Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / Abraham’s Bond - 9/30/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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Abraham’s Bond - 9/30/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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Welcome to [music] the podcast of
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Meadows Baptist Church of Walnut Cove,
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North Carolina. We're so glad [music]
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you joined us today. If you enjoy
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today's message, be sure to subscribe,
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[music] follow, and share with your
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friends. Now, let's join Pastor [music]
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Charlie Branch with a word from God.
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Continuing our study in the life of
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Abraham [snorts]
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indeed. Um, one of the most influential
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characters upon the pages of scripture
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and in history. And we're going to look
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talk a little bit about that uh tonight.
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And uh I think it's very important to
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understand the Bible. Uh somebody said
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they spoke it spoke this about Genesis
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that Genesis is the key uh to the Bible
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and I believe that and uh every primary
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doctrine uh of the scriptures is has its
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origin here uh in the book of Genesis
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and some of it mostly in type but and
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figure um but all the doctrines of the
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Bible can be found uh in the book of
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Genesis and I think Abraham is one of
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the most influential characters
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definitely probably the influential
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character when it comes to our
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salvation, understanding the covenants
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and all of that. We're going to talk a
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little bit about that this evening.
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Let's look in Genesis 17. I really need
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to read the whole chapter, but I'll not
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do that for sake of time uh tonight.
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We'll just select a few verses here and
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read those and then we'll uh give you uh
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the message tonight. Genesis 17 verse
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number one. And when Abram was 90 years
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old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram
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and said unto him, I am the Almighty
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God. Walk before me and be thou perfect.
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And I will make my covenant between me
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and thee, and will multiply thee
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exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face.
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And God talked with him, saying, As for
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me, behold, my covenant is with thee,
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and thou shalt be a father of many
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nations. Neither shall thy name anymore
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be called Abram, but thy name shall be
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called Abraham. For a father of many
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nations have I made thee, and I will
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make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will
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make nations of thee, and kings shall
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come out of thee. And I will establish
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my covenant between me and thee, and thy
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seed after thee in their generations,
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for an everlasting covenant, to be a God
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unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
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Notice with me verse number 10. This is
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my covenant which ye shall keep between
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me and you and thy seed after thee.
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Every manch child among you shall be
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circumcised, and ye shall circumcise the
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flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be
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a token of the covenant betw twix me and
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you. And he that is 8 days old shall be
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circumcised among you, every manchild in
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your generations. He that is born in the
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house or bought with money of any
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stranger which is not of thy seed. He
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that is born in thy house and he that is
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bought with thy money must needs be
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circumcised and my covenant shall be in
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your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
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Notice verse number 15. And God said
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unto Abram, as for Sarah thy wife, thou
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shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah
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shall her name be. And I will bless her
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and give thee a son also of her. Yay, I
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will bless her, and ye, she shall be a
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mother of nations, kings of people shall
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be of her. Verse number 19. And God
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said, Sarah, thy wife shall bear thee a
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son indeed, and thou shalt call his name
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Isaac, and I will establish my covenant
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with him for an everlasting covenant,
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and with his seed after him. And then I
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want you to notice just a couple of
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verses here at the end of the chapter,
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and we'll leave off reading tonight. The
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Bible says in verse number 24 that Abram
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was 90 years old and nine when he was
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circumcised in the flesh of his
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foreskin. And Ishmael his son was 13
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years old when he was circumcised in the
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flesh of his foreskin. In the selfsame
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day was Abraham circumcised and Ishmael
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his son and all the men of his house
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born in the house and bought with money
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of the stranger were circumcised with
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him. Father, I ask you humbly tonight
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that you would help us as we look in
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this text that I realize, Father,
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there's great importance, Lord, with
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these these uh verses that we've read
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tonight, Lord, some of the foundational
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truths of the word of God is found in
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this chapter. And I pray, Lord, tonight
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that you would help us, God, to hear
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them, to heed them, and Lord, to hide
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them in our heart tonight, Lord, that we
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might receive help from the days to
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come. And Lord, I pray God you'd get
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glory unto yourself. Remove the flesh
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from us. Clothe us in our calling. Speak
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to us and through us. And God, make the
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applications, God, that you would have
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us to make tonight. And we sure love
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you. Thank you for loving us. Bless
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these people tonight. I love them so
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much, God. Thank you for them. We ask
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all this in Jesus name. Amen. Genesis
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chapter 17 is marked by a departure or
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marked by a uh what's the word I want to
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use here? There's a distance in time.
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That's the word I'm looking for between
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chapter 16 verse 16 and chapter 17
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verse1. Now we did not look at the
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entirety of chapter 16. The last several
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verses of chapter 16 detail to us the
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story of Hagar meeting with the Lord in
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the text. And the Bible tells us in the
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last few verses of chapter 16 that Hagar
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bare Abram a son and Abram called his
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son's name which Hagar bare Ishmael.
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Notice verse 16. And Abram was four
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score and six years old when Hagar bare
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Ishmael to Abram. So verse 16 of chapter
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16 tells us that Abram is 86 years old.
