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Romans 4:13-25 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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  Well, good morning. I'm glad you're here with us this morning. Please take your copy of God's Word and turn to Romans chapter 4.
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  Today's text is Romans chapter 4, verses 13 through 25.
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  ! We will see in today's text, once again, that we are justified, which means to be declared righteous or morally perfect through faith alone.
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  Do not grow weary of hearing such good news. We will read it, and we will preach it, and we will recite it, we will pray it, we will sing it each Lord's Day when we gather.
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  Because of my fickle heart and wayward emotions, I need to be reminded of God's loving kindness to me in the person and work of Jesus Christ as often as possible.
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  And I believe that you do, too.
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  So, just this week, in addition, on social media, a platform that's strangely now called X, I dipped my toe into a debate amongst professing conservative Christians concerning justification by faith alone.
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  And to my great surprise, saw many deny this important doctrine.
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  Beloved, I said to you some weeks ago, we are Protestants.
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  And we are at our very best when we hold fast to the solas.
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  We believe and declare that the Bible alone teaches us that we are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.
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  And all of this is to the glory of God alone.
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  We do not innovate.
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  We hold.
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  We do not waver.
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  We hold.
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  We do not become distracted.
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  We hold.
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  We contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
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  This is the hill to die on.
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  For our sake, for the sake of others, to the glory of God, we hold.
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  And so join me as Paul continues to make his case in Romans chapter 4, verse 13, through the end of the chapter.
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  Beloved, this is God's word to us, written for his glory and our good.
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  And so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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  Verse 13, for the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
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  For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
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  For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law, there is no transgression.
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  That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring.
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  Not only to the adherent of the law, but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
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  As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations.
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  In the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
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  In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations.
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  As he had been told, so shall your offspring be.
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  He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead, since he was about a hundred years old.
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  Or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.
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  No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God.
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  Fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
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  This is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness.
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  But the words it was counted to him were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also.
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  It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus, our Lord.
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  Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
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  Now, this is a lot of text for today.
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  Thirteen verses.
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  And there are phrases in here that I want to just stop on for weeks at a time.
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  But I think that the church will be better served to take it in a chunk and to move past it.
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  So, as I read that to you, if there was a phrase that popped in your mind, you said,
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  Oh, I can't wait to hear the extensive explanation of that.
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  It may not come today.
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  And the scripture so often gets to be unfolded or peeled back like an onion.
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  There's much to mine out of the text.
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  We won't be able to cover it all today.
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  Our time together is brief.
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  The argument can be a little bit difficult to track, but we're going to do so our best with a simple outline,
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  which is often three points, but today it's five.
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  So, let me give those to you quickly, and then we'll dive into the first point.
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  So, number one, by grace alone through faith alone.
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  We see this in verses 13 through 16.
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  Secondly, the object of faith, verse 17.
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  Thirdly, the obstacles of faith, verses 18 and 19.
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  Fourthly, the nature of faith, verses 20 and 21.
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  And lastly, the result of faith, verses 22 through 25.
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  So, first, by grace alone through faith alone.
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  Paul is going on to make this case that this is how we are justified.
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  This is how we are saved from the wrath of God.
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  By grace alone through faith alone.
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  He speaks in today's text about the relationship between the law and the gospel,
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  which we will see carried throughout the letter.
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  And it's an important, but sometimes difficult thing to get exactly right.
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  The relationship between law and gospel.
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  But we need to get it right.
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  In verses 13 and 15, Paul teaches us two important facts concerning the law.
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  The first one is that you cannot be saved by the law.
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  You are not and cannot be morally perfect.
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  And therefore, cannot be declared righteous because of your works.
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  This is an absolute impossibility.
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  All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
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  Notice there in verse 13, the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be the heir of the world
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  did not come through the law, because it could not, but through the righteousness of faith.
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  This is the way that Abraham was justified.
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  We see that at the beginning of chapter 4.
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  If you weren't with us last week, I really encourage you to go back and read chapter 4, beginning in verse 1.
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  Or, perhaps just read from the beginning of the letter.
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  We are justified by faith alone.
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  But what do we make of verse 14?
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  There he says,
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  It is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs.
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  If this is the case, faith is null and the promise is void.
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  It doesn't seem to suggest that some people are able to keep the law?
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  If anybody were to do it, then the promise would be void.
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  But perhaps we're helped by another translation of this verse from the NASB 95,
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  where there it says,
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  For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified.
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  You'll also notice in verse 16 that same thing.
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  Not only to the adherent of the law, but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham.
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  So this verse could be understood sociologically or nationalistically.
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  I think that the former is correct.
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  I think Paul is meaning to reference the Jewish people,
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  but I think more than that what he's saying is those who attempt to live by the law.
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  Which largely would have been the partly Jewish audience that he's writing to here,
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  but also applies to us.
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  Those who have God's law and try to live by it.
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  Endeavor to be a people of or adherence to the law
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  and to find our justification there.
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  If we were able to do so,
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  then the promise that comes through faith would be void.
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  But nobody can.
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  Nobody has and nobody will be a faithful adherent to the law.
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  And therefore, faith is not null and the promise is not void.
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  If you back up a little bit into Romans chapter 4,
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  there in verse 9 and following, Paul says,
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  is this blessing then only for the circumcised or also for the uncircumcised?
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  For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.
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  How then was it counted to him?
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  Was it before or after he had been circumcised?
