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Hebrews 11:8-12 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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This morning I want to talk about, for us, I want to talk about, for you as a Christian, there's going to be moments where you're going to be faced with one direction that looks comfortable, one direction that looks right, that looks the way the world might direct you, and the other direction looks different, unconventional, radically, maybe dangerous.
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And those crossroads, those moments, those are gifts from God.
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Those are moments where, if we make the right choice, and we go that direction where this doesn't make any sense, that our faith will be strengthened, our joy will be made greater, our trust in Him, in Christ, will be larger,
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and our Christian life will be more vivid and have more flavor and more feel and more touch and will just be more alive because we trusted God in those moments.
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For example, Jamie and I have been moving to Memphis.
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It doesn't really make a lot of sense.
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My connection to Memphis is, well, my connection to Memphis is as thin as a string.
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It doesn't make a lot of sense.
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It's pretty loose.
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But God is, I believe God is leading us in that direction.
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Another example, me standing here before you preaching, not really not preaching,
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I have no perfect education, no seminary degree.
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In fact, I didn't even finish college.
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But God has directed my life to this point, to this place.
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Doesn't make a lot of sense.
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And you're going to have these moments.
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You're going to have these times.
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And I believe that Christ family church, and I believe that you guys and the personal devil are at those moments,
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and we'll be in those moments recently.
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Especially young people.
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It may seem to you right now that your life is just filled with tons of these problems.
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You haven't figured anything out.
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Well, let's talk about that this morning.
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Now, there are several examples in Scripture of these.
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Several men that God used that put them in these situations.
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For example, Noah.
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Noah was told to build an ark in a desert with no rain.
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And not just no rain because it was a desert.
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Rain didn't exist.
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Water didn't fall from the sky like we have today.
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But Noah was commanded to build a large ark, a crazy huge boat.
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We're going to put angels in there.
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We're going to close it up.
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It's going to rain.
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We're going to flood the earth.
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None of that makes any sense.
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But God directed Noah to do this, that.
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David.
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Shepherd boy.
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The king.
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Doesn't make a lot of sense in our eyes.
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It's a great story.
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We celebrate that story.
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The underdog.
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But in reality, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
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Paul.
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Hater and murderer of Christians.
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Persecurer.
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Now an apostle.
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A church player.
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An author of more than half of your destiny.
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Doesn't make a lot of sense.
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But as Scripture tells us, God's ways are not our ways.
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We just may not understand, at the moment, in those times, what he is doing.
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What he is.
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Working.
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So this morning, I want to look at one of those examples that kind of launch off of it.
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And it's just a coincidence.
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I have no idea.
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That will lead me away.
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But all the special guests.
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We'll be talking about Abraham.
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Abraham.
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No idea that Sunday school this morning was a kid who was talking about Abraham.
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So maybe God is doing something this morning.
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Let's pray to that.
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My father's off.
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Let's pray to that.
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Father, I ask you to work.
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To speak.
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To speak.
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I need you.
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I need you.
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I need you.
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To use you this morning.
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To say what you want me to say.
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To lay out my heart.
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All for your name.
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To the air that comes from my mouth.
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But drop from our hands.
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And we all can celebrate.
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What Christ has done.
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Give it up.
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I.
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Give it to the air.
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I need you.
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I need you.
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So we're going to be in Hebrews chapter 11.
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Hebrews 11.
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We're going to read verses 8 through 12.
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We're just going to cut him out on just a couple of those verses.
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Hebrews chapter 11.
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Some would call the faithful thing.
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We want to celebrate these men.
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We lift them up.
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We've got to be careful when we do that.
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We are these men.
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Let's talk about Abraham.
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Verse 8.
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Hebrews 11.
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Verse 8.
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By faith Abraham obeyed.
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He was called to go out to a place.
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He was to receive as inheritance.
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And he went out not knowing where he was going.
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By faith he went to live in the land of promise.
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As in a foreign land.
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Living in tents with Isaac and Jacob.
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And he was full of the same promise.
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But he was looking forward to the city that has foundations.
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Whose designer and builder is God.
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By faith Sarah herself received power and conceived.
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Even though she was past the age.