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And so from chapter 16 verse 16 to
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chapter 17 and verse number one there's
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a gap of 13 years that is mentioned here
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in this text. And it's 13 years uh not
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just of a gap but it's 13 years of
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silence. And I I'll say this tonight we
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know what Abram did. Chapter 16 is the
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the history of Abram's sin, his failure,
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where uh I titled it, I believe it was
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the breach of Abraham, the probably the
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greatest failure he had in his life was
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in chapter 16. And out of that failure
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would proceed 13 years of silence in
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this text. And I think it's interesting
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to me that you do not see the Lord
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talking to Abram in chapter number 16,
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but you see the Lord talking to Hagar.
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And Abram never hears a word from God
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through all of that. A lot we could say
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about that but I simply want to say that
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to make this point in verse number one
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look what the Bible says when Abram was
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90 years old and n and so we see tonight
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number one we see Abram the aged is here
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in the text he's 99 years old 13 years
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of silence the Lord has not spoken unto
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him and I I wonder tonight if that
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silence is because of his sin but I want
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to say this nonetheless those were
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silent years and you think about the
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fact tonight of the lifespan plan that
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we have. Uh many of us will not live to
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see that age. I hope every one of us do
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in here. But I'll be honest with you
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tonight, the reality is Abram is at an
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age now and a point most of us will
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never see. And you see that Abram is
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still not to the point where God wants
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him to be. You think about this tonight.
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I believe personally the reason why
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Abram has not had a child. I know number
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one is because God it's not time in
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God's calendar yet. But I wonder if
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Abram has delayed his child being
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brought to him by his sin. I think we
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delay the blessings of God in our life.
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>> I think that's possible. If you choose
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to walk in disobedience to the Lord, it
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is quite possible what God intends for
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you may be pushed down the road for
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years to come. And so we see Abram here.
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He he's old in the text. He's 90 years
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99 years old. But I love the Bible. And
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I'm thankful that where man's uh
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fleshliness, man's carnality is
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prevalent, I'm thankful that God's grace
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far extends that. Amen. The Bible said
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there in the book of Romans, where sin
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abounded, grace did much more abound.
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Abram's years are being counted as a
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measure of sin. You think about that.
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Years would have never been kept up with
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if it hadn't been because of sin.
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I know you had to chew on that for a
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little a minute to think about, but the
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truth is, you think about Adam and Eve
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in the garden, they'd live forever.
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years wouldn't have mattered if it
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hadn't been because of sin. And so this
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measure of years as a representation of
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sin. But you see, right in in contrast
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with the sin of humankind, there is the
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sovereignty of God in verse one. Notice
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what the Bible says. When Abram was 90
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years old and nine, the Lord appeared to
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Abram. Listen to this. And said unto
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him, I am the Almighty God. And so we
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see the age of Abram in the text. But
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I'm thankful that the almighty God, he's
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not gotten any older. Amen. He's not
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lost any ability. Age has not affected
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him at all. But you see, God's exactly
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the same at this moment as he was 13
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years before. And all of that time
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before when he was in earth cities. God
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has not changed. Age has not affected
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him. Sin has not hindered him. Amen. And
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so God here in the text, he comes to
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Abram and he says, "I am the almighty
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God." the first appearance in the text
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of the Hebrew word El Shadai. That's
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what this is in the text, the almighty
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God. And God here has revealed himself
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not as Jehovah in this text, but he is
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revealing himself to Abram as what Abram
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needs in this moment. And and we see
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that contrast on the pages of scripture
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where Abram's 99 years old. What do we
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know the age does? Our strength begins
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to wne. Ain't that right? God says, "My
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strength's not changed."
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>> Amen. And just exactly for what Abram
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needed in this moment, he's still
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telling Abram the same story. Hey, what
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I told you I was going to do, he's going
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to spin this chapter. And he's going to
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tell him furthermore about how he's
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going to do it. Amen. But it's still not
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going to happen in this chapter. And
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Abram, it's going to be years down the
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road, a year down the road before Isaac
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shows up. But we find in this text that
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the Almighty has not changed. And he
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puts these words out to Abram here in
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verse number one. He says, "I am the
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Almighty God. Walk before me and be thou
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perfect." And so we see the aged in the
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text. And we see the Almighty that's
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mentioned in the text. But then we
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notice the attributes that God describes
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that he is requesting or really
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commanding Abram to obey and to present
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in his life. He says, "Walk before me
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and be thou perfect." Now, simply put
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tonight, that's two things. That phrase
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to walk before him simply means that
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there is to be closeness. that Abram is
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to desire to stay close to the Lord.
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Now, we don't have a history of the past
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13 years. We don't know how Abram's life
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has been. But I can tell you this. God
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is reminding him one more time that you
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need to stay close to me.
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>> Amen.
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>> I want to say this. I'm thankful that
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we're not like Abram and we don't have
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to wait for an audible voice to heaven
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from heaven.
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>> We have the word of God that can tell us
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any day and every day that we go to it
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that we need to stay close to him. Amen.
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That's why Paul said to the Ephesians
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church, he said, "Walk circumspectly."
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He said, "Redeeming the time because the
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days are evil." And that exhortation can
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come to us anytime you open the pages of
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the word of God. But God one more time
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is reminding Abram. He says you need to
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be close to me. But I want to say this.