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  So here there, him keeping the law.
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  God commanded a thing that he did.
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  He says,
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  No, it was not after but before he was circumcised.
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  He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith
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  while he was still uncircumcised.
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  His obedience and circumcision was the evidence of the faith
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  that he had already expressed in God's promises.
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  The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised
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  so that righteousness would be counted to them as well
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  and to make him the father of the circumcised who were not merely circumcised
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  but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had
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  before he was circumcised.
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  So if you're tracking with me, I hope that you are.
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  The point is that you cannot be saved by the law.
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  Secondly, we learn in verse 15 that the law exposes our sinfulness.
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  There Paul says,
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  again, this is a verse I think we could spend much time on,
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  but he says,
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  in brief,
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  the law brings wrath,
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  but where there is no law,
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  there is no transgression.
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  Now he is not saying that we get to remain blissfully ignorant.
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  Not at all what he's trying to say.
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  He's not saying run from any command
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  because he's made the case extensively in the previous chapters
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  that whether Jew or Greek,
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  we have sinned.
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  Hear what he says in Romans chapter 3, verse 9 and following.
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  He says,
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  we have already charged.
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  And he's referring to chapter 1, verse 18,
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  all the way through chapter 2, verse 29.
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  We have already charged that all,
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  both Jews and Greeks,
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  are under sin.
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  As it is written,
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  none is righteous.
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  No, not one.
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  No one understands.
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  No one seeks for God.
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  All have turned aside together.
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  They have become worthless.
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  No one does good.
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  Not even one.
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  The law,
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  whether written on paper
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  or written in our hearts,
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  exposes our rebellion
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  against the most holy God.
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  It makes us aware of a need.
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  And that need is met by Christ.
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  The law is meant to lead us to Christ.
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  Let me show you another place that Paul speaks to this
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  in Galatians chapter 3.
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  I think it would serve you to join me there.
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  Galatians chapter 3.
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  This letter being written specifically
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  to address a heresy that was being taught
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  in the church
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  where Jewish people
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  who had professed faith in Christ
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  were coming and telling
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  Greek-professing Christians
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  that they must be circumcised
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  in order to be found right with God.
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  You're going to be justified
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  by faith plus circumcision
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  is the claim that they were making.
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  And Paul is addressing this
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  and he is clear and pointed
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  in his words.
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  But he says this beginning in verse 23.
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  Now before faith came,
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  we were held captive under the law,
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  imprisoned until the coming faith
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  would be revealed.
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  So then the law was our guardian
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  until Christ came
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  in order that we might be justified
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  by faith.
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  But now that faith has come.
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  We are no longer under a guardian
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  for in Christ Jesus
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  you are all sons of God
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  through faith.
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  So here we see
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  in our text for today,
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  Romans chapter 4,
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  the law brings wrath.
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  It shows us our transgression.
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  And here Paul says
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  it's a guardian for us.
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  Let me read to you a quote
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  from an article published
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  in Ligonier Ministries
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  Table Talk magazine.
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  I'd like to attribute it
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  to an author
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  but they didn't
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  so I can't.
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  But from Table Talk magazine
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  an author writes,
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  in ancient Rome
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  the guardian was a slave
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  entrusted with the care
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  of another's child
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  when the child reached age six.
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  Until the child reached adolescence
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  the guardian was like a nanny
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  who watched over the child
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  and ensured that he made it
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  to and from school.
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  The guardian was not
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  a professional teacher
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  but he did serve as a tutor
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  who at home reviewed
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  with the child
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  the material learned
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  in the classroom.
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  Additionally,
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  the guardian was the child's
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  main disciplinarian.
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  He corrected bad manners
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  and helped his charge
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  learn etiquette.
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  Depending on the individual,
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  a guardian might discipline
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  the child harshly
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  with canings and whippings
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  or with greater tenderness
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  and care.
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  Some children hated
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  their guardian.
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  others formed a strong
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  lifelong bond with him.
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  This background enriches
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  our understanding
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  of the purpose of the law
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  and why it is no longer
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  the defining principle
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  of the life of the believer.
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  If the Mosaic law
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  is like a guardian,
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  then by definition
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  it was not a permanent guardian
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  since the job of the guardian
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  was over when the child
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  was grown up.
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  Though the believing community
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  learned much from the law,
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  just as a child
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  learned manners
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  from his guardian,
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  the law had the important job
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  of taking us to school,
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  of leading us to Christ.
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  So this is the point of the law
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  Paul is arguing here
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  in Galatians, right?
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  To move us along,
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  to bring us up
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  into adulthood, right?
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  Into a proper understanding
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  of the gospel
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  of Jesus Christ.
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  It prods us
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  in that direction.
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  So,
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  the law exposes
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  our sinfulness
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  that we might
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  by faith
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  believe in Christ.
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  Verse 16,
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  that is why
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  it depends on faith.
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  In order that the promise
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  may rest on grace
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  and be guaranteed
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  to all his offspring,
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  right?
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  The faith that is granted
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  by grace.
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  God,
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  in his loving kindness,
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  saving a people
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  for his praise.
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  Not only to the
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  adherent of the law,
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  but also to the one
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  who shares the faith
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  of Abraham,
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  who is the father
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  of us all.
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  We are justified
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  by grace alone,
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  through faith alone,
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  in Jesus Christ
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  alone, right?
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  Beloved,
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  this is of dire
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  importance.
