaac did. In trusting we have faith.

Don’t run from God and don’t think you are too far Gone. God is working through you and wants to. You will not thwart God’s plan.

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

I heard a good illustration from Chuck Swindoll:

My older brother, Orville, was never a wealthy man, but he was wonderfully generous with what he had. He never held back from the Lord . . . and that is still true! It was this overabundance of faith that led him to be a missionary for more than thirty years in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Just before that, he had done some short-term mission work in Mexico and had come north to gather his wife, Erma Jean, and the kids for the long trip down into the far reaches of South America.

Before leaving, they stopped off for a quick visit with our parents in Houston. Now, you have to appreciate the kind of man my father was. Look up the word responsible in the dictionary, and his picture is there! To him, risks are for those who fail to plan. Responsible people leave nothing to chance. As far as he was concerned, faith is something you exercise when your three backup plans fall through and you have run out of all other options. My father was a believer, but he never understood the life of faith. Not really.

My brother, on the other hand, was stimulated by faith. He has lived his entire adult life on the raw edge of faith. To him, life doesn’t get exciting until God, and God alone, can get us through some specific challenge. That drove our dad nuts!

Orville pulled up to the house in an old Chevy sedan on four of the slickest tires I had ever seen. My father always inspected tires when we came to visit. I wondered how long it would take for him to say something. I’m sure Orville did too. Not very is the answer.

After a great supper of good ol’ collard greens and corn bread, onions and red beans, my mother and sister went into the kitchen, leaving my father at one end of the table, Orville at the other, and me sitting on one side. Then it started.

“Son, how much money do you have for your long trip?”

“Oh, Dad, don’t worry about it. We’re gonna be fine.”

Before he could change the subject, my father pressed the issue, “Answer me! How much money do you have in your wallet?”

Orville smiled and shrugged as he said, “I don’t have any in my wallet.”

I sat silent, watching this verbal tennis match.

“Nothing in your wallet? How much money do you have? You’re gettin’ ready to go down to South America! How much money you got?”

With that, my brother smiled, dug into his pocket, pulled out a quarter, set it on its edge on his end of the table, then gave it a careful thump. It slowly rolled past me all the way to my father’s end of the table and fell into his hand. Dad said, “A quarter? That is all you’ve got?”

Orville broke into an even bigger smile and said, “Yeah. Isn’t that exciting!”

That was not the word my father had in mind. After a heavy sigh and a very brief pause, Dad shook his head and said, “Orville, I just don’t understand you.”

My brother grew more serious. Looking Dad in the eyes, he answered without blinking, “No, Dad, you never have.”

I don’t know how he actually made the trip to their destination . . . or how he and Erma Jean took care of all their little kids, but they never went hungry. And they served in Buenos Aires and traveled to other parts of the world for more than three decades. My father was a man who emerged through the Great Depression, lived in fear of poverty his whole life, seldom took a risk, and never experienced the joy of trusting God that made my brother smile so big that day.

Taken from Charles R. Swindoll, “Ragged-Edge Faith and Reckless Generosity,” Insights (May 2007): 1-2. Copyright © 2007, Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide

That faith, that Swindoll’s brother, Orville, had, that is the faith that Abraham had. Abraham is for sure the father of our faith.

We are here because of Abraham. Our Christian heritage does go back to Abraham.

Abraham was blessed to be a blessing. He followed God in faith, not knowing where he was going but he was blessed and he blessed the world.

I want to turn to Hebrews 11:8-10 in order to talk about Abraham’s faith.

Today’s challenge:

Abraham had faith following God unknowing where God was leading him. So, let’s follow Abraham’s example, having faith in God with our future.

Remember that God is in control. Everyone say:

God is in control—repeat with me.

Ps 89:13

Your arm is endued with power;

your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

(from New International Version)

Read with me Hebrews 11:8-10:

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.  By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Now, let’s read Genesis 12:1-3:

 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

² “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
³ I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”

1. First, we see the pilgrimage of faith, this is separation from the world.
   1. This has to do with Abraham’s willingness to follow the Lord. He was willing to follow the Lord in uncharted territory.
   2. Let me set the context.
   3. In Genesis chapter 1-2 things are generated. Then there is the fall. So, we have chapter 3-11 and these chapters are about degeneration. Things are getting bad. The world is going to hell. God destroys the world with the flood. Now, beginning in chapter 12 we have the regeneration.
   4. God will begin to regenerate the world through the line of Abraham.
   5. Abraham lived in Ur.
   6. He then goes to Haran before getting to the area of the promised land.
   7. Of course if you read the rest of Genesis he travels around quite a bit.
   8. Interesting: there is a historian from time of Herod mentions a king of Damascus named Abrahames.
   9. Abrahames was an “immigrant who arrived with an army from the land above Babylon called the land of the Chaldeans. But after a short time he left this country also with his people and took up residence in the land which was called Canaan”
   10. Abram is connected to Damascus through his heir, Eliezer (Gen 15:2-3)
   11. By the way: “Ur is well known as an important center in the land of Sumer; it reached its zenith under the kings of the third dynasty of Ur, who around 2060- 1950 B.C. [Abram was born ca. 2166 B.C.] revived for the last time the ancient cultural traditions of the Sumerians. The names of several of Abram’s relatives are also the names of known cities: . . . Terah . . . Nahor . . . Serug . . . Haran . . . and Laban the Aramean, Jacob’s father-in-law, was from the city Haran in Paddan-aram. All these are places around the river Balih in northern Mesopotamia. Haran and Nahor are often mentioned in the Mari documents of the eighteenth century B.C., and cities named Tell-terah and Serug are known from later Assyrian sources.” “In the ruins of Ur at about this time [2070-2060 B.C.] there are some twenty houses per acre. Assuming six to ten persons per house, there were 120 to 200 people per acre, the average figure of 160 being exactly the same as the population density of modern Damascus [in 1959]. Ur covered 150 acres, and it may therefore be estimated that the population was approximately 24,000 inhabitants.” “If Abraham did come from Mesopotamia sometime in the early second millennium B.C., it is necessary to revise the picture sometimes painted of him as a primitive nomad accustomed only to open spaces of the desert, and to recognize that at least to some extent he must have been the heir of a complex and age-old civilization.” “The movement between Ur and Haran becomes easy to understand when we recall that Ur was the greatest commercial capital that the world had yet seen . . . .”
   12. By the way, we must understand that Abraham had comfortable living in Ur. It was a commercial center. It was advanced. I heard Billy Graham’s daughter say that there was ventilation.
   13. All this and Abraham trusted God.
   14. So, think about it: you are, let’s say, seventy-five years old and you hear from God. I don’t know how God spoke to Abraham but He did. Imagine that God speaks to you.
   15. God says, I want you to go to Malaysia to serve on the mission field. It may make no sense to you. You are comfortable here. God just tells you to go.
   16. Or, suppose that all of your family are close by. Your children live close your grandchildren live close, but God calls your son or daughter to Malaysia. This means that they are going overseas and so are your grandchildren. They are going to be missionaries.
   17. Suppose that God calls your family to Iran or Egypt, or Iraq as a missionary. You see, this is what is going on for Abraham.
   18. I bet there are many family and friends that he never, NEVER saw or talked to again.
   19. No letters, no email, no Skype, no phone.