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He doesn't only say you need to be close
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to me, but he says you need to be
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committed to me. Look what he says. Walk
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before me and be thou perfect. Now,
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there's been a lot of ideas. I've even
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presented some to you that that word uh
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perfection speaks of completeness. We
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know that there never will be sinless
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perfection on our part on this side. We
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understand the harder we try. Many times
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it seems like the more we fail, we
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should always strive. Amen. To be as
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clean as we can be, but I'll be honest
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with you tonight, there is a perfection
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that we can attain to. And you say,
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"What do you mean?" Well, I'm not saying
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that you can be perfectly clean and
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completely sinless. you you you cannot
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be at a place where you are are perfect
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in that sense morally complete in that
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sense and I've even said that before
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that there's a moral uprightness that
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that a Christian can have that they are
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blameless so to speak and I understand
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that all of us are sinful so really I
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believe what one writer I was reading
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after today I believe what he said about
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it there is one place that a Christian
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can be complete and perfect in and
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that's your surrender
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>> so what do you mean you can be complete
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completely and totally surrendered to
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God. He says,"Abram, you walk before
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me." He says, "And be thou perfect."
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He's saying, "You commit yourself to me
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totally."
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Putting everything else aside,
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Abram, you're not ever going to be
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perfect. You're not ever going to be
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morally upright completely, but you can
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be committed to me completely. I want to
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say this tonight. I'm reminded of the
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Apostle Paul. He was definitely not
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perfect. We even see some of his
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failures on the pages of scripture. But
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he was able to tell Timothy at the end
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of his life that he had done what God
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told him to do.
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>> He said, "I fought a good fight. I've
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finished my course." That's alluding to
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that perfection. He did what God asked
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him to do. And there is a perfection
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that we can arrive at. And it is that
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perfection of submission. Is there
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something in your heart between you and
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the Lord tonight? And that would hinder
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this closeness, this committedness or
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this completeness, whatever you want to
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call it tonight, this perfection in your
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life. If there's anything that would
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stand between you and God being
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completely committed to him, I I submit
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to you that's the first thing you ought
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to remove in your life.
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>> Amen.
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>> Whatever is standing between you and God
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being completely connected and nothing
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between your soul and the savior. Notice
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a couple of things. I'll give you three
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things tonight. We'll be done. We see
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the uh promise that's given in verse
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two. And I will make my covenant between
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me and thee. Will multiply thee
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exceedingly. We see the performance of
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that promise in verse two. He says, I'll
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multiply thee exceedingly. Speaking of
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his seed, his family line, he would be
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multiplied exceedingly. We'll say more
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about that in just a minute. But then I
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notice Abram's posture in verse three.
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The Bible says, "And Abram fell on his
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face and God talked with him, saying,"
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then God for the rest of the chapter all
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the way up to verse number 22, with the
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exception of just two verses is going to
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converse with Abram. I'll submit to you
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tonight, a lot of the way that you
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approach God has to do with your
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posture. And I'm not talking about just
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physically speaking. I believe it's the
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posture of the heart. We come to him
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bowing to him in reverence. We don't
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come to him with a sack of burdens that
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we want to place on him and then just,
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you know, go our merry way. But the
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truth is, he wants some. He's got some
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things he wants to put on us that we
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need to leave with. There's a burden he
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has asked for us to bear. And I notice
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in this Abram falls on his face. He
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falls on his face out of reverence. One
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writer said more than likely that this
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was the uh theophony of pre-incarnate
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appearing of Jesus Christ. And so all of
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those that view viewed him in his
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glorified state, I'm reminded of there
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in the garden, we see that Christ speaks
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and those men, all of them, the
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Pharisees that had come to take him, he
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speaks and they all fall on their back.
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It was the glory of his word. It was the
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brightness of his shining that caused
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him to fall to his knees. Just like the
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Apostle Paul before he was saw on
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Damascus road, the brightness of the
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Lord caused him to fall on his face. And
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I want to say this. When you really meet
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with God, you only have one way to meet
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with him. That's humbly.
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>> You won't come to him any other way.
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>> Because he, the Bible says, you know,
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James said, "He resisteth the proud,
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>> but he giveth grace to the humble." I
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want to give you three things. Summarize
15:53
this chapter. There's absolutely no way
15:54
we could look at everything in this
15:56
chapter in one message tonight. And I
15:58
was telling my wife, I said, "The
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hardest thing about this chapter is is
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me trying not to say everything that's
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already been said, but I also want to
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make sure I give you everything that's
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here." You see, chapter 17 is a review
16:10
of these covenants. Now, we we talked
16:12
about these the the covenant that was
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made with Abram in chapter number 15. We
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talked about all that God showed him in
16:19
the text, but there's this is a further
16:22
revelation. years have passed and God is
16:24
giving him a greater view of these
16:27
covenants. This covenant that he's going
16:29
to make with them and that's established
16:31
eternally in the text. And there's three
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things tonight. I'll give you these
16:34
three and we'll be done. We'll see first
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of all the sign here given of the
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covenant. We'll see second of all the
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seal of the covenant. Then we'll see the
16:42
sign of the covenant. And you say,
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"Preacher, we've already heard all
16:45
that." Well, this text right here's got
16:47
a lot more in it. All right? You don't
16:49
need to miss that. God's not repeating
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himself for no reason. And there's
16:52
reason for that. And so I want you to
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notice first of all tonight the sign
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that's mentioned verse number four as
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God has is talking with Abram in verse
17:01
three verse4 he says as for me and so
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this beginning portion of the covenant I
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love this is made on God's terms and you
17:10
know and I want to tell you this tonight
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for us who are saved tonight we ought to
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thank God that our salvation that
17:16
scripture and the spirit of God it's all
17:19
written out and kept by his terms.