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  And brings us
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  to our next point.
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  Let's observe
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  some things
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  about Abraham's
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  faith.
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  So,
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  the object
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  of Abraham's
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  faith.
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  Verse 17,
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  as it is written,
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  the text says,
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  and this is from
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  Genesis chapter 17
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  and verse 5,
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  I have made you
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  the father
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  of many nations.
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  In the presence
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  of the God
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  in whom he believed,
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  who gives life
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  to the dead
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  and calls into existence
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  the things
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  that do not
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  exist.
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  The object
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  of faith,
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  Paul tells us,
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  was the God
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  of the promise.
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  This is what
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  Abraham believed in,
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  the God
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  of the promise.
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  His faith
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  was not
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  an aimless
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  faith.
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  faith.
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  He believed
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  that God
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  could and would
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  do exactly
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  what he had
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  promised to do.
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  Now,
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  this deserves
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  some exploration,
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  so join me
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  in the book of
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  Genesis,
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  and let's look
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  briefly at the
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  account.
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  We looked at it
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  a bit last week.
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  Let's go to
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  Genesis chapter 15
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  and verse 1.
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  Genesis chapter 15.
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  Begin
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  reading in verse 1,
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  and it'll lead us
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  to a phrase
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  in verse 6,
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  which Paul
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  is recounting
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  for us
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  again and again.
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  He's quoting
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  again and again.
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  He believed
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  the Lord,
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  and he counted
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  it to him
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  as righteousness.
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  So,
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  beginning in verse 1.
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  After these things,
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  the word of the Lord
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  came to Abram
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  in a vision.
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  Fear not,
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  Abram,
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  I am your shield,
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  your reward
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  shall be very great.
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  But Abram said,
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  O Lord God,
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  what will you give me?
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  For I continue
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  childless,
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  and the heir of my house
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  is Eleazar
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  of Damascus.
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  He's remembering
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  these grand promises
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  that God has made,
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  and he said,
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  but I'm still childless.
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  How will it come
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  to pass?
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  Verse 3,
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  And Abram said,
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  Behold,
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  you have given me
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  no offspring,
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  and a member of my household
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  will be my heir.
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  And behold,
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  the word of the Lord
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  came to him,
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  This man shall not
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  be your heir.
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  Your very own son
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  shall be your heir.
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  And he brought him
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  outside and said,
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  Look toward heaven
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  and number the stars
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  if you are able
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  to number them.
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  Then he said to him,
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  So shall your offspring
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  be.
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  And then verse 6,
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  And he,
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  Abram,
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  believed the Lord
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  and he counted it
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  to him
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  as righteousness.
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  He believed,
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  he believed
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  that God would do
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  what God said
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  that he would do.
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  Now,
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  this belief
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  is tested
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  later in the book
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  of Genesis.
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  So turn to
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  Genesis chapter 22.
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  A number of things
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  have happened.
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  Verse 1 says,
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  After these things,
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  I encourage you
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  to read them,
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  God tested
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  Abraham.
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  What was he testing?
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  He was testing his faith.
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  Testing his faith.
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  And he said to him,
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  Abraham,
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  and he said,
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  Here I am.
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  He said,
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  Take your son,
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  your only son Isaac,
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  whom you love,
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  and go to the land
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  of Moriah
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  and offer him there
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  as a burnt offering
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  on one of the mountains
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  of which I shall tell you.
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  Kill your son.
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  Sacrifice your son.
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  Right?
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  The one whom I've said
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  the promise will come.
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  Right?
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  And the account says
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  simply this.
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  Verse 3,
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  So Abraham rose
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  early in the morning,
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  saddled his donkey,
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  and took two of his young men
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  with him and his son Isaac.
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  And he cut the wood
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  for the burnt offering
• 20:26
  and arose and went
• 20:27
  to the place
• 20:28
  of which God
• 20:28
  had told him.
• 20:30
  On the third day,
• 20:31
  Abraham lifted up his eyes
• 20:33
  and saw the place
• 20:34
  from afar.
• 20:36
  So he takes the things
• 20:38
  he needs,
• 20:39
  he travels three days
• 20:41
  and comes to the place.
• 20:43
  Verse 5,
• 20:43
  Then Abraham said
• 20:44
  to his young men,
• 20:45
  Stay here with the donkey.
• 20:48
  I and the boy
• 20:49
  will go over there
• 20:50
  and worship
• 20:51
  and come again
• 20:53
  to you.
• 20:54
  Very significant verse
• 20:55
  we'll see
• 20:55
  in just a moment.
• 20:57
  Right?
• 20:57
  I and the boy
• 20:58
  will go
• 20:59
  and here
• 21:00
  I and the boy
• 21:01
  will return.
• 21:03
  And Abraham
• 21:04
  took the wood
• 21:05
  of the burnt offering
• 21:06
  and laid it
• 21:07
  on Isaac's son
• 21:07
  and he took
• 21:09
  in his hand
• 21:10
  the fire
• 21:11
  and the knife.
• 21:12
  So they went
• 21:13
  both of them
• 21:14
  together.
• 21:16
  If you read on
• 21:17
  or if you're familiar
• 21:18
  with the story,
• 21:18
  we discover that Abraham
• 21:19
  intended to follow through
• 21:21
  on the sacrifice
• 21:22
  of his son.