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Which she considered him faithful with mother.
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Therefore for one man and him as good as him.
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For more descendants.
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As many as the star of the man.
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As many as the innumerable brain.
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Who say and buy the sea shore.
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Sorry.
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I want you to flip back.
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The beginning of the chapter really quick.
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Kind of see.
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I want you to think on this verse.
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As we talk.
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This morning.
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Hebrews 11.
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Verse 1.
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It says that.
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Now faith.
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Is the assurance of things hoped for.
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The convention of things not seen.
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Provided it that people of old.
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Receive their condemnation.
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By faith you understand that the universe.
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Was created by the word of God.
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So that what is seen.
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Is not made of things that are visible.
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Now here's what I want you to get.
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By faith is the assurance.
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From that faith is the assurance of things hoped for.
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Things to come.
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We're looking to the future.
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Things that we've been told will happen.
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But aren't happening yet.
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Things we just can't see.
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But we've been told about them.
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And the conviction of things not seen.
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Meaning.
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We believe in it.
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And we act upon it.
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Okay.
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That's faith.
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Abraham.
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What we're thinking of Abraham.
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We believe God.
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Romans 5 says that Abraham was fully convinced.
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That God was going to do what he said he was going to do.
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He was full assurance.
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That God was going to act.
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So as we read about Abraham.
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As we talk about in our lives.
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Crossroads.
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We can have this faith.
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We can be fully convinced.
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That if God is directing us.
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He's going to be faithful.
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That he's going to walk with us.
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So as we walk through this with Abraham.
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And we look at these verses.
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Keep that in mind.
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In the back of your head.
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This morning.
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Now the crossroads for Abraham.
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Genesis 12 tells us the story.
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Hebrews 11 touches on it.
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It was that God told him to go.
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Abraham had a choice.
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I'm going to go.
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I'm going to go in this direction.
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I'm going to follow what God said.
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Or.
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I'm going to stay.
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You know, we're comfortable.
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I'm going to stay.
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Where God has.
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Originally put me.
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And now he's going to be somewhere else.
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And I'm just going to stay here.
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Where I like it.
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Now think about.
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In Genesis 12.
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God.
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Tells Abraham.
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Go from your country.
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And your hindrance.
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And your father's house.
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Now when we read that.
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We may.
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Think it's a big deal.
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But listen.
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Abraham was told to leave his country.
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To leave what he knew.
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To leave his family.
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And to leave his inheritance.
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Three huge things.
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That he was told to leave.
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And what did he do?
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He got out when he left.
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Now.
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The pull.
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To stay.
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Would have been.
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Strong.
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But Abraham obeyed God.
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Abraham.
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Obeyed.
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For God.
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And told him.
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And he went.
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So as we.
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Kind of walk through these verses.
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Keep those two things.
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In line.
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Observation number one.
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From our text.
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God spoke.
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To Abraham.
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God spoke.
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To Abraham.
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Verse.
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Verse 8.
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By faith.
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Abraham obeyed.
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When he was called.
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To go out.
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To a place.
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That he was to receive.
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As an inheritance.
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And he went out.
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That's what I'm bringing to him.
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God called Abraham.
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And we need to be careful.
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To.
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When we walk through.
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Situation.
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When we are at crossroads.
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To know that God is speaking to us.
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We need to know.
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For sure.
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That he's speaking.
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For Abraham.
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It wasn't this feeling.
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It wasn't this emotional.
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Experience.
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It wasn't his gut.
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God spoke.
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And he went.
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Now most of us in here.
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Are not going to hear.
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A awful voice of God.
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Speaking from a cloud.
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That's probably not.
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Going to happen.
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So how does.
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How do we know.
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That God is speaking to us.
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Well God speaks to us.
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Through his word.
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He's speaking to us now.
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As you read.
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The Bible.
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On your phone.
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Or on your lap.
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God is speaking.
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This morning.
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We need to make sure.
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That we're listening.
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Making sure.
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That we are aware.
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That he.
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Is.
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Speaking.
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So.
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If God is speaking.
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This morning.
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And speaking through scripture.
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And speaking through.
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The Bible.
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In your lap.