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>> Right. Amen. They can't none of us
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change that,
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>> right?
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>> It's not alterable. It's the will of
17:28
God. It's that written will of God that
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cannot be changed. And God here in the
17:32
text is giving Abram his will. As for
17:35
me, he says, God is speaking about
17:38
himself. Listen to what he says. Verse
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four, behold, my covenant is with thee.
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So, that right there tells me that this
17:45
is an unconditional covenant. Said, what
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do you mean? God has established this
17:50
with Abram and it's not pending on
17:53
anything that Abram does. You say,
17:55
"Preacher, well, circumcision's coming."
17:57
Just hold on a minute. We'll talk about
17:58
that in a minute. But that does not have
18:00
any effect on the covenant. But notice
18:03
this. He says, "My covenant is with
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thee. Thou shalt be a father of many
18:08
nations." Verse 5, "Neither shall thy
18:10
name anymore be called Abram, but thy
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name shall be called Abraham. For a
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father of many nations have I made thee.
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So the sign of this covenant number one
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is this new name. You notice not only
18:24
this new name is given to Abram. His
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name is changed from Abram to Abraham.
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Abraham is how we know him, right? We
18:31
think about Abraham. He's the father of
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the faith. That's how he's noted all the
18:35
way through scripture. That's what Jesus
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called him in the book of John chapter
18:39
number eight. Before Abraham was I am.
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Amen. And so it's mentioned here that
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his new name is the sign of this
18:47
covenant. It's also given to Sarah in
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chapter number uh 17 and verse number
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15. And God said unto Abraham, as for
18:54
Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not cover her
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name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
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Now number one, you need to understand
19:01
the implication of this name. So what do
19:04
you mean? Well, it's mentioned in verse
19:05
five. But thy name shall be Abraham for.
19:09
You see that colon and then the word
19:10
for. This is the description of his
19:13
name. A father of many nations have I
19:16
made thee. So you say, "Preacher, what
19:18
did Abram mean?" It means, if you look
19:20
it up in its etmology in the Hebrew, it
19:22
means an exalted father. But God changes
19:25
his name from an exalted father as he's
19:28
a high father as one that was caught out
19:30
of the Caldes, but now he is a father of
19:34
multitudes.
19:36
And I want you to think about this with
19:37
me for a minute. Abram has one child
19:41
and he is going to have his name changed
19:43
and now he's going to request all those
19:46
around him to recognize him this way.
19:49
Now you think about how that must have
19:51
made him feel. He has one child. My
19:54
name's changed. God changed my name from
19:56
Abram and exalted father. You know that
19:58
could apply to Ishmael. One child. But
20:02
he says now I'm a father of multitudes.
20:05
Don't you think there was probably some
20:06
people that looked down their nose at
20:07
him? But you think about what we know
20:10
now. One writer said this. Matthew Henry
20:13
said, "There have been and are more of
20:15
the children of men descended from
20:17
Abraham than from any one man at an
20:20
equal distance with him from Noah, the
20:22
common root." You think about this. All
20:25
of Ishmael's children, the Muslim
20:28
people, is the greatest people group in
20:29
this world in number that is. And if
20:33
that's not enough, then you have Israel,
20:37
Isaac's children. But then you don't
20:40
only have Ishmael's children and Isaac's
20:42
children, but you have his other wife,
20:44
Coutura, and her three children. And out
20:46
of that are more of Arabian nations.
20:51
Abram has more children than
20:54
any descendant in this time. You think
20:57
about this. That's that was God
20:59
fulfilling his promise,
21:01
>> right?
21:02
>> We see it, don't we?
21:05
>> The implication is many look what he
21:06
says. A father of many nations have I
21:10
made thee. But this is where we we stop.
21:12
Many people stop when they get to that
21:14
point, but they miss the point of
21:16
Abram's new name. You see, Abram's new
21:18
name, Abraham, is not just for the
21:20
nations that were to come after him, but
21:23
this is for him. You say, "Preacher,
21:25
what do you mean?" Well, this name is
21:26
given to him by God. In verse 5, neither
21:29
shall thy name be anymore be called
21:31
Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham,
21:34
multitude of nations. And so there's not
21:36
only an implication here of his children
21:39
would be many, but there's an insertion
21:41
here. And you say, "What is that?" Well,
21:42
there's an insertion of the name in
21:44
Hebrew for God. Say, "What do you mean?"
21:47
Well, there's two letters added. Verse
21:49
number five, notice it. Abram is abraham
21:53
is ab
21:55
a ha m. Notice this in the text. All
21:58
right. You say, "Preacher, what does
22:00
that mean?" Well, the ah in the Hebrew,
22:03
Yahweh, Jehovah in the Hebrew is Yahweh.
22:06
And it's that Yah. That's the name for
22:10
God. And so what God is doing is he's
22:13
inserting his name into Abram and it
22:17
makes it Abraham. You say, "What does
22:19
that mean?" God's putting his name on
22:20
Abraham.