• 21:24
  At the very last moment,
• 21:25
  God stays his hand
• 21:27
  and provides instead
• 21:28
  a ram
• 21:29
  for the sacrifice
• 21:30
  and then restates
• 21:32
  the promise
• 21:32
  that he made
• 21:34
  to Abraham.
• 21:35
  So we pick up
• 21:35
  in verse 15.
• 21:37
  And the angel
• 21:38
  of the Lord
• 21:38
  came to Abraham
• 21:39
  a second time
• 21:40
  from heaven
• 21:40
  and said,
• 21:42
  By myself
• 21:43
  I have sworn,
• 21:43
  declares the Lord,
• 21:44
  because you have
• 21:45
  done this
• 21:45
  and have not
• 21:46
  withheld your son,
• 21:47
  your only son,
• 21:49
  I will surely
• 21:49
  bless you
• 21:50
  and I will surely
• 21:51
  multiply your offspring
• 21:52
  as the stars of heaven
• 21:53
  as the sand
• 21:54
  that is on the seashore
• 21:54
  and your offspring
• 21:56
  shall possess
• 21:56
  the gate
• 21:57
  of his enemies
• 21:58
  and in your offspring
• 21:59
  shall all the nations
• 22:01
  of the earth
• 22:01
  be blessed
• 22:02
  because
• 22:03
  you have obeyed
• 22:05
  my voice.
• 22:07
  Now remember,
• 22:08
  the whole matter
• 22:08
  was a test
• 22:09
  of his faith
• 22:10
  so his obedience
• 22:12
  proved
• 22:13
  his belief.
• 22:15
  This is why
• 22:16
  we have to read
• 22:17
  and understand
• 22:17
  the Bible
• 22:17
  in its context.
• 22:20
  You can simply
• 22:20
  pull out verse 18
• 22:21
  and go,
• 22:21
  See?
• 22:22
  It was the obedience
• 22:23
  that justified him.
• 22:25
  But if we look
• 22:25
  at the narrative
• 22:26
  in its total,
• 22:27
  no, no,
• 22:27
  it's his obedience
• 22:28
  that simply showed
• 22:30
  that he believed.
• 22:32
  It's a confident belief,
• 22:33
  an unwavering
• 22:34
  belief
• 22:35
  in God's providence.
• 22:37
  It evidenced
• 22:37
  his faith.
• 22:38
  But it was
• 22:39
  his faith
• 22:40
  that was counted
• 22:40
  to him
• 22:41
  as righteousness.
• 22:43
  Now with this
• 22:44
  in mind,
• 22:45
  I want you to join me
• 22:46
  in a New Testament
• 22:47
  text.
• 22:48
  Go to the book
• 22:48
  of Hebrews,
• 22:50
  chapter 11.
• 22:55
  Remember Genesis 22
• 22:56
  and verse 5.
• 22:57
  I kind of
• 22:57
  pointed out
• 22:58
  to you.
• 22:59
  The author
• 23:01
  of Hebrews
• 23:02
  in chapter 11,
• 23:03
  a chapter that
• 23:03
  begins with a
• 23:04
  definition of faith.
• 23:07
  There he says,
• 23:07
  Now faith
• 23:08
  is the assurance
• 23:09
  of things
• 23:10
  hoped for,
• 23:12
  the conviction
• 23:13
  of things
• 23:13
  not seen.
• 23:16
  And he launches
• 23:17
  into this great
• 23:18
  hall of witnesses.
• 23:19
  All of these
• 23:20
  people that
• 23:21
  by faith
• 23:22
  were commended
• 23:23
  before God.
• 23:26
  And in verse 17
• 23:27
  of Hebrews 11,
• 23:29
  he says this,
• 23:30
  By faith,
• 23:31
  Abraham,
• 23:32
  when he was
• 23:33
  tested,
• 23:35
  offered up
• 23:35
  Isaac,
• 23:36
  and he who
• 23:36
  had received
• 23:37
  the promises
• 23:38
  was in the act
• 23:39
  of offering up
• 23:40
  his only son,
• 23:41
  of whom it was
• 23:41
  said,
• 23:42
  Through Isaac
• 23:43
  shall your
• 23:44
  offspring
• 23:44
  be named.
• 23:47
  And then,
• 23:48
  verse 5.
• 23:49
  Verse 19
• 23:50
  is widely
• 23:53
  agreed to be
• 23:54
  divine commentary
• 23:55
  on Genesis 22,
• 23:58
  verse 5.
• 23:59
  Remember it said,
• 24:00
  Abraham said to
• 24:01
  his young men,
• 24:02
  Stay here with
• 24:03
  the donkey.
• 24:04
  I and the boy
• 24:04
  will go over there
• 24:05
  and worship
• 24:06
  and come again
• 24:07
  to you.
• 24:08
  I and the boy
• 24:08
  will go,
• 24:09
  will worship,
• 24:10
  and I and the boy
• 24:10
  will return.
• 24:12
  Listen to the
• 24:12
  divine commentary
• 24:13
  from Hebrews 11,
• 24:14
  verse 19.
• 24:15
  He, Abraham,
• 24:17
  considered that God
• 24:18
  was able even
• 24:19
  to raise him
• 24:20
  from the dead.
• 24:24
  Abraham went
• 24:24
  to go sacrifice
• 24:25
  his son,
• 24:26
  believing in God's
• 24:26
  promise.
• 24:28
  God had said,
• 24:28
  It's going to be
• 24:29
  through Isaac
• 24:29
  that all of my
• 24:31
  promises will be
• 24:32
  realized.