The problems Abram’s faith encountered were these.

1. Sarai was barren and incapable of producing an heir (11:30).
2. Abram had to leave the Promised Land, which God had told him he would inherit (12:10).
3. Abram’s life was in danger in Egypt (12:11-20).
4. Abram’s nephew (heir?), Lot, strove with him over the land (ch. 13).
5. Abram entered a war and could have died (14:1-16).
6. Abram’s life was in danger from retaliation in the Promised Land (15:1).
7. God ruled Eliezer out as Abram’s heir (15:2-3).
8. Hagar, pregnant with Abram’s son (heir?), departed (16:6).
9. Abimelech threatened Sarai’s reputation and child (heir?) in Gerar (ch. 20).
10. Abram had two heirs (21:8-11).
11. God commanded Abram to slay his heir (ch. 22).
12. Abram could not find a proper wife for his heir (24:5).

Faith: yes, Abraham obeyed. Will you? Will I? I’ll come back to that.

Repeat after me: God is in control.

Ps 89:13

Your arm is endued with power;

your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

(from New International Version)

1. Then we see the patience of faith—the ability to wait and endure without ever entering into possession of the promised land.
   1. Abraham got to the promised land, but really never owned it. We do read in Genesis 25 that Abraham had bought some land. But he did not get to see Israel take possession of it
   2. Abraham did not get to see but two sons
   3. Abraham never saw the nation that his descendants would become.
   4. God’s promise to Abraham, which he waited on:
   5. There are seven elements in this promise—seven suggesting fullness and completeness (cf. 2:2-3). (1) God promised to create a great nation through Abram. (2) He promised to bless Abram. (3) Abram’s name would live on after his lifetime. (4) He was (commanded) to be a blessing to others. (5) God would bless those who blessed Abram. (6) And God would curse those who cursed Abram. (7) All the families of the earth would be blessed through Abram and his descendants.
2. Perseverance of faith: the positivity of faith, the focus on heaven that causes us to have a certain indifference to things in this life because we’re looking to that glory to come
   1. Repeat after me. God is in control. God is in control.
   2. Consider that Abraham was looking towards a city that God would design.
   3. We are looking to the city of God.
   4. We are looking towards the New Jerusalem.
   5. We are looking towards a time when God makes all things new and right. (Rev. 21)
   6. Now, some two thousand years after Abraham: The Hebrews writer referred to “Abraham” 10 times in total; his example is especially helpful for those tempted to abandon faith in God. Only two other books mention him more: Luke (15 times) and John (11 times).

1. How do we apply this?
   1. I must be willing to trust God to lead me to uncharted territory as Abraham was willing.
   2. I must be willing to sacrifice, income, time, talent, location to serve the Lord.
   3. I must be willing to move for the Lord.
   4. I must be willing to change occupations for the Lord.
   5. I must be willing to prayerfully consider mission trips, local or foreign. This may be uncharted territory.
   6. I must be willing to serve somewhere new in the community: hospice, nursing home ministry, Men’s Challenge.
   7. I must be willing to talk to someone about Jesus. This is uncharted territory in many ways.
   8. I must be willing to step out.
   9. I must be willing to trust God with my future. I must trust God with the unknown.

Close:

The Undiscovered Country clip (maybe)

The clip from them eating talking with the Klingons, or clip from where Kirk addresses the assemble stating that people are afraid of the future.

The future can be scary can’t it? I think the future can be very scary.

When I was in high school I had many friends who were called into the mission field. Several of them are serving overseas now. I did not want called to missions. I was trying to be sensitive to the Lord’s will but I was not interested. But now, I realize I am called to missions as well. In like manner, I must trust God as Abraham did. I like comfort zones, but I must trust God.

Repeat after me: God is in control, God is in control.

Ps 89:13

Your arm is endued with power;

your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

(from New International Version)

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

Introduction:

First let me wish every mother a happy Mother’s Day. We can never fully understand the impact of a mother. In actuality I read:

An article in Forbes asks, “Think you can put a price on motherhood?” A yearly survey by Salary.com called the annual Mom Salary Survey attempts to put a salary on the work of American mothers. First, they broke down motherly duties into the following ten categories: Day Care Center Teacher, CEO, Psychologist, Cook, Housekeeper, Laundry Machine Operator, Computer Operator, Facilities Manager, Janitor, and Van Driver. Then they studied how many hours moms work in those categories and what the family would have to pay for outsourcing that duty. According to the 2012 survey, they determined the following:

• The average stay-at-home mom should make an annual salary of $112,962 (based on a 40-hour per week base pay plus 54.7 hours a week of overtime);
• The average working mom should make an annual salary (just for her “mom” role) of $66,969 (based on 40-hours of mothering duties and 17.9 overtime hours per week).