22:23
God's saying he's mine. Amen.
22:26
>> Notice this in the text. You say,
22:28
"Preacher, what do you mean?" Notice
22:29
verse 15. God said unto Abraham, "As for
22:32
Sarah, thy wife, thou shalt not call her
22:34
name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name
22:36
be." You look up the word Sarai. There's
22:39
a lot of disagreement about what her
22:41
name means. The best thing I could find
22:42
on it was this was that Sarai means my
22:46
princess. Her her parents named her my
22:49
princess. But then when you look at her
22:52
name changed to Sarah, it means the
22:54
prince, it means the princess.
22:57
Basically, one writer put it this way
22:59
that G she would be the mother of who
23:01
Jesus would come from. Let me give you
23:04
this. All right, you know the verse. We
23:06
actually just looked at this the other
23:08
day. Matthew chapter number one.
23:12
Just draw some dots here if we can.
23:16
Matthew chapter 1.
23:18
Listen to what Matthew says about Jesus.
23:22
Matthew chapter number one and verse
23:24
number one. The book of the generation
23:26
of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the
23:28
son of Abraham.
23:32
Jesus is recognized as being the son of
23:34
David first. He's the root of Jesse, the
23:37
seed of David, but he's the son of
23:40
Abraham.
23:41
And their names are changed. That ah is
23:44
tacking on the name God. Do you see
23:46
where's else is that? Can anybody tell
23:49
me the names? The Hebrew names of
23:52
Shadrach, Meach, and Abednego. Somebody
23:55
tell me those Hebrew names. Somebody
23:56
know those. No, you do.
23:59
Haniah, Mishel, and Azerai. And what?
24:03
Daniel's name. So, when you look at all
24:05
of those Hebrew names, Hebrew names have
24:07
meanings. We know that. All right?
24:08
You're no stranger to that. So, Daniel,
24:10
the eel on the end, that's the name for
24:12
God. Eel is God. Elohim is the triune
24:16
God. God the Father, God the Son, God
24:18
the Holy Ghost. Daniel, uh, Haniah,
24:21
Mishel, it's the same. And then the ah
24:23
on the end of Haniah is Yah. That's the
24:26
Hebrew name, the letter for God. Haniah,
24:30
Mishel, and Azeriah. And when
24:32
Nebuchadnezzar changed their names, what
24:34
was he doing? He was removing God
24:37
>> from their name. You see in this text,
24:40
God is inserting his name on them. You
24:43
know what happened when you got saved?
24:45
You got a new name. But what does that
24:48
name refer to? It's a brand. But you
24:51
belong to him. Ain't that right? We are
24:54
heirs and joint hes. We are sons and
24:58
daughters of God. He's given us his
25:00
name. And the truth is he in this text
25:04
it is the insertion God. What he's doing
25:07
is he says I'm my covenant. I'm
25:09
connecting you in so much, not that it's
25:12
just in writing legally, but I'm
25:14
connecting you, Abraham. Every time
25:16
Sarah says your name and every time you
25:18
say her name, you're going to remember
25:21
God's on us.
25:24
>> I'm putting it in your name. That's why
25:27
they would call their names. I believe
25:30
it was I think it was uh Yes. Yes, it
25:34
was Ruth. We think about Naomi, her
25:37
husband. Maybe it was Elcana, I think it
25:40
is. His name means my God is king. And
25:44
when you look at that, all of that
25:45
emphasis is on the name his it's God.
25:48
Those names are names that that they
25:51
would name their children and
25:52
representing them, connecting them unto
25:54
God. And God in this text is identifying
25:57
with them. He's inserting his name into
26:00
theirs. That was far greater than the
26:03
implication that he would have many
26:05
children. Think about what God is doing
26:07
for him. He's promised him something,
26:09
but you realize what he's do putting on
26:11
him right now is far greater than what
26:13
he would ever receive to be called by
26:16
his name.
26:18
What a wonder. This is the sign, the new
26:21
name. You say, "Preacher, what is the
26:24
sign of the covenant?" Well, every time
26:25
his name is said, that would be a a
26:28
signature, a stamp, so to speak, that
26:30
the covenant is sealed. God says, "I'm
26:32
changing your name no more to be called
26:34
Abram again." The covenant is sealed by
26:37
the sign of the name. I hope that makes
26:40
sense to you. Notice, not only this,
26:42
this covenant new name is is has an
26:45
implication. There's an insertion of
26:47
God's name, Yah, in the in the name, and
26:50
then there's also the immortality of
26:52
this name. Notice verse number six and
26:54
7. And I will make thee seed and
26:56
fruitful. I will make nations of thee,
26:58
and kings shall come out of thee. And I
27:00
will establish my covenant between me
27:02
and thee, and thy seed after thee in
27:04
their generations. Notice this, for an
27:07
everlasting what? Covenant. He would no
27:11
more be called Abram. This name stands
27:14
for time and for eternity. And so God
27:18
has inserted himself into Abram's life.
27:22
Now, before the Calvinists jump out of
27:24
their clothes at me, all right, you're
27:27
saying that God put his name against
27:29
Abram's will? No. Abram took it
27:31
willingly.
27:32
God did this for him. But you know what?
27:34
Abram received it.
27:36
>> That's right.