• 24:33
  And Abraham had
• 24:34
  the kind of faith
• 24:35
  that believed
• 24:35
  that promise,
• 24:36
  so much so
• 24:37
  that God would
• 24:38
  still accomplish
• 24:39
  his purpose.
• 24:42
  We'll just let it
• 24:43
  read the scripture
• 24:43
  for us.
• 24:44
  That's okay.
• 24:46
  So, Abraham
• 24:47
  believed that God
• 24:48
  could and would
• 24:49
  do what he had
• 24:50
  promised to do.
• 24:53
  This is incredible.
• 24:55
  I don't know how
• 24:55
  you wiggle out
• 24:56
  of justification
• 24:57
  by faith alone.
• 24:58
  I don't understand it.
• 24:59
  I don't understand it.
• 25:00
  I think, perhaps,
• 25:02
  people have different
• 25:03
  Bibles than
• 25:03
  I have.
• 25:06
  Verse 17
• 25:07
  of Romans 4,
• 25:10
  as it is written,
• 25:11
  Genesis 17, 5,
• 25:13
  that I have made you
• 25:13
  the father of many
• 25:14
  nations.
• 25:17
  In the presence
• 25:18
  of the God
• 25:18
  in whom
• 25:19
  he believed.
• 25:21
  Who gives life
• 25:22
  to the dead.
• 25:25
  Little stars go off
• 25:26
  in your head.
• 25:27
  Right?
• 25:27
  He gives life
• 25:28
  to the dead
• 25:28
  and calls into
• 25:30
  existence
• 25:31
  the things
• 25:32
  that do not
• 25:33
  exist.
• 25:35
  I think here,
• 25:36
  Paul is talking
• 25:37
  about God's
• 25:38
  massive might,
• 25:40
  his bringing about
• 25:41
  the creation
• 25:41
  of the world,
• 25:42
  to give us
• 25:43
  confidence that
• 25:44
  he can also
• 25:45
  bring about
• 25:45
  faith in us.
• 25:48
  It wasn't
• 25:49
  humanly rational
• 25:50
  for Abraham
• 25:51
  to think that
• 25:52
  he could be
• 25:52
  the father
• 25:53
  of many nations,
• 25:54
  but he believed
• 25:55
  in the God
• 25:56
  who made
• 25:56
  the promise,
• 25:57
  despite the
• 25:58
  obstacles to
• 25:59
  that belief.
• 26:01
  So let's
• 26:01
  consider briefly
• 26:02
  the obstacles
• 26:04
  of faith.
• 26:04
  Point number
• 26:04
  three,
• 26:05
  verses 18 and
• 26:05
  19,
• 26:06
  the obstacles
• 26:07
  of faith.
• 26:09
  In hope he
• 26:09
  believed against
• 26:10
  hope that
• 26:11
  he should
• 26:12
  become the
• 26:12
  father of
• 26:13
  many nations,
• 26:13
  as he had
• 26:14
  been told,
• 26:15
  so shall
• 26:15
  your offspring
• 26:16
  be.
• 26:17
  He did not
• 26:17
  weaken in
• 26:18
  faith when
• 26:19
  he considered
• 26:19
  his own
• 26:19
  body,
• 26:20
  which was
• 26:20
  as good
• 26:20
  as dead,
• 26:21
  since he
• 26:21
  was about
• 26:22
  a hundred
• 26:22
  years old,
• 26:23
  or when he
• 26:24
  considered
• 26:24
  the barrenness
• 26:25
  of Sarah's
• 26:26
  womb.
• 26:28
  I notice
• 26:28
  two obstacles
• 26:29
  in these
• 26:31
  verses.
• 26:32
  Do you see
• 26:33
  them?
• 26:34
  Let's
• 26:34
  note the
• 26:35
  easy one
• 26:36
  first from
• 26:37
  verse 19.
• 26:39
  It was not
• 26:39
  biologically
• 26:40
  possible for
• 26:42
  Abraham and
• 26:42
  Sarah to
• 26:44
  have a baby.
• 26:45
  Not biologically
• 26:46
  possible.
• 26:47
  I sometimes
• 26:48
  just adore
• 26:50
  Paul's writing
• 26:51
  when he calls
• 26:52
  Abraham here
• 26:53
  that he was
• 26:53
  as good as
• 26:54
  dead.
• 26:55
  He was
• 26:55
  essentially a
• 26:56
  dead man,
• 26:57
  and then he
• 26:57
  parenthetically
• 26:58
  says he was
• 26:59
  almost a hundred.
• 27:00
  He was 99
• 27:01
  years old.
• 27:03
  They would
• 27:04
  require divine
• 27:05
  intervention for
• 27:07
  this promise to
• 27:08
  come true.
• 27:10
  Abraham had to
• 27:11
  believe that
• 27:12
  God would
• 27:12
  bring this
• 27:12
  thing to
• 27:13
  pass because
• 27:14
  it was not
• 27:14
  biologically
• 27:15
  possible for
• 27:17
  this to be
• 27:18
  the case.
• 27:20
  God calls
• 27:20
  us to the
• 27:21
  same kind
• 27:21
  of faith,
• 27:22
  a faith that
• 27:23
  rests on
• 27:23
  his word,
• 27:25
  on the things
• 27:25
  that he
• 27:26
  has said
• 27:27
  would happen,
• 27:27
  his character
• 27:28
  and his
• 27:29
  promises
• 27:30
  for us.