The article concludes, “The breadth of Mom’s responsibilities is beyond what most workers could ever experience day-to-day. Imagine if you had to attract and retain a candidate to fill this role?”[1]

Of course, we really did not need an article to state that did we? We know that a mother’s work is never done. I remember thinking back to my mother and how she was always, always doing something. Then she also has such a caring heart. If I was sick or in need her heart would break for me. To this day, she calls up checking on the girls and she works at a childcare center. My grandmother stayed with us and my mother was eager to care for her.

My dad was abused as a child. His brothers and sisters ran away from home. My dad moved out at sixteen years of age. Years later, my dad was thirty-nine and his mother moved in with us when she had a hip replacement. His father had died when my dad was about thirty-one. My grandmother recovered from the hip replacement but during that time we had grown close with her. So, she would stay with us often. One time, my parents were out for an evening and during that time my younger brother did something to which he needed punishment. My dad came home and found out and gave my younger brother a spanking. I look out on the back porch and see my grandmother with tears in her eyes. Amazing! Mothers, grandmothers they care. God has given them this love.

I want to talk about Sarah today. Sarah was Abraham’s wife and the mother if Ishmael and Isaac. But later she became the mother of nations. She became the mother of Christianity. Hebrews 11:10-12 tells us that because of her great faith she became the mother of nations. She is listed in the hall of faith.

My emphasis today is:

The influence of a mother’s faith: Sarah bore a son through a barren womb and influenced a nation and all nations.

The application is trusting God with our children. God has great faithfulness.

A mother’s love is amazing.

Have faith in God to watch over you and your children as Sarah did.

You never know what God will do through your children and grandchildren.

Let’s read Hebrews 11:11-12:

¹¹ And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. ¹² And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Now, let’s read Genesis 18:9-15:

⁹ “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent,” he said.

¹⁰ Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.¹¹ Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. ¹² So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

¹³ Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

¹⁵ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

1. We all must trust God with our children and grandchildren as Sarah did.
   9. You and I may read this and it appears that Sarah did not trust God with her womb. Sarah had already been told that she will be a mother. In this passage there are two angels and God talking with Abraham. We find this out in verses 1-9. If you go back to Genesis 12 we read that Abraham was to be the father of nations. Sarah trusted God but did not know how this was to happen. It was in Genesis 17:17 that we find out this was to happen through her womb. Sarah, being 90 years old was to have a child.
   10. Reading this passage we see that Sarah laughed. Actually, Abraham laughed as well in Genesis 17:17. They laughed in doubt. It was not doubt that they would be the parents of nations, it was doubt that the child would come through her.
   11. But we can look ahead and see that Sarah’s child was born in Genesis 21:2 and he was named Isaac which means “Laughter.”
   12. This was somewhere around 2000 B.C., then when Hebrews was penned some 2000 years later, Sarah is remembered for her faith.
   13. She trusted God.
   14. I do not want to talk about trusting God that you are going to have a child at 90 years old. If any of you are close to that age and God has revealed that to you, by all means, trust Him. I’ll pray for you. I know what it is like to have a toddler in the house and the joys overcompensate the demands, but they will keep you young. I have heard that it is more fun to skip your own children and go straight to grandchildren. You can then have all the joys, yet send them home at the end of the day. My own Mercedes and Abigail love it when their grandparents come over. Yet, I must worry, for they are a handful. Turn your back on Abigail and she is gone. She is only 17 months. Mercedes, watch out she can scale the counters and get into anything. She can open her own vitamins. We have to watch everything lest the kids get into them. We were at a restaurant and Abigail was walking round and simply turned over a bucket of cleaning water. She turns over the dog water at home and must have thought it was the same thing. She is inquisitive and it is cute but it drives us crazy. You know how many cups of coffee have been split because of her inquisitiveness? Stop by, we would love to have you for dinner, but bring a change of clothes.
   15. I imagine Sarah at 90 years old and Abraham at 100 years old chasing a toddler around. Then, Abraham would have been 116 years old teaching him to drive a camel so that he could get his temporary driving permit. Sarah would have been staying up late at the age of 106 years old while Isaac is out with friends. I wonder if he had a curfew. Really, I look forward to the days when my children are out for a few hours without my supervision, but I do not look forward to the worrying. I worry with them at home.
   16. Of course, they say that your children grow up quick. I do see that happening. I heard of one mother who had 4 children. She was talking and said that people would say they grow up quick and she would think, “I smell like spit-up.” Then she said, “But when I saw my daughter walk out of her room at 17 years old with her keys…” She knew that to be true.
   17. I wonder if Sarah thought that way? He was 37 years old when she died. I wonder if she had days where she told him, “Just wait till your father gets home.” I heard of George H. W. Bush getting a phone call from Barbara when the kids were young. Barbara told him that one of the boys hit the baseball through a certain neighbor’s second story window. His reaction, “What a hit!” I wonder if Abraham had conversations like that from Sarah.
   18. Sarah had watched everyone else raise children and now it was her turn. The Bible says in verse 14: “Is anything too difficult for the Lord.”
   19. How are we doing with trusting the Lord? How are we doing with trusting the Lord with our children on day-to-day bases. How about even after they are grown.
   20. I was 19 years old and my parents were taking me to college. I was going some 8 hours away to Georgia. We were at a restaurant when my mother retreated to the restroom, I think to cry because for the first time she was dropping off her son hours away from home for a long time.
   21. I wonder if Sarah had moments like that. I wonder if she had moments in which she had to let go.
   22. You see, on a mother’s day I can talk about a mother’s love. I mention that with the example of my mother and grandmother. However, I think it is a mother’s love that compels them to care so well for their children.
   23. In that manner, we are best to remember that God’s faithfulness is unending and we must trust Him, who can do all things, with our children.
   24. Meagan and I tear up with the thought of walking my daughter down the aisle on a wedding day. But that is the common station in life which we will face.
   25. I honestly don’t know how parents deal with real struggles of sickness, hardship and even the loss of a child. The only thing that I can say is Sarah had great faith and so must we for God has great faithfulness.
       1. Some Scripture:
       2. Psalm 89:1-2 (and the rest of the Psalm) are about God’s faithfulness.