27:36
>> He didn't reject that. God has never
27:39
went against the will of man.
27:41
>> That's right.
27:42
>> You realize that, man. I tell you, we
27:44
there's so many people they get all out
27:46
of sorts on that preacher. God hardened
27:48
Pharaoh's heart. Pharaoh's heart was
27:50
already hard. And Pharaoh had already
27:52
decided that what he was going to do was
27:54
destroy the children of Israel. And so
27:56
God says, "Since you've already made up
27:58
your mind what you're going to do, I'm
27:59
just going to go ahead and let you do
28:00
it. But I'm going to help you do it."
28:02
>> Right?
28:04
>> What you decide to do, he won't make you
28:06
decide. But after you decide, he might
28:08
help you in what you're doing.
28:09
>> Right?
28:10
>> Oh, man. Boy, I tell you, that makes
28:12
them mad when you say that right there.
28:14
But I'm telling you the truth tonight.
28:16
This is an immortal name. this covenant
28:18
that is given here in the text. You say,
28:20
"Preacher, how isn't an immortal name?"
28:22
Well, let's go to Luke 16 for a minute,
28:25
the rich man and Lazarus. What does the
28:27
Bible say? He he he when the rich man
28:30
died and went to hell, he said he looked
28:31
up and saw Lazarus in whose bosom?
28:34
>> Abraham. Now, there's a lot we could I'm
28:37
not trying to confuse you right there,
28:39
okay? But there's reasons why this name
28:41
stands because he is the father of all
28:44
that believe.
28:46
And it is in his bosom that all of those
28:49
saints dwelt from the Old Testament
28:51
until the time came that Christ entered
28:53
into the heart of the earth and led
28:54
captivity captive. They dwelt in the
28:57
bosom of Abraham because he is the
29:00
father of the faith. Notice not only the
29:03
immortal name, but notice the
29:04
involvement of God in their covenant in
29:06
verse number seven. In the last part in
29:08
verse eight, he says verse number seven,
29:11
I will establish my covenant between me
29:12
and thee and thy seed after thee in
29:14
their generations for an everlasting
29:16
covenant to be a God. Notice that to be
29:19
a God unto thee and to thy seed after
29:22
thee. God made this covenant for Abram's
29:24
sake.
29:26
Notice that to be a God. A he's making
29:29
this covenant with Abraham for what he
29:30
can do for him.
29:33
You know, this is our problem with
29:34
Christianity. That's the way we view
29:36
God.
29:38
We think it's all about us. But you
29:41
know, the reason why Abram got this
29:43
blessing is is because it wasn't all
29:45
about him to him. Here's what'll happen
29:48
in your life. When you put God first,
29:50
he'll put you first,
29:53
>> so to speak. And I want I want to say
29:55
this and make this clear tonight. The
29:57
truth is he loves me like I was his only
29:59
child.
30:01
>> He treats us all as good as he would any
30:04
of the rest of us. But I'm going to tell
30:05
you this. You got as much God as you
30:07
want. And Abram is expressed here. It's
30:10
expressed to Abraham his involvement in
30:12
their life. He said in verse 7, "To be a
30:14
God unto them, to thy seed after thee.
30:16
And I will give unto thee until thy seed
30:17
after thee the land wherein thou art a
30:19
stranger all the land of Canaan and for
30:21
an everlasting possession, and I will be
30:26
their God." He is wanting to be involved
30:28
in his people's lives. He cares about
30:31
them. And so the sign of this new name
30:35
is given here in the text concerning the
30:37
covenant. Notice number two. And I got
30:39
to move. Notice the seal of the
30:41
covenant.
30:43
The Bible says in verse number nine. And
30:45
God said unto Abram, "Thou shalt keep my
30:47
covenant. Therefore, thou and thy seed
30:49
after thee in their generations. This is
30:51
my covenant which ye shall keep between
30:53
me and you, and thy seed after thee.
30:55
Every man child among you shall be
30:57
circumcised." So there is the seal of
30:59
this covenant in the text. Now, when we
31:01
think of a seal, we think of something
31:03
that makes it valid. All right? Let me
31:06
say something to you. When God's
31:07
covenant's made, his seal is what
31:09
establishes that. Okay?
31:11
>> Let's let's get this down where we live.
31:13
Jesus Christ died for the sins of the
31:14
whole world. And his death was the seal.
31:17
>> All right? But this seal of circumcision
31:20
that he's referring to is the same seal.
31:22
It's a representation of the seal of the
31:25
Holy Spirit in our life. You see what
31:28
happens is is this seal is on our end
31:31
not on God's end. It does not change the
31:34
nature of the covenant. God made a
31:36
covenant with the world for God so loved
31:38
the world that he gave his only begotten
31:40
son that what whosoever believeth. So on
31:43
God's end the whole world
31:46
is connected to that. Isn't that right?
31:49
But on our end what's the seal of the
31:51
covenant? The Holy Ghost the Bible said
31:52
is the earnest of the spirit. He has put
31:57
within the evidence is there. The Holy
31:59
Ghost is the evidence that God has made
32:01
the covenant for us.