• 27:32
  This is an
• 27:33
  astounding
• 27:34
  hurdle to
• 27:34
  overcome.
• 27:35
  God told him
• 27:35
  a thing would
• 27:36
  happen that
• 27:36
  was not
• 27:36
  biologically
• 27:37
  possible to
• 27:38
  happen and
• 27:38
  he believed
• 27:39
  that it
• 27:40
  would come
• 27:40
  to pass.
• 27:42
  But there's
• 27:43
  also a second
• 27:44
  obstacle that
• 27:45
  I notice.
• 27:47
  There's an
• 27:47
  interesting turn
• 27:48
  of phrase at
• 27:48
  the beginning
• 27:49
  of verse
• 27:49
  18.
• 27:50
  In hope,
• 27:51
  he believed
• 27:52
  against hope.
• 27:56
  Paul distinguishes
• 27:57
  between belief
• 27:58
  and hope.
• 28:00
  They are similar,
• 28:02
  but they are not
• 28:03
  the same.
• 28:05
  I'm going to
• 28:05
  spare you the
• 28:06
  Greek this
• 28:07
  morning for
• 28:08
  the sake of
• 28:08
  time and
• 28:09
  perhaps my
• 28:10
  small understanding
• 28:11
  of Greek.
• 28:13
  Hope is the
• 28:13
  desire for
• 28:14
  something that
• 28:15
  may become
• 28:16
  true.
• 28:18
  The desire for
• 28:19
  something that
• 28:19
  may become
• 28:20
  true.
• 28:20
  In this case,
• 28:21
  that he should
• 28:22
  become the
• 28:23
  father of
• 28:23
  many nations.
• 28:25
  Paul says,
• 28:26
  in hope,
• 28:28
  he believed.
• 28:29
  He had faith
• 28:31
  that the thing
• 28:31
  hoped for,
• 28:32
  God's promise,
• 28:34
  that he would
• 28:34
  become the
• 28:34
  father of
• 28:35
  many nations
• 28:35
  would come
• 28:37
  to pass.
• 28:39
  He hoped
• 28:39
  that it
• 28:40
  would be,
• 28:40
  and he
• 28:40
  believed in
• 28:42
  hope.
• 28:43
  Recall the
• 28:43
  author of
• 28:44
  Hebrews'
• 28:44
  definition of
• 28:45
  faith from
• 28:45
  the beginning
• 28:46
  of chapter
• 28:46
  11.
• 28:47
  Now,
• 28:47
  faith is
• 28:48
  the assurance
• 28:49
  of things
• 28:51
  hoped for,
• 28:52
  the confidence
• 28:53
  of things
• 28:54
  hoped for,
• 28:55
  good promises,
• 28:57
  things we
• 28:57
  would like to
• 28:58
  see come
• 28:58
  to pass.
• 29:00
  hope.
• 29:01
  So,
• 29:02
  what does
• 29:02
  Paul mean
• 29:03
  in hope?
• 29:05
  He believed
• 29:05
  against hope.
• 29:08
  It feels
• 29:08
  contradictory,
• 29:10
  doesn't it?
• 29:12
  I think that
• 29:13
  Paul is
• 29:13
  communicating that
• 29:14
  an obstacle to
• 29:15
  Abraham's faith
• 29:16
  was that the
• 29:17
  promise was
• 29:18
  such a grand,
• 29:20
  wonderful promise
• 29:21
  that it just
• 29:22
  seemed too
• 29:23
  good to be
• 29:25
  true.
• 29:26
  I mean,
• 29:26
  what a thing
• 29:27
  to hope in.
• 29:29
  A man
• 29:29
  with no
• 29:30
  heir,
• 29:32
  he's 99
• 29:32
  years old,
• 29:33
  he has no
• 29:34
  heir,
• 29:35
  no potential
• 29:36
  posterity,
• 29:38
  a man who
• 29:38
  Paul says
• 29:39
  was as good
• 29:40
  as dead,
• 29:41
  to hope
• 29:42
  that he
• 29:42
  would have
• 29:43
  children,
• 29:45
  and grandchildren,
• 29:47
  and great
• 29:47
  grandchildren.
• 29:49
  Not only that,
• 29:50
  but that he
• 29:50
  would be the
• 29:51
  father of a
• 29:52
  thousand generations
• 29:53
  that would
• 29:53
  span the
• 29:54
  globe,
• 29:55
  and they
• 29:55
  would belong
• 29:56
  to God.
• 29:58
  A grand
• 29:59
  number for
• 30:00
  the praise
• 30:01
  of our
• 30:01
  God.
• 30:02
  What a
• 30:03
  thing to
• 30:04
  hope in.
• 30:06
  Now,
• 30:07
  I am
• 30:07
  approaching my
• 30:07
  mid-forties,
• 30:09
  which is not
• 30:10
  very old in the
• 30:10
  grand scheme.
• 30:11
  It's far away
• 30:12
  from 99.
• 30:14
  But I can
• 30:15
  already feel a
• 30:15
  tug in my
• 30:16
  soul to make
• 30:17
  my last
• 30:18
  years last.
• 30:20
  I want to
• 30:21
  leave behind a
• 30:22
  rich legacy
• 30:23
  of faithfulness
• 30:24
  to our God,
• 30:26
  which expands
• 30:26
  beyond my
• 30:27
  biological
• 30:28
  children,
• 30:28
  and grandchildren,
• 30:29
  and great
• 30:30
  grandchildren.