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When we're faced with a crossroad.
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When we're faced with.
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Like Abraham.
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Through this direction.
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And this direction.
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Faced with.
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A moment.
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Where we may be called.
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To do something crazy.
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That doesn't make a lot of sense.
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How do we decide?
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How do we.
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Figure that out?
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When we ask the question.
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Is it line up the scripture?
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Is this line up.
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With what God has revealed.
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To us in his word.
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Do.
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Do people around us.
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Affirm.
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That call.
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Would I say.
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Yes.
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I think that's a great idea.
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For example.
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Guys.
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Do you want to get married?
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Are out of that crossroad.
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When I thought that getting married is down here.
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It's crazy.
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I won't say amen.
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Do you want to get married?
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and you know you've got to ask a question.
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You just don't get together and you're married.
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You have to ask her to marry you
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and plan a wedding and all that.
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But you have this time
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and you can search your scriptures
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and the Bible talks about marriage.
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It says how great it is.
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So I think I'm going to get married.
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Well, you can't just go on that sometimes.
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Maybe you need to talk to somebody.
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Maybe you need to go to Nathan
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or go to somebody else and say,
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hey, what do you think?
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What do you think?
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Are we healthy?
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Do you think it's going to be a good idea?
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What do you think?
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Go to the parents.
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You think I'm in a place
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where I can support her?
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Just getting married for sex
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is having a good reason to get married.
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Go support her.
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Go provide for her.
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Talk to somebody.
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Get counsel about that.
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Someone can affirm that in you.
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They need to help you down that road.
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But here's the thing.
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God speaks.
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And God spoke to Abraham.
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And it's really that simple.
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God speaks.
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We do.
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We go.
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So the observation number two
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is that Abraham went.
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He went out.
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Second part of verse eight says,
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and he went out,
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not knowing where he was going.
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God spoke.
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And Abraham obeyed.
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Now,
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simple.
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And as I said a few months ago,
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we have to be careful
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not to elevate these men of the Bible
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because they aren't just men.
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But Abraham obeyed God.
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You know the rest.
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You know some of those stories
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where he went down to Egypt
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and Abraham decided to take things
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in his own hands
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and say,
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you know,
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you were really,
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to Sarah,
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his wife,
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you're really attractive
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and then one of those people
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are going to see you
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and they might want you.
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So why don't you say,
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you're my sister.
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That way I don't get killed.
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And I,
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and they can have you,
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but you'll come back
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and you'll still be my husband
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or my wife.
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That was a great idea.
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That wasn't a great idea at all.
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But so,
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David,
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maybe I should figure it out.
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So,
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I say all that to say,
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don't elevate this guy.
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He's a pillar of Christianity.
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He's a father of our faith.
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However,
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he's still a man.
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He's not perfect.
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He's not cross.
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So,
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I can sort of say,
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well,
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Abraham is so great.
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Yeah,
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God spoke to him
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and he obeyed.
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Of course he did.
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He's a paper man.
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Well,
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that doesn't work.
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Because,
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you know,
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they pulled you
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and he makes
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really bad choices
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in the time.
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It's like you and I do.
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But Abraham,
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observation or two,
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Abraham obeyed.
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He went out.
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Noah,
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who stole the bill of Mark,
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and he did it,
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right?
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That's how the scripture
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kind of works.
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God speaks
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and he told
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man,
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I'm going to obey.
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Jesus
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says to love me
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and you love
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my commandments.
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Love me
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and you love
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your neighbor.
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That same idea.
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I speak,
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you do.
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Paul,
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in several of the books,
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communicates,
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this is who you are.
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This is what you do.
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This is what God has done.
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God speaks
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and what you do.
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One plus one
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equals two.
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It's fairly simple stuff.
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Now,
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I understand
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the outworking
15:20
of this,
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outworking
15:22
of getting married
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might be a little
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more complicated.
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The outworking
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of going somewhere
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dangerous
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might be a little
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more complicated.
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Being obedient
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is stripped down,
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simple fact.
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True.
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But it's really
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easy, though,
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for us
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to overcomplicate
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or even
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crazier
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to over-spiritualize
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these situations.