• Psalm 91:1-4 compare God’s faithfulness to an eagle sheltering us under His Wings.

1. Psalm 100:5 are about God’s faithfulness.
2. Psalm 108:4: God’s faithfulness reaches to the skies.
3. Psalm 143:1: O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. (from New International Version)

1. For those of you have been through those trials my prayers are with you and I know that I can be educated by you.
2. The other thought about trusting God’s faithfulness with our children is that we never know what God is going to do. We don’t know who are children will end up to be, do you? We can try to rear them and pray for them and we must, but we do not know. But Sarah was told that she would be the mother of nations. We must trust God with our children’s future and our grandchildren’s future.

1. How do we have faith? How do we trust God?
   1. Pray and talk to God.
   2. Go to the Bible and read the Scripture passages on faithfulness.
   3. Talk with a small group or prayer partner, or myself. Talk with a Christian counselor.
   4. Those of you that have been through tough circumstances with children, you can teach me and I would love to hear your testimony.
   5. Those going through tough times, I would welcome to listen and pray with you.
   6. I can recommend some books.

Close:

A mother’s love is amazing.

Have faith in God to watch over you and your children as Sarah did.

You never know what God will do through your children and grandchildren.

I talked about my grandmother, my father’s mother, with tears in her eyes when my brother was punished. A few years later she went into the hospital. She had a quadruple heart bypass. They said the risk of clot was high, especially early on. She made it through those days, but then they had to put in a pacemaker. Then, after about two weeks she was ready to come home. She was coming home to stay with us. It was a Friday night and we were getting her room ready. We were setting up the hospital bed, etc. We were looking forward to grandma staying with us. Then, my parents received a call from the hospital and they rushed to the hospital. My grandmother was walking with a nurse talking about how she was eager to see her cat again when she had a blood clot. It had been some two weeks, but it happened. The doctor’s worked on her for some time, but then she died.

The next day, my dad was driving me to work and he said, “I don’t know if you noticed but my mother’s death has been hard on me.” He continued, “My dad beat me as a child, but over the last few years with my mother living with us I can tell that she regretted that.” This was the only time I saw my dad choke up with tears in his eyes. The only time. The influence of a mother.

In Genesis 23:1 we read that Sarah died at the age of 127 years. I would imagine that Isaac and Ishmael both wept at the death of Sarah.

However, because of Sarah we have Hebrews 11:12:

And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

She became the mother of nations. She had faith that God would fulfill the promise and He did. She had faith in God’s promise and became the mother of Christianity as Jesus came through her descendants.

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

[1] Sources: Jenna Goudreau, “Why Stay-At-Home Moms Should Earn a $115,000 Salary,” Forbes (5-2-11); Salary.com, “Salary.com’s 12th Annual Mom Salary Survey,” (last accessed on April 24, 2013)

The story is told of a Sunday school teacher who wanted to explain to the 6-year-olds in his class what someone had to do in order to go to heaven. In an attempt to discover what kids already believed about the subject, he asked a few questions.

“If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale, and gave all my money to the church,” he asked, “would that get me to heaven?”

“No!” the children answered. The teacher was encouraged.

“If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me to heaven?”

Again the answer was, “No!”

“Well then,” he said, “If I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children and loved my wife, would that get me into heaven?”

Again they all shouted, “No!”

“Well then,” the teacher asked, looking out over his class, “how can I get to heaven?”

A boy in the back row stood up and shouted, “You gotta be dead!”[1]

That is what we usually believe isn’t it? We usually think we die and then we go to Heaven, except for Enoch (Genesis 5:22-24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:1-12). These two men went straight to Heaven. This is quite fascinating. Let’s look into Enoch. Before we read the text let me give you the theme and application:

Theme:

Enoch walked with God.

Application:

Walk with God.

That is my simple challenge for the day. I challenge you to learn from Enoch and walk with God.

Let’s start by reading Hebrews 11:5-6:

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Now, let’s turn to Genesis 5:22-4:

After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God300 years and had other sons and daughters. ²³ Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. ²⁴ Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