• 30:32
  That's one of
• 30:32
  the reasons I
• 30:33
  love pastoring
• 30:34
  a church.
• 30:36
  I love that
• 30:37
  you're having
• 30:37
  children,
• 30:38
  and we're
• 30:39
  raising up
• 30:39
  generations that
• 30:41
  we are
• 30:41
  endeavoring
• 30:42
  prayerfully,
• 30:43
  and fervently
• 30:45
  to see be
• 30:46
  faithful for
• 30:48
  our God.
• 30:50
  Maybe this is
• 30:50
  why I
• 30:51
  sometimes wear a
• 30:52
  cardigan and
• 30:53
  start to forget
• 30:54
  things,
• 30:54
  because I'm
• 30:55
  looking forward
• 30:56
  to where we
• 30:58
  might go
• 30:59
  someday.
• 31:00
  What a
• 31:00
  thing to
• 31:02
  hope in.
• 31:03
  The thing
• 31:04
  that Abraham
• 31:04
  was hoping
• 31:05
  in was much
• 31:05
  higher.
• 31:06
  He was going
• 31:06
  to be the
• 31:06
  father of
• 31:08
  the nations
• 31:09
  that would
• 31:09
  praise God.
• 31:11
  What an
• 31:11
  incredible,
• 31:12
  lofty thing.
• 31:16
  So in hope,
• 31:17
  Abraham believed
• 31:18
  against the
• 31:19
  audacity of
• 31:20
  his hope.
• 31:21
  What a
• 31:22
  massive promise.
• 31:24
  It's a very
• 31:25
  cool turn
• 31:27
  of phrase.
• 31:29
  In spite of
• 31:30
  the obstacles
• 31:32
  of faith,
• 31:33
  he had
• 31:34
  faith.
• 31:36
  So let's
• 31:37
  look fourthly
• 31:37
  at the
• 31:37
  nature of
• 31:39
  faith.
• 31:40
  We're going
• 31:41
  to land the
• 31:41
  plane very
• 31:41
  soon.
• 31:42
  Verse 20
• 31:42
  and 21.
• 31:44
  No unbelief
• 31:45
  made him
• 31:45
  waver concerning
• 31:46
  the promise
• 31:47
  of God,
• 31:48
  but he grew
• 31:48
  strong in
• 31:49
  his faith
• 31:50
  as he gave
• 31:51
  glory to
• 31:51
  God,
• 31:52
  fully convinced
• 31:53
  that God
• 31:54
  was able
• 31:54
  to do
• 31:55
  what he
• 31:56
  had promised.
• 31:56
  So let's
• 31:57
  note two
• 31:57
  things about
• 31:58
  the nature
• 31:59
  of faith.
• 32:01
  And we've
• 32:01
  said this
• 32:02
  to some
• 32:02
  extent already.
• 32:03
  Number one,
• 32:04
  faith is
• 32:05
  unwavering.
• 32:08
  Notice in
• 32:08
  verse 20,
• 32:09
  no unbelief
• 32:10
  made him
• 32:12
  waver.
• 32:13
  And in
• 32:13
  verse 21,
• 32:14
  he was
• 32:14
  fully
• 32:15
  convinced.
• 32:16
  Now,
• 32:18
  I don't
• 32:19
  think that
• 32:20
  he had
• 32:21
  no doubt
• 32:22
  ever.
• 32:22
  In fact,
• 32:23
  if you read
• 32:23
  the account,
• 32:24
  there's some
• 32:24
  doubts that
• 32:25
  creep in.
• 32:27
  I don't
• 32:28
  think this
• 32:28
  is suggesting
• 32:29
  that he
• 32:29
  never had
• 32:30
  any unbelief,
• 32:32
  that his
• 32:32
  faith was
• 32:33
  absolutely
• 32:34
  perfect.
• 32:35
  I think we
• 32:35
  see Abraham
• 32:36
  have some
• 32:37
  weak faith,
• 32:39
  but it
• 32:40
  ultimately
• 32:41
  did not
• 32:41
  cause him
• 32:42
  to abandon
• 32:43
  his faith.
• 32:46
  He was
• 32:46
  fully
• 32:46
  convinced
• 32:48
  that this
• 32:48
  grand thing
• 32:49
  that God
• 32:49
  had promised
• 32:50
  would come
• 32:50
  to pass.
• 32:53
  John Calvin
• 32:54
  wrote of this
• 32:54
  text,
• 32:55
  Believers
• 32:55
  are never
• 32:55
  so enlightened
• 32:56
  that there
• 32:57
  are no
• 32:58
  remains
• 32:59
  of ignorance,
• 33:00
  nor is
• 33:01
  the heart
• 33:01
  so established
• 33:02
  that there
• 33:02
  are no
• 33:03
  misgivings.
• 33:07
  Secondly,
• 33:08
  notice about
• 33:09
  the nature
• 33:09
  of faith,
• 33:10
  that faith
• 33:10
  grows as
• 33:12
  we center
• 33:13
  it on
• 33:14
  God.
• 33:16
  Paul says
• 33:17
  he grew
• 33:17
  strong.
• 33:19
  He grew,
• 33:20
  which means
• 33:20
  there was
• 33:20
  a process.