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Here's an example
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and we'll kind of
15:51
go from there.
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Tell me about
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marriage again.
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Now, ladies,
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you guys want to
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get married,
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I'm sure.
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You're going to have
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to find a man
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first and
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they,
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the court,
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or how your
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conviction lies
16:05
there.
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Now,
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I've heard a lot,
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not in my
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personal life,
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but around me
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that a lot
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of some of
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the things
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you say
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is,
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I mean,
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I'm sure
16:16
this is bad,
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but,
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you know,
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God hasn't
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called me
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or hasn't
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wrecked me
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or has
16:21
to date you,
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or the
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Spirit told me
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not to.
16:24
I still
16:25
listened to
16:25
play last
16:26
night.
16:26
We had
16:26
dinner,
16:26
and you
16:27
mentioned
16:27
this.
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The Spirit
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told me
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not to date
16:34
you.
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We say,
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I haven't
16:38
seen a sign
16:39
from God
16:40
yet,
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but most
16:41
likely you're
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not going
16:42
to.
16:43
That's
16:43
probably not
16:44
going to
16:44
happen.
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But,
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you know,
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if you
16:46
have the
16:47
desire to
16:47
get married,
16:48
it's pretty
16:48
simple.
16:49
Find a guy
16:49
who loves
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Jesus,
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who you're
16:51
trying to
16:51
do,
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and then
16:52
let's
16:52
see where
16:53
it goes.
16:54
Not that
16:55
complicated.
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It isn't.
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Okay?
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Now,
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I'm a serious
17:01
note.
17:02
Another
17:02
example,
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here at
17:04
Christchampton
17:04
Church,
17:05
very
17:05
active
17:06
people,
17:07
leadership
17:07
here at
17:09
Christchampton
17:09
Church.
17:10
Now,
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I'm leaving.
17:12
Nathan is
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the only
17:13
pastor
17:14
ever here.
17:15
Nathan is
17:16
not your
17:16
CEO.
17:18
He's not
17:18
your president.
17:20
There's
17:20
going to be
17:21
a point and
17:22
a place where
17:23
you're going
17:23
to have to
17:24
help,
17:25
where you're
17:25
going to have
17:25
to step up,
17:26
where you're
17:26
going to have
17:27
to be there
17:28
for him.
17:28
He needs
17:29
men around
17:30
him to
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accomplish the
17:32
work that
17:33
is here
17:34
put on
17:35
Christchampton
17:36
Church.
17:36
I know
17:38
what you're
17:38
thinking.
17:39
Well,
17:39
you're
17:39
leaving.
17:39
You're
17:40
full.
17:44
Yeah,
17:44
but God's
17:45
thinking
17:45
me,
17:45
so argue
17:47
with that.
17:53
Over
17:54
complicated
17:54
saying,
17:56
you know,
17:57
I haven't
17:57
had a sign
17:58
from God,
17:58
I'm supposed
17:59
to help,
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it's simple.
18:03
If you're
18:03
qualified to
18:05
leave as an
18:05
elder,
18:05
talk to
18:08
Nathan,
18:09
figure it
18:09
out,
18:10
work it
18:10
out,
18:11
if you
18:12
have gifts,
18:13
use them
18:14
here at
18:15
Christchampton
18:15
Church.
18:18
We have a
18:19
real problem
18:20
not to use
18:20
Christchampton.
18:21
We as
18:21
Americans,
18:22
we are
18:23
consumers.
18:24
We buy,
18:25
we go to
18:26
movies,
18:27
we see how
18:27
we have
18:30
15% for
18:31
a decent
18:32
service,
18:33
and 20%
18:34
for a good
18:34
service at
18:35
the table,
18:35
we just
18:35
have a
18:36
mentality
18:36
where,
18:37
what am I
18:37
going to
18:37
get out
18:38
of wherever
18:39
I'm at?
18:40
And we
18:40
brought that
18:41
into the
18:42
church.
18:43
We come
18:44
on Sunday
18:44
morning,
18:45
and we
18:45
sit down
18:45
and we
18:45
say,
18:46
what am I
18:46
going to
18:46
receive?