1. First, let’s talk about who Enoch was? Or, I guess I could say “is” because he never really died.
   1. One Sunday School instructor was determined to repeat “And Enoch was not, for God took him” until even the dullest student would understand it. On a review Sunday he asked the class to state exactly what was said of Enoch. One answer came back, “Enoch was not what God took him for.” —Pastor’s Manual^[2]
   2. This is an account that I could skip over too quickly and maybe you have as well. Think about it. God just took him! That is cool isn’t it? Don’t ever miss these amazing events in the Bible.
   3. Remember this is the fifth chapter of Genesis, we are really early on.
   4. Enoch was a descendant of the godly line of Seth.
   5. There was also an ungodly line of Cain.
   6. He was the seventh generation from Adam. (Jude 14 says)
   7. The 1 Chronicles 1 and Luke 3 have the same genealogy. This is important because as we compare when we see that they correspond it validates the Bible.
   8. By the way, these genealogies are important because they become the genealogy of Christ Jesus.
   9. This was also a time when the people were living really long. By the way, (Other ancient Near Eastern texts attribute even longer lives to earlier generations; e.g., the Sumerian King List mentions kings who reign—interestingly, before a flood—for periods of 28,800, 36,000, and 43,200 years.)
   10. I want to say that I think the other dates are inflated in order to make the kings seems greater. I do believe the Biblical number are accurate. I don’t think they dated differently or not by that much. I think the world was different before the flood.
   11. We also learn from this genealogy that people lived to be nearly a thousand years old. And so there wasn’t a lot of death, which meant that the population increased at an amazingly rapid rate. This genealogy is also here, not only to show us the time involved – to show us the expansion of population – but it is here to show us the reign of death. Eight times in this chapter you will read, “and he died; and he died; and he died.” This is the reign of death. This is the judgment of sin.
   12. Enoch’s son Methuselah was the oldest man who ever lived.
   13. Jude 14 lists Enoch as one who prophesied. This comes from an apocryphal book which says that he called out wickedness. He said, “The Lord is coming and He’s coming with many thousands of His holy ones and He’s going to execute judgment and it’s going to fall on all the ungodly with all their ungodly deeds done in an ungodly way and all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” He was a judgment preacher.

1. Second, let’s talk about “walking” with God.
   1. To walk with God meant to have a relationship with God. This meant fellowship and communion which led to Divine Favor.
   2. It did not mean that he never sinned but that the pattern of his life was in relationship with God.
   3. In a sermon on “Enoch walked with God,” Dr. Campbell Morgan gave the following illustration: A little child gave a most exquisite explanation of walking with God. She went home from Sunday School, and the mother said, “Tell me what you learned at school.” And she said: “Don’t you know, Mother, one day they went for an extra long walk, and they walked on and on, until God said to Enoch, “You are a long way from home; you had better just come in and stay.” And he went.” —Current Anecdotes^[3]
   4. We can walk with God today because of Jesus.
   5. Turn to 2 Cor. 5:17 and 21:
   6. Verse 17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
   7. Verse 21: God made him who had no sinto be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

• Let’s apply this. I made these personal to me. You may have other applications.
  1. The Bible often describes the Christian life as a walking. Walking is natural.
  2. What will it take for me to walk, or continue walking, with God?

• Enoch walked with God. I will try my best to walk with God.

1. It seems that walk means a relationship with God or pleasing God. I must aim to please God. I must aim to be in communion with God.
   1. The Bible knowledge Commentary calls walk the Biblical expression for fellowship and obedience that results in Divine Favor. I have fellowship with God because of the Holy Spirit. I will praise Him for that sweet fellowship.
   2. I have reconciliation with God because of the cross. I will walk with Him.
   3. The response is Romans 12:1-2
   4. Enoch did not have to run with God. The life he lived is considered a walk. This is natural. This is not something out of the ordinary. I will understand that the Christian life is walking with God as God created me to walk He created me to walk with Him.
2. Enoch walked with God for 365 years as the Scriptures say, he stuck with it. I will live my life walking with God, all my life. I will finish strong.
   1. There are no excuses in my latter years for weakening my faith, lusting after younger women, giving up on God, etc. I must finish with God.
   2. I hear of older men getting into pornography now, I will fight the battle of lust all my life.
3. Enoch prophesied according to Jude 14: he called out the Truth. I will also speak the Truth.

• Hebrews 11:6: we cannot please God without faith. I will have faith as Enoch had faith.
  1. I will hold true to the promises in the Bible.
  2. I will hold the Bible in reverence.
  3. I will trust the Gospel.
  4. I will seek God’s conviction and follow Him.

Close:

So, Enoch walked with God and God honored that and took him, where are you at in your Christian journey?

Micah 6:8:

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

[1] Andy Stanley, How Good Is Good Enough? (Multnomah, 2003), p. 8; submitted by Gino Grunberg, Gig Harbor, Washington

^[2] Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 523.

^[3] Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 1570.

Opening:

But let’s talk about the new series. We are going to look at Hebrews 11 which is often called the “Hall of Faith” or the “Triumphs of Faith,” or “Faith in Action.” We are going to look at a verse and then talk about the person. So, we are going to get into the Old Testament. We will look at Abel and then Enoch, Noah and many more of these people in the Old Testament. Sometimes we will have to wonder, “How in the world did this guy or gal get into this list in the New Testament?’ To that we must remember that God uses imperfect people to accomplish His will. We must remember that a little bit of faith goes a long way.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a film version of C. S. Lewis’ book by the same name. In this scene, the children who have once again been summoned to Narnia—Lucy, Edmund, and Edmund—team-up with King Caspian aboard the royal ship, The Dawn Treader.

During their journey, Lucy, the youngest of the children, encounters a book titled The Book of Incantations. This mysterious book boldly promises to provide “an infallible spell to make you the beauty you’ve always wanted to be.” Despite her vibrant faith in Aslan (who represents Christ), Lucy has always struggled with a deep wound: she feels inferior to and jealous of her beautiful older sister Susan. Tempted by her desire to become more beautiful, Lucy speaks forth the spell. Suddenly, a mirror appears on the page directly across from the spell. As Lucy looks into the mirror, she realizes that her face has been transformed into the face of her sister. She decides to tear out the page and hide it.

Later, in a dream, Lucy pulls out the page of the mirror and recites the words at the top, “Make me she, whom I’d agree, holds more beauty over me.” Suddenly, in the dream, the spell works to transform Lucy into her sister Susan. However, by being transformed into her sister, Lucy discovers that she never existed.

As Lucy stands before the mirror, horrified, Aslan appears, and the film has the following conversation:

“Lucy,” says Aslan.

“Aslan,” she replies.

“What have you done, child?”

“I don’t know. That was awful.”