32:04
You get that? And when we get to heaven
32:06
one of these days, the Holy Spirit's no
32:08
longer not just going to be in us, but
32:10
we'll be in his presence forever. We are
32:12
now on this earth. We are as a a bride
32:15
here on the earth. We are a spouse to a
32:17
husband. And when we get to heaven will
32:19
be the wedding.
32:21
>> And so, we are given the earnest of the
32:23
spirit, that down payment. It's that
32:25
wedding dowy. I hope you understand what
32:27
I'm saying. It is that engagement ring
32:30
that seals us until we get there.
32:34
>> And so circumcision has nothing to do
32:37
with salvation in this matter. Now we
32:39
could look at this in another aspect
32:41
tonight. You say, "Preacher, this
32:43
circumcision, it says in verse number 10
32:46
that ye shall keep my covenant." Well,
32:48
this is where the difference comes in.
32:50
The covenant is made. God has
32:52
established that. It cannot be changed.
32:54
God is going to keep his people Israel
32:56
in spite of them. God has not cast away
32:58
his people which he forneew. Okay, we
33:00
know that according to the book of
33:02
Romans. But what this means is verse 10.
33:04
This is my covenant which ye shall keep
33:06
between me and you and thy seed after
33:08
thee. Every man child among you shall be
33:10
circumcised. Ye shall circumcise the
33:12
flesh of yours foreskin. And it shall be
33:14
a token of the covenant between me and
33:16
you. Here is the symbol. All right.
33:19
You've got to think number one about
33:20
where this where this seal is seen.
33:22
Where's this seal at? It's in the flesh,
33:24
right?
33:26
What are we called to be in the flesh?
33:29
Salvation spiritual, right? All right.
33:32
Don't stay with me, okay? Salvation
33:35
spiritual.
33:36
And so, I made an image there a minute
33:38
ago of the spiritual side of that. But
33:39
on the physical side of this, what are
33:41
we called to do as children of God?
33:43
We're called to be sanctified, right?
33:46
Romans 12. For I beseech you therefore,
33:48
brethren, by the mercy of God, that you
33:49
present your bodies a living sacrifice,
33:51
holy and acceptable unto God, which is a
33:53
reasonable service. Be not conformed to
33:54
this world, but be you transformed by
33:56
the renewing of your minds may prove
33:57
what is that good and acceptable and
33:59
perfect will of God. There's a
34:00
cleanliness in the flesh that we are to
34:03
adhere to. And so this circumcision is
34:06
an outward mark. You Let's see. Let's
34:08
just be honest. God knows who's a Jew
34:10
and who ain't.
34:12
>> God knows who's saved and who ain't.
34:14
That's right.
34:14
>> You know what the seal is for? The seal
34:17
is for us
34:18
>> to know who is and who ain't. Now, I
34:21
understand this text. This is something
34:22
that's hidden. Okay? But you've got to
34:25
realize in this text, this command is
34:27
given. It's continual. Verse 10. Every
34:29
manchild among you shall be circumcised
34:32
between me and you and thy seed after
34:34
thee. It's a continual seal. It's a
34:37
carnal seal. Ye shall circumcise the
34:39
flesh of your foreskin. It is a notice.
34:42
You notice the condition that is given.
34:44
You say, "Preacher, what happens when
34:46
those um that did not receive this? What
34:48
happens to them when they did not take
34:50
this? Do they lose their salvation?" No,
34:52
they don't. Notice verse 14. And the
34:54
uncircumcised manchild whose flesh of
34:57
his foreskin is not circumcised, that
34:59
soul shall be cut off from who? From his
35:03
people. Now, who is he not cut off from?
35:06
From God.
35:08
Give you an example. I ain't got time to
35:10
preach all this. Notice with me Exodus
35:12
chapter 4.
35:14
We may leave off with this and come back
35:16
to it at a later date. I don't want to
35:18
keep you all night. Exodus chapter 4.
35:21
Moses has went to the wilderness. He's
35:24
lived with his father-in-law Jethro.
35:27
Exodus 4 verse number notice verse
35:31
number 23.
35:33
And I say unto thee, let my son go that
35:36
he may serve me. And if thou refuse to
35:37
let him go, behold, I will slay thy son,
35:40
even thy firstborn. This is God telling
35:43
Moses what he's going to say to Pharaoh.
35:46
Verse 22, thou shalt say unto Pharaoh,
35:48
thus sayith the Lord, Israel is my son,
35:50
even my firstborn, I say unto thee, let
35:52
my son go, that he may serve me. And if
35:54
thou refuse to let him go, behold, I
35:55
will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
35:58
Verse 24, listen to this. All right? And
36:00
it came to pass, by the way, in the inn,
36:02
this is where Moses was staying, that
36:04
inn is a campsite or a dwelling place,
36:07
that the Lord met him and sought to kill
36:09
him. Now, let me ask you something. That
36:12
don't make much sense, does it? [crying]
36:15
God's just told him in verse 22, "All
36:17
right, you're going back to Pharaoh. You
36:19
got to tell him this, this, and this
36:20
about Israel." Moses is in his campment
36:24
going back toward Israel, going back
36:26
toward Egypt to tell Pharaoh that curse
36:30
is coming. And God, the Bible said in
36:33
verse 24, that the Lord met who? Moses,
36:35
and sought to kill him. Notice what
36:38
happens in verse 25. Then Zapora took a
36:41
sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of
36:43
her son and cast it at his feet and
36:45
said, "Surely a bloody husband art thou
36:47
to me." So he let him go. Then she said,
36:49
"A bloody husband thou art because of
36:51
the circumcision." Moses had been
36:54
circumcised, but who had not been
36:55
circumcised? His son. Why had he not
36:58
been circumcised? Because they had lived
37:00
with his father-in-law, Jethro. But when
37:03
God had something for Moses to do, you
37:05
know who the Moses had to deal with that
37:08
issue in his home. There's a whole
37:09
another sermon in that, but Moses had to
37:11
deal with that issue in his home because
37:12
his son's flesh had not been separated.