18:47
What am I
18:48
going to
18:48
get?
18:49
Well,
18:49
that's not
18:50
church.
18:51
That's a
18:51
movie.
18:52
That's a
18:53
concert.
18:54
Church is
18:55
about sharing
18:56
one another's
18:57
burden,
18:57
sharing life
18:58
together,
18:58
being with
18:59
one another,
19:00
encouraging
19:00
one another,
19:01
serving
19:02
together.
19:03
And I'm
19:04
afraid that
19:04
a lot of
19:05
us,
19:06
me included,
19:07
have become
19:08
consumers in
19:09
a lot of
19:09
our church
19:10
life.
19:11
And that
19:11
doesn't
19:12
need to be
19:12
the case.
19:15
Serve.
19:16
Men,
19:17
serve.
19:18
Even if you
19:18
can for only
19:19
six weeks,
19:21
serve.
19:23
If you
19:23
don't,
19:24
and this,
19:24
I don't
19:25
need to scare
19:25
you,
19:26
and I
19:26
don't
19:26
need to,
19:28
if you
19:29
don't,
19:29
think it's
19:30
not going
19:30
to be
19:30
here in
19:30
five years.
19:33
This is
19:33
the reality.
19:35
One man
19:35
can't carry
19:36
the burdens
19:37
of a
19:38
congregation
19:39
this size.
19:40
That's
19:40
what the
19:40
history
19:40
can do
19:41
at all.
19:42
That's
19:42
just
19:42
best to
19:42
be out
19:43
of
19:43
the way.
19:44
Men,
19:46
get in
19:46
his left
19:47
pocket and
19:47
right pocket.
19:49
Walk
19:50
with him,
19:50
encourage him,
19:51
don't over
19:52
complicate
19:52
him,
19:53
be there
19:54
for him
19:54
with him.
19:55
observation
20:00
number
20:00
three.
20:02
You're
20:03
off my
20:03
football.
20:05
Observation
20:05
number
20:06
three
20:06
of our
20:07
text,
20:08
verse
20:08
nine,
20:09
says,
20:11
by faith
20:11
he went
20:12
to live
20:13
in the
20:13
land of
20:13
promise,
20:14
as an
20:14
afforded
20:15
land,
20:15
living in
20:15
tent with
20:16
Isaac and
20:16
David,
20:17
where he
20:17
was
20:17
able to
20:18
save
20:18
from.
20:20
Now,
20:20
this is
20:20
a real
20:20
quick little
20:21
snippet
20:22
here of
20:22
this
20:23
observation,
20:24
but they
20:25
lived in
20:25
tents.
20:27
Now,
20:27
you say,
20:28
well,
20:29
they all
20:29
lived in
20:29
tents back
20:30
then,
20:30
but the
20:30
point here
20:31
in this
20:31
language is
20:32
that they
20:32
lived in
20:33
a temporary
20:33
housing.
20:35
Not that
20:35
they had
20:36
this
20:36
very huge
20:37
gigantic
20:38
tent they
20:39
put up
20:39
on the
20:40
estate.
20:40
They
20:40
lived in
20:41
a temporary
20:42
home because
20:43
they were
20:44
ready and
20:44
willing at
20:45
any moment
20:45
for God
20:46
to direct
20:46
them
20:46
to come
20:47
around.
20:50
So are you
20:50
looking for
20:51
these moments
20:52
in your
20:52
life,
20:52
these crossroads,
20:53
these times
20:54
where God
20:55
may direct
20:55
you to
20:56
someplace
20:57
different,
20:59
to someplace
21:00
dangerous
21:02
or
21:03
uncomfortable?
21:05
Are you
21:06
looking for
21:06
these
21:06
intersections
21:07
between
21:12
status quo
21:13
and
21:13
this
21:13
continuing
21:14
down
21:14
motions
21:15
in life
21:15
and
21:16
something
21:17
beyond
21:18
that?
21:19
observation
21:21
number
21:21
four,
21:22
verse
21:23
10.
21:25
For he
21:25
was looking
21:26
forward to
21:26
the city
21:27
that has
21:27
foundation,
21:28
whose
21:28
designer and
21:29
builder is
21:30
God.