“But you chose it, Lucy,” he tells her.

“I didn’t mean to choose all that,” Lucy answers. “I just wanted to be beautiful like Susan. That’s all.”

Aslan tells her, “You wished yourself away, and with it much more. Your brothers and sister wouldn’t know about Narnia without you, Lucy. You discovered it first—remember?”

“I’m so sorry,” Lucy says sadly.

“You doubt your value,” says Aslan. “Don’t run from who you are.”

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Fox 2000 Pictures, 2010), directed by Michael Apted, chapter 13; 0:50:19—0:51:12; submitted by Van Morris, Mt. Washington, Kentucky

We are going to look at jealousy today. Cain jealousy kills Abel.

In Genesis 3 we have the devil slithering around as a serpent, talking, tempting and distorting the Truth and Adam and Eve fall into sin. Then we come to Genesis 4 and we have a description of sin as an animal crouching at the door with a desire to overtake an individual, what an image.

In Genesis 3 we have the “why.” Why do these bad things happen, why sin? In Genesis 4 we have the “what.” What is happening that is sinful. Chapter 3 gives the cause and chapter 4 the effect.

In Genesis 4 we have this picture of sin wanting to overtake Cain, like a snake, a lion, a bear crouching, ready to pounce. Though I want to come to that picturesque image of sin, I mainly wish to focus on sacrifice. It is fitting that this sermon series begins a week after Easter because we see that Abel gave an acceptable sacrifice.

Let’s look at the passages, turn to Hebrews 11:4:

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

Turn to Genesis 4:1-7:

Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.”² Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. ³ In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. ⁴ And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. TheLord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, ⁵ but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

⁶ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

⁸ Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

The Theme:

By Faith Able presented a more acceptable sacrifice.

Application:

Are we religious or righteous? Do we serve God out of duty or because we are pursuing righteousness? We’ll come back to that.

1. First let’s talk about Cain and Abel.
   1. Adam and Eve have a son and name him Cain.
   2. Adam and Eve have another son and name him Abel. There is no mention of a time lapse so it is possible that these two boys are twins. I imagine, though I cannot prove this, that they grow up together. I imagine that they work together. I imagine that they played games together, wrestle, share a tent or bedroom. I mean, we do not know what it was like back then, but I imagine that as brothers they were together a lot. Now, later on we read that Adam and Eve had many other children (Genesis 5:3), so they had other people to hang out with, we also know that when Cain is banished in Genesis 4:13-14 Cain is concerned about the other people killing him, so we know there were many others. Still, I imagine these two boys are brothers and there might have been a bond when they were young. It seems like they were also the first two boys of Adam and Eve. It seems like they were the first two children of creation.
   3. How do people do such evil?

The 20th century was the bloodiest in human history. In Humanity: A Moral History of the 20th Century, Jonathan Glover estimates that 86,000,000 people died in wars fought from 1900 to 1989. That means 2,500 people every day, or 100 people every hour, for 90 years.

In addition to those killed in war, government-sponsored genocide and mass murder killed approximately 120,000,000 people in the 20th century—perhaps more than 80,000,000 in the two Communist countries of China and the Soviet Union alone, according to R. J. Rummel’sStatistics of Democide.

Excerpted from our sister publication Christianity Today, © 2007 Christianity Today International. For more articles like this, visit ChristianityToday.com/ct

Ron Sider, “Courageous Nonviolence,” Christianity Today(December 2007)

2. I find this very cool.
3. Abel was a shepherd.
4. Cain was a farmer.
5. These were common professions. I read, “Both professions were known in early society; sheepherding and agriculture provided an occasion for a natural rivalry. The Sumerian tale of Dumuzi and Enkimdu depicts a rivalry between the shepherd god and the farmer god over marriage to a woman, but it ends in a peaceful resolution.”
6. In Genesis 46:32; 47:3 the Israelites were shepherds.
7. In Genesis 4:3-5 we see their sacrifice and how it worked out and did not work out.
8. Cain brought a sacrifice of the ground. Abel brought a blood sacrifice.
9. Later on there were grain sacrifices by Israelite law, so that was not a wrong thing that Cain did.
10. We read here that Abel brought of the first fruits of his flock. I think this is key. Abel did not pick the animal that was lame, or the smaller one; no the sacrifice was one of the first born. It was as if Abel was saying, “God, I love you so much, I am making this sacrifice.”
11. Cain and Abel knew immediately God’s pleasure and displeasure with the sacrifice. That is interesting. How did they know? I read maybe there was fire that came down out of Heaven and consumed Abel’s sacrifice. That did happen in the Old Testament.
12. ESV Study Note:
13. Although Cain and Abel have contrasting occupations and present different types of offerings to God, the present episode is not designed to elevate herdsmen over farmers, or animal offerings over plant offerings. One way to explain why God had regard for Abel and his offering, but not for Cain, is to posit that Abel’s offering, being of the firstborn of his flock, is a more costly offering, expressing greater devotion. Another way to explain the difference is first to observe that both offerings are recognizable parts of the later Levitical system: for Cain’s offering of the fruit of the ground (v. 3), cf. Deut. 26:2 (an offering expressing consecration), and for Abel’s offering of the firstborn of his flock, cf. Deut. 15:19–23 (a kind of peace offering, a meal in God’s presence). But at no point does the Bible suggest that offerings work automatically, as if the worshiper’s faith and contrition did not matter; and Cain’s fundamentally bad heart can be seen in his resentment toward his brother and in his uncooperative answers to God in the rest of the passage. Several NT texts derive legitimate inferences from this narrative, namely, that Cain demonstrated an evil heart by his evil deeds, while Abel demonstrated a pious heart by his righteous deeds (1 John 3:12); and that Abel offered his sacrifice by faith and was commended as righteous for that reason (Heb. 11:4). Gen 4:2
14. They make the sacrifice and Cain was mad that God did not show pleasure in his sacrifice. Cain’s face changed. He was angry. I see this in verse 5.
15. àI think of how Mercedes can get angry and even obstinate with myself or Meagan. This is true even though we are the obvious two in charge.
16. àGod is in charge and this is how Cain reacts.
17. àAdditionally: Was Cain offended?
18. àWas Cain hurt?
19. àWas their additional instructions for offerings that Cain disregarded?
20. And his face fell.” The idiom means that the inner anger is reflected in Cain’s facial expression. The fallen or downcast face expresses anger, dejection, or depression. Conversely, in Num 6 the high priestly blessing speaks of the Lord lifting up his face and giving peace.^[1]
21. In the next few verses God speaks to Cain.
22. That is where we have the illustration of sin crouching at the door and the desire of sin is to overtake you.
23. Cain ignores this and kills his brother.