• 33:21
  He started
• 33:22
  at one
• 33:22
  point and
• 33:24
  grew strong,
• 33:25
  got stronger
• 33:26
  in his
• 33:27
  faith as
• 33:29
  he gave
• 33:30
  glory to
• 33:32
  God.
• 33:33
  Beloved,
• 33:34
  the meter,
• 33:35
  the measure
• 33:36
  of your
• 33:36
  faith,
• 33:37
  the place
• 33:38
  that you
• 33:38
  focus your
• 33:39
  attention,
• 33:39
  should not
• 33:40
  be on
• 33:41
  your self.
• 33:43
  It should
• 33:43
  not be on
• 33:44
  your
• 33:44
  performance.
• 33:46
  It most
• 33:46
  certainly
• 33:46
  should not
• 33:47
  be on
• 33:47
  your
• 33:47
  feelings,
• 33:49
  but should
• 33:50
  be centered
• 33:50
  on God,
• 33:52
  the one
• 33:53
  who is
• 33:53
  unchanging
• 33:54
  and the
• 33:55
  one who
• 33:55
  made
• 33:56
  the promise.
• 33:58
  His faith
• 33:59
  grew and
• 34:00
  our faith
• 34:00
  will grow
• 34:01
  as we
• 34:01
  center our
• 34:02
  faith
• 34:03
  on God
• 34:04
  himself.
• 34:06
  Fifthly,
• 34:07
  and lastly,
• 34:09
  the result
• 34:10
  of faith,
• 34:10
  verse 22
• 34:11
  through the
• 34:12
  end of
• 34:13
  the chapter.
• 34:15
  That is
• 34:15
  why his
• 34:16
  faith was
• 34:16
  counted to
• 34:17
  him as
• 34:18
  righteousness.
• 34:19
  But the
• 34:19
  words it
• 34:20
  was counted
• 34:20
  to him
• 34:21
  were not
• 34:22
  written for
• 34:23
  his sake
• 34:24
  alone,
• 34:25
  but for
• 34:26
  ours also.
• 34:27
  It will
• 34:28
  be counted
• 34:29
  to us who
• 34:29
  believe in
• 34:30
  him who
• 34:30
  raised from
• 34:31
  the dead
• 34:31
  Jesus,
• 34:33
  our Lord,
• 34:34
  who was
• 34:34
  delivered up
• 34:35
  for our
• 34:35
  trespasses and
• 34:36
  raised for
• 34:37
  our
• 34:38
  justification.
• 34:39
  the salvation
• 34:41
  of Abraham
• 34:42
  and the
• 34:43
  salvation of
• 34:43
  all his
• 34:44
  spiritual
• 34:45
  offspring.
• 34:47
  This is the
• 34:47
  result of
• 34:48
  faith.
• 34:50
  Paul will
• 34:50
  speak of
• 34:50
  Jesus'
• 34:51
  active
• 34:51
  obedience to
• 34:52
  the law
• 34:52
  in chapter
• 34:53
  5.
• 34:53
  Here he
• 34:54
  focuses our
• 34:54
  attention on
• 34:55
  his passive
• 34:56
  obedience,
• 34:57
  his sacrificial
• 34:58
  death on
• 34:59
  our behalf,
• 35:00
  and his
• 35:01
  third day
• 35:02
  resurrection.
• 35:04
  Jesus died
• 35:06
  in our
• 35:07
  place,
• 35:08
  took the
• 35:09
  wrath of
• 35:09
  God on
• 35:10
  himself that
• 35:11
  we deserve.
• 35:13
  And he
• 35:13
  rose three
• 35:14
  days later
• 35:14
  proving that
• 35:16
  he is the
• 35:18
  Christ.
• 35:20
  Paul here
• 35:21
  helps us to
• 35:21
  see that
• 35:22
  God's promise
• 35:23
  to Abraham
• 35:23
  is fulfilled
• 35:24
  in the
• 35:25
  person and
• 35:26
  the work of
• 35:28
  the Lord
• 35:28
  Jesus Christ.
• 35:30
  He'll write
• 35:31
  later in
• 35:32
  Romans chapter
• 35:33
  10,
• 35:34
  verse 9
• 35:34
  and 10,
• 35:35
  if you
• 35:35
  confess with
• 35:36
  your mouth
• 35:37
  that Jesus
• 35:37
  is Lord,
• 35:38
  and believe
• 35:39
  in your
• 35:39
  heart that
• 35:40
  God raised
• 35:40
  him from
• 35:41
  the dead,
• 35:41
  you will
• 35:42
  be saved.
• 35:44
  For with
• 35:45
  the heart
• 35:45
  one believes
• 35:46
  and is
• 35:46
  justified,
• 35:47
  and with
• 35:48
  the mouth
• 35:48
  one confesses
• 35:49
  and is
• 35:51
  saved.
• 35:51
  saved.
• 35:52
  So we
• 35:54
  believe and
• 35:55
  confess that
• 35:57
  the Bible
• 35:58
  alone teaches
• 35:58
  us that we
• 35:59
  are justified
• 35:59
  by grace
• 36:01
  alone,
• 36:02
  through faith
• 36:02
  alone,
• 36:03
  in the
• 36:03
  person and
• 36:04
  work of
• 36:05
  Jesus Christ
• 36:05
  alone,
• 36:06
  all to the
• 36:08
  glory of God
• 36:08
  alone.
• 36:10
  Let's pray.
• 36:11
  as