21:31
Abraham was
21:32
able to
21:32
act and
21:34
live in
21:34
tent because
21:35
he was
21:35
looking forward
21:36
to the
21:36
city that
21:37
was to
21:37
come.
21:38
He was
21:39
able to
21:40
live in
21:40
temporary
21:41
housing because
21:41
he was
21:42
looking forward
21:43
to what
21:43
was going
21:44
to happen,
21:45
the city
21:46
to come
21:46
that was
21:46
being built
21:47
by God,
21:48
designed by
21:49
him.
21:50
For
21:50
everything
21:51
will be
21:52
perfected,
21:53
no pain,
21:54
no suffering,
21:55
the earth
21:56
will be
21:56
perfected
21:56
again and
21:57
be back
21:57
to the
21:58
way that
21:58
was created
21:59
to be.
22:00
Abraham
22:01
endured
22:01
and looked
22:02
forward
22:02
to that.
22:06
Are you
22:07
looking forward?
22:07
If we look
22:08
forward,
22:09
if we look
22:09
to what
22:10
God has
22:11
brought
22:11
us,
22:11
if we
22:11
look to
22:12
the moments
22:13
where we
22:13
are going
22:13
to be
22:14
perfected,
22:14
there's
22:14
not going
22:14
to be
22:15
sin and
22:15
pain anymore,
22:16
if we
22:16
look to
22:16
that,
22:17
then a
22:17
simple
22:18
decision
22:18
of going
22:19
someplace
22:19
or doing
22:20
something
22:20
might be
22:21
a little
22:21
easier.
22:23
Will be
22:23
a little
22:24
easier.
22:27
In there
22:28
it says,
22:28
see that
22:29
has
22:29
foundations.
22:31
Foundations
22:31
are very
22:32
important.
22:33
Everybody
22:33
in here
22:34
kind of
22:35
probably
22:35
goes,
22:36
duh,
22:36
in the back
22:36
of the night.
22:37
Yeah,
22:37
of course,
22:37
foundations
22:38
are really
22:38
important.
22:39
If they're
22:40
not
22:40
foundations,
22:41
their
22:41
things will
22:41
crumble.
22:42
A tent
22:43
is blown
22:44
away by the
22:44
wind because
22:45
it's a tent,
22:46
not a aisle
22:47
for a
22:47
building built
22:48
on foundation.
22:50
A foundation
22:50
holds things
22:51
together,
22:52
holds it
22:52
in the
22:52
ground,
22:53
keeps it
22:53
sturdy and
22:54
stable.
22:55
A city
22:56
founded and
22:57
built on
22:58
Jesus,
22:58
the chief
22:59
floorstone,
23:01
that lasts
23:02
forever.
23:05
Now,
23:06
cities without
23:06
foundations can
23:07
disappear.
23:08
There's tons
23:09
of old ruins
23:10
of cities
23:10
that they can't
23:12
find because
23:12
their foundations
23:14
were not strong.
23:15
They didn't have
23:15
foundations or
23:16
whatever.
23:18
No room
23:18
and no
23:19
structure to
23:19
support it,
23:20
it disappears.
23:22
This world,
23:24
our world,
23:25
where we live
23:25
in today,
23:26
now,
23:27
has no
23:28
foundation.
23:30
It has
23:31
nothing
23:32
that will
23:33
sustain.
23:38
For
23:38
everything we
23:39
gain,
23:40
everything we
23:41
have,
23:41
will fade
23:42
away.
23:43
all our
23:45
achievements,
23:47
so everything
23:48
we live
23:48
for,
23:50
faith,
23:51
fortune,
23:52
power,
23:52
popularity,
23:53
comfort,
23:54
all,
23:55
will fade
23:55
away.
23:56
It will
23:56
not exist.
23:59
The world
24:00
offers nothing
24:01
of its no
24:02
value,
24:03
no foundation,
24:06
and yet,
24:07
in these
24:08
moments,
24:09
in these
24:09
crossroads,
24:10
we get
24:11
counsel from
24:12
the world
24:12
to decide
24:15
which direction
24:16
we're going
24:17
to go.