1. What is an acceptable sacrifice today?
   1. Abel gave an acceptable sacrifice and that begs the question, what is acceptable today?
   2. Don’t go slaughtering your pet. Jesus is the only sacrifice.
   3. All of our sacrifices missed and that is why Jesus came and died for us.
   4. However, we must respond and we must not respond to Jesus out of duty but love and devotion to Him.

• Now, let’s talk about religion vs. righteousness. These are applications which I made personal.
  1. These must all fall under one major application of religious versus righteous.
  2. The religious person goes to God and serves God out of pure duty.
  3. The righteous person goes to God and serves Him out of love.
  4. The religious person thinks that he/she can earn Heaven by duty.
  5. The righteous person accepts Christ’s righteousness, surrendering to Him.
     1. It seems that Abel’s sacrifice was not pure duty, but pure love. I will give a sacrifice out of love not duty.
        1. This means that I must love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, and soul. (Matt. 22:37-40)
        2. I must love the Lord with all my being. I must love the Lord with who I am.
        3. I must give God my love in devotion and sacrifice.
     2. 1 Cor. 10:31 is fitting: eating and drinking, in everything I must do them to the glory of the Lord. I must do them to love the Lord.
     3. Abel gave out of the first fruits. I must not give God my last, but my first.
        1. This applies to money. This means that I must give God my first in money.
        2. This applies to my energy as well. I must not wait until I am tired to read devotions and pray. I must give Him my best time.
        3. I must not stay out late on Saturday night or up late and fall asleep in worship.
        4. I must give God my best.
        5. I must prepare for my time with God and prepare for worship.
     4. Abel seemed to have an attitude that was not only duty but faith in loving God. I must have an attitude of faith in loving and committing to God. I must ask God to take away my constant drive to make my relationship with Him simple duty and not relationship.
     5. Hebrews 12:24: The blood of Abel was a temporary sacrifice. Jesus’ sacrifice is forever. I must trust Jesus.

Close:

In the film, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,Harrison Ford plays Indiana Jones, a daring archeologist who travels the world in search of treasures. In this film, Indiana and his father are searching for the Holy Grail, the cup reputed to have been used by Christ at the Last Supper.

Indiana’s father is shot just at the end of their quest. With his father dying, Indiana’s search for the Grail takes on new intensity, because the cup is said to bring healing to those who drink from it.

With his father groaning in the background, Indiana walks ahead, following an ancient book that gives clues to guide him through a maze of obstacles to the place where the Grail is hidden. He comes to the brink of a chasm deeper than the eye can see. There is no visible way for him to cross the chasm.

Indiana is faced with the impossible. All he sees is the sheer cliff edge and the vast gulf beneath him. Then, as he studies his guidebook, his face relaxes in realization, and he says, “It’s a leap of faith.”

With his father whispering, “You must believe, boy, you must believe,” Indiana looks straight ahead, gathers his courage, and slowly raises one foot into the empty air in front of him.

With a thud, his foot lands on solid ground. The camera pans to show Indiana standing on a narrow rock bridge, deceptively carved to match the exact outline of the ravine beneath it.

Overcome with relief, he quickly crosses the chasm and discovers the Grail on the other side.

Elapsed Time: Measured from the beginning of the opening credit, this scene begins at 01:46:50 and ends at 01:48:45.

Content: Rated PG-13 for violence.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Lucasfilm, 1989), rated PG-13, written by Jeffrey Boam, directed by Steven Spielberg; submitted by Bill White, Paramount, California

Hebrews 11:4:

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

Thousands of years later Abel was remembered.

Trust Christ’s righteousness and we will live for eternity with Him in paradise.

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

Pray

^[1] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Ge 4:5–6.

Show the video from Christmas Eve (That I did not show) that traces Christmas to Easter

One of our leaders emailed the minutes of a team meeting and wrote something like: “Put your hands in the air, jump up and down the minutes are attached!” I was excited to see the minutes, but I hope I am more excited about the resurrection.

The definition of “joy.”

1. a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.

verb

literary

rejoice.

Let’s think about children and joy. Last summer I was cutting the grass when all of a sudden I see my two year old, almost three year old, run out the back steps, get on her tricycle and ride up and down the drive way with a huge smile on her face. I saw joy, I saw excitement on her face. [This was not Meagan not paying attention] Now, we have a somewhat large yard and I was on a riding mower and I know her mother would not have let her out by herself. I was looking for Meagan but she was nowhere to be found which meant that Mercedes had found a way out. Mercedes loves to play outside. I love seeing joy on her face. This makes me think of the numerous moments of joy on a child’s face. I have seen it from three, going on four years now. But I think of holidays.

Last Christmas was a memorable one because Mercedes is really able to understand what is going on. We carefully set out the gifts so that she could see them. She came out of her room and let out a happy scream and said “Presents!”

Connect presents with joy in our salvation.

Did you have the same joy when you received Christ?