37:15
This is the image. It is not a
37:17
destruction of the bo of the soul in
37:19
hell because it's not a spiritual
37:20
matter. Here's what it does. It hinders
37:22
you in this life. Here's what I'll
37:25
compare that to. All right. Baptism and
37:28
that fleshly symbol. Some people say,
37:30
"Well, you don't have to be baptized to
37:32
go to heaven." And I would agree with
37:33
that. That man on the cross, the thief,
37:36
what do we know about him? He died just
37:38
moments after he said, "Lord, remember
37:40
me when thou comest into thy paradise."
37:42
And so or when thou comest into thy
37:44
kingdom today shalt thou be with me in
37:46
paradise. They die. He goes with the
37:48
Lord. Amen. Into paradise. Never been
37:51
baptized. All right. So what do we know
37:53
about baptism? Baptism is a ordinance
37:57
just like the Lord's supper is. And if
37:59
you are truly saved by the grace of God,
38:01
those two things, the Lord's supper and
38:03
baptism are something that you will want
38:05
to do.
38:07
>> Circumcision is something that the
38:09
parents of that child would want to do.
38:11
You remember what is recognized in
38:12
Hebrews 11. I know this is a lot of
38:14
connections, but don't lose me right
38:16
here. Hebrews 11, the Bible says in
38:18
Hebrews 11 about Moses. All right. It
38:21
says, "By faith Moses." And then what
38:23
does it say? Does it say anything about
38:24
Moses first? No. It says, "By faith
38:26
Moses when he was yet a child, he was
38:28
hid of his parents." What was that
38:30
referencing? His mom and daddy's faith.
38:33
And so they circumcised him. But you
38:35
know what? She put him in that little
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basket. He ended up in Pharaoh's house.
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And then he lived with them all the
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time. All that time being an Israelite,
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he was circumcised, set apart, separated
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from the world. And when it come time
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for him to choose, you know what he
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choose? He choose to suffer with the
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with the Israelites rather than enjoy
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the pleasures of sin for a season
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because his mom and daddy chose faith.
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That faith had been put into him. Here's
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the illustration. I know that's a long
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way around the world to make a point,
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but the illustration is is that matter
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of circumcision is you identifying
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yourself with God. The covenant is made.
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God's identifying with you.
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>> Ain't that right?
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>> Abraham was say he would have went to
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heaven regardless. But the Bible tells
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us Romans 4 that he did this because he
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knew that that was what God wanted him
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to do. And it was an act of obedience to
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God. And it was the seal of the covenant
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that said Abram could say after he did
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that, I'm a child of God. God said,
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Abram, if you gonna have my name,
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Abraham, if you're going to have my
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name, you got to be marked
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and you got to choose it. You know what?
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If you're a child of God tonight, if you
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have his name, you ought to be marked
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that way. And you know who makes the
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mark? You do.
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>> That's good preaching tonight. even if I
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am doing it. Father, thank you for this
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day. Thank you for this word. Lord, I
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ask you God that you would please help
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us tonight to adhere to this truth.
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Lord, I realize God tonight that the
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world says we don't have to be separate.
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But Lord, you told us in your word,
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wherefore come out from among them and
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be you separate, sayith the Lord, and
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touch not the unclean thing. And Lord,
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you said you would receive us. And God,
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I pray that you would help us to embrace
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that truth. Lord, I wish that I could
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have put all this in there tonight, but
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Lord, you know what we need better than
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I do. Lord, I humbly ask tonight, God,
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please, that you would take this word
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and write it on our hearts. God, that we
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would remember the covenant you've made
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with us. You've given us a new name, but
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Lord, you've called us to mark ourselves
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in this world, Lord, that we may be
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different from those that are lost and
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out there in the world. Help us to be
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different as we go forth our ways
40:47
tonight. Help us to shine the light of
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Jesus that all the world would see. What
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a privilege you've given to us. Bless
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these people tonight. I love them and I
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appreciate them. And Lord, I pray you
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give them a special blessing for being
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here tonight. We ask all this in Jesus
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name. Amen.
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>> Thank you for joining our service today.
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We'd love it [music] if you'd join us in
41:06
person the next time you are able at
41:08
Meadows Baptist Church. Our physical
41:11
[music] address is 2988 Stewart Road in
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Walnut Cove, [music] North Carolina. Our
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service times are Sunday school at 10:00
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a.m., Sunday morning worship [music] at
41:22
11:00 a.m., Sunday evening worship at
41:24
6:00 p.m., and Wednesday evening Bible
41:27
study at 700 p.m. [music]
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For more information, visit us at
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meadowsbaptisturch.com.
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Thanks again for tuning in.