24:19
It will
24:20
make a lot
24:20
of sense.
24:23
If we
24:24
looked forward
24:25
at these
24:26
moments,
24:27
if we
24:27
looked to
24:27
the city
24:28
of comfort,
24:28
if we
24:29
were fully
24:31
convinced
24:32
that God
24:35
was going
24:36
to do,
24:36
he says
24:36
he was
24:37
going
24:37
to do,
24:38
if our
24:38
faith was
24:40
sure of
24:43
things not
24:44
seen,
24:46
then our
24:47
happiness
24:47
would be
24:48
easier.
24:49
Knowing
24:50
our
24:51
direction,
24:52
the direction
24:52
that just
24:53
doesn't make
24:53
any sense,
24:55
might be,
24:56
will be,
24:57
easier.
25:00
Some things
25:00
just don't
25:02
make sense.
25:03
Sometimes
25:04
we're faced
25:05
with decisions
25:06
that just
25:06
don't make
25:07
sense.
25:09
We make
25:10
those decisions,
25:10
we'll say
25:11
we're obedient,
25:11
we go down
25:12
that road,
25:13
and in those
25:13
times we
25:14
just can't
25:14
see why,
25:16
we can't
25:17
get what's
25:18
going on.
25:20
But eventually
25:21
God reveals,
25:23
this is why
25:23
I had time,
25:24
he revealed
25:25
this to
25:27
what happened,
25:28
and this is
25:29
why I
25:29
called you
25:30
here.
25:32
I pray
25:33
all of us
25:34
are there
25:35
at that
25:36
moment,
25:37
at that
25:37
time.
25:40
Look down
25:41
at Hebrews
25:41
chapter 12,
25:44
don't
25:45
chapter over,
25:46
chapter 12,
25:47
it would be a
25:51
sermon if I
25:52
didn't talk
25:53
about Jesus,
25:55
to be a man,
25:57
a lecture
25:58
maybe.
25:58
chapter 12,
26:04
starting
26:04
verse 1.
26:06
Therefore,
26:07
since we are
26:07
surrounded by
26:08
so great
26:09
a cloud
26:09
of witnesses,
26:10
all these
26:11
men and
26:11
women that
26:12
have been
26:12
mentioned here
26:13
in chapter 11,
26:14
the ones that
26:14
they couldn't
26:15
even mention,
26:16
the ones that
26:16
don't even
26:17
have names,
26:19
let us also
26:19
lay aside
26:20
every weight
26:21
and sin
26:22
that's
26:22
cleaned so
26:23
closely,
26:24
and let's
26:24
run with
26:25
endurance
26:25
the race
26:27
that is
26:27
set before
26:28
us.
26:29
Looking
26:29
to Jesus,
26:30
looking forward
26:31
to Jesus,
26:33
the founder
26:34
and perfecter
26:35
of our faith,
26:36
for the joy
26:36
that was set
26:37
before him
26:37
endured the
26:38
cross,
26:39
despising the
26:40
shame,
26:40
and is seated
26:41
at the right
26:42
hand of the
26:42
throne of God.
26:43
Now there's
26:44
a one-force
26:45
sermon right
26:46
there in those
26:46
two verses,
26:47
and I can't
26:48
even stress
26:49
the surface.
26:50
I'm going to
26:50
take out one
26:51
phrase,
26:52
and I'm going to
26:52
kind of talk
26:53
about it for a
26:53
minute.
26:54
The phrase
26:54
towards the end
26:55
of verse 2,
26:56
it says,
26:57
despising the
26:58
shame.
27:00
A little
27:01
strange phrase.
27:03
Looking at
27:04
Jesus,
27:04
the founder
27:04
and perfecter
27:05
of our faith,
27:06
for the joy
27:07
that was set
27:07
before him
27:08
endured the
27:09
cross,
27:10
despising the
27:11
shame,
27:11
and is seated
27:12
at the right
27:13
hand of the
27:13
throne of God.
27:14
Now what
27:14
does this
27:15
mean,
27:15
despising
27:16
the shame?