Do we have joy about our salvation?  (Psalm 51:12)

Theme:

Today, my focus is that I believe the resurrection gave the disciples joy and we need to have joy as well.

Let’s read Mark 1:1-8:

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.  Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb  and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.  As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

1. Rejoice! Have great joy, Jesus lives!
   1. So the disciples go from huddling in a room to I think rejoicing.
   2. Now, the New Testament never specifically says that they jumped up and down, but I would say they must have. Build on that. Make that contrast as sharp as I can.
      1. One moment they are huddled the next moment they see Jesus.
   3. Consider the rest of the New Testament is about them spreading this amazing message, so they must have had some excitement.
   4. Verse 8 has the women leaving the tomb with trembling and astonishment. I think they had a type of holy fear. They were amazed. They did not know what to think of this.
      1. Notice that the women go to the tomb first.
   5. In John’s Gospel chapter 20 and verse 2 the women run and tell Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved (Probably John) about this. They ran, probably in excitement, in joy.
   6. Then in verses 3-4 the two disciples run to the tomb. Their lives are being turned upside down.
   7. Thomas responds when he sees Jesus by stating, “My Lord and My God.” He worshipped. (John 20:28)
   8. Now, think about the disciples, many of them were fishermen before Jesus called them and then they travel with Jesus for some three years. Now, they thought that they were going to reign with Jesus, but now He is crucified. I bet this was a real downer. I wonder if they were a bit depressed. I wonder if they were wondering what they were going to do.
   9. Do you think they were thinking about fishing again? They were not that good at it. Every time they are fishing they did not catch anything until Jesus would come along. Jesus would come along and they would think, “What do you know about fishing?” Yet, they followed His advice and caught fish. (Luke 5; John 21)
   10. They were at a loss for their life had revolved around Jesus and then He was gone. But He really was not gone.

Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,

                    waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Refrain:

                    Up from the grave he arose;

                    with a mighty triumph o’er his foes;

                    he arose a victor from the dark domain,

                    and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.

                    He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch his bed, Jesus my Savior,

                    vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!

                    (Refrain)

Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;           

he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

1. So jump, up and down, put your hands in the air, rejoice!
2. I think we can learn from children such as Mercedes and her joy. We can learn and apply their joy at holidays. Have we lost our joy?
3. John 15 the vine and the branches: Jesus talks about joy.
4. Joy can be spontaneous and immediate, “Presents.” We as believers can have joy that is lasting. We have long term joy that sustains us.
5. Many times, I arrive home and I hear Mercedes say: “Daddy’s home!” as she runs to the door. Jesus is alive, He has risen! Are we rejoicing? Are we excited? Do we have the joy of a child when their parent arrives? How do we look when we arrive at worship to meet with Jesus? I am applying this to myself as well.
6. You say, “I want the joy, I want to rejoice, but I have lost the joy.” Let me answer that as best as I can.
   1. Everyone goes through dry spells spiritually. That does not mean that God is further away. Nor does it mean that the individual has a sin issue.
   2. I will encourage you to spend extra time in prayer and extra time in the Scriptures. If you are not connected to God through prayer and the Scriptures you will eventually lose joy.

• I will encourage you to spend time with the church. If you are not connected to the church you will eventually lose joy.

1. I encourage you to further your church involvement. If you think Sunday is your duty and then you’re done, you will eventually lose joy or not gain joy.
2. I encourage you to listen to Hymns and songs, read Hymns and songs. (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).
3. I encourage Christian radio and/or podcast.

• Ask Jesus to restore the joy of your salvation (Psalm 51:12).
• Pray Psalm 42: “As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for You.”

1. Pray the Psalms.
2. Just some initial suggestions.
   1. Share your joy, remember that we never lose it. Jesus keeps filling us up.

1. Rejoicing has applications:
   1. I no longer have to fear death because Jesus rose from the grave. 1 Cor. 15:55 there is no longer a sting in death.
      1. In 1 Cor 15:3-8 the Scriptures write about Jesus appearing to the disciples and later over 500 people all at the same time. Again, Jesus showed many that He has been resurrected.
      2. Later on in 1 Cor. 15:13-15 the Scriptures tell us that if Christ was not raised from the dead our faith is in vain! This means that our faith is useless. Later on in that same chapter the Scriptures write about our hope in the resurrection. You see, because Christ rose from the dead we have hope. We have hope that when we die it is not the end. We have hope that when our family members and friends who are Christians die they are not gone, but with Christ in eternal paradise. We can see them again because they will have resurrected bodies as Jesus did. Paul wrote, “Where O death is your sting.” (1 Cor. 15:55) There is no sting because we have eternal life in perfect bodies.
   2. The resurrection separates Christianity from other religions. I must take confidence in that.
   3. I must rejoice that my savior lives.
   4. Rejoicing must cause me to commit: Luke 9:23; Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20
   5. Rejoicing must cause me to share the Gospel. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15)

Close:

When I was a child, on Christmas, my birthday and Easter I received gifts (probably too many definitely too many). On Christmas and Easter we would go to my grandparent house in the afternoon and I was always eager to share the news of what I received. After my birthday, I could not wait to share with my friends what gift I received.

When we have joy we share it. Joy is the gift that keeps on giving if we allow it to.

Share Jesus He has risen!

Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross paying the price for your sins? Sins are the wrong things we do.

The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The Bible says that the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23). The Bible says that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except by Him. (John 14:6). The Bible teaches that sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). The Bible says that God will not let the guilty go unpunished (2 Thess 1:8-9). Yet, the Bible teaches that God loves the people of the world (John 3:16). That is a dilemma. God can’t tell a lie or He wouldn’t be God (Numbers 23:19). God doesn’t change His mind (1 Sam 15:29). That is why God sent Jesus. The guilty must go punished. Jesus took our punishment on the cross. The penalty of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life.

Pray