27:19
Now if
27:19
somebody
27:19
wants to
27:20
be killed
27:23
on a
27:24
cross,
27:24
there would
27:26
be shame
27:26
on him.
27:28
He'd be
27:28
shamed for
27:29
doing something
27:29
for having
27:31
that done
27:31
in him.
27:32
He would
27:32
have earned
27:32
it,
27:33
he would
27:33
have been
27:33
guilty,
27:35
and there
27:35
was a shame
27:36
brought on
27:36
him and his
27:37
family and
27:37
people around
27:38
him.
27:41
Jesus despised
27:42
that shame.
27:43
He earned
27:44
from that shame.
27:45
He didn't let
27:46
it affect him.
27:47
He went ahead
27:48
through the
27:50
crucifixion.
27:50
He went ahead
27:51
and finished
27:52
the job.
28:01
We don't
28:02
turn the
28:04
direction of
28:05
different
28:06
because of
28:08
shame.
28:09
We don't
28:10
turn that
28:10
direction because
28:11
we're afraid
28:12
of what
28:12
somebody or
28:13
people will
28:14
say.
28:15
We don't
28:15
go that way
28:16
because it
28:17
doesn't make
28:17
sense,
28:18
and it
28:18
doesn't make
28:19
sense,
28:19
and somebody
28:19
else is
28:20
thinking it
28:20
doesn't
28:22
make sense,
28:23
and they're
28:23
looking at
28:23
you and
28:24
you're
28:24
looking at
28:24
you and
28:24
you're
28:25
thinking,
28:25
I don't
28:25
want to
28:25
do that.
28:27
He said,
28:27
I'm going to
28:27
talk to
28:28
them and
28:28
tell them
28:28
why I'm
28:29
going down
28:29
that road.
28:31
Jesus
28:32
endured
28:33
a horrific
28:35
death,
28:35
despising
28:36
the shame,
28:39
the shame
28:39
of a cross,
28:40
dying on
28:40
a cross,
28:42
and because
28:42
he did,
28:43
we can go
28:44
that direction,
28:45
we can turn
28:46
that way,
28:47
and it's
28:47
okay because
28:48
he endured.
28:50
Shame like
28:51
we've never
28:51
endured.
28:53
He's
28:53
endured a
28:53
death,
28:54
but we
28:54
have
28:54
never
28:54
endured,
28:55
and will
28:55
never endure.
29:01
Now the
29:01
ultimate
29:02
crossroads,
29:05
it doesn't
29:05
make any
29:06
sense.
29:07
This doesn't
29:08
compute,
29:09
it's Jesus.
29:12
Jesus,
29:13
God,
29:14
100%
29:15
God,
29:15
100%
29:16
God,
29:17
comes down
29:17
from heaven,
29:18
leaves glory,
29:19
to live
29:20
on earth,
29:21
with a
29:22
bunch of
29:22
sinners,
29:24
to live
29:25
here for
29:25
33 years.
29:27
That in
29:28
itself doesn't
29:29
make a lot
29:29
of sense.
29:30
In fact,
29:31
if you try to
29:31
figure that out,
29:32
it doesn't
29:32
compute.
29:37
Jesus,
29:38
who is
29:38
perfect and
29:39
holy,
29:40
lived
29:40
perfect and
29:43
holy,
29:43
like
29:44
here on
29:44
earth.
29:44
Jesus
29:48
died a
29:49
gruesome,
29:50
horrible
29:50
death for
29:52
others,
29:52
not even
29:53
for him.
29:55
The wrath
29:56
of God
29:56
was on
29:57
him.
30:00
His wrath,
30:02
him being
30:03
caught,
30:04
was on
30:04
him.
30:10
You're all
30:11
dead.
30:11
That just
30:12
doesn't make
30:12
any sense.
30:14
it's in
30:15
Philip
30:15
Ferguson.
30:17
It says,
30:17
look at
30:17
the two
30:20
trees that
30:22
Adam and
30:22
Jesus
30:23
faced.
30:27
Adam,
30:28
our
30:29
great,
30:30
great,
30:30
great,
30:30
great,
30:30
great,
30:30
great,
30:30
great,
30:31
great,
30:31
great
30:31
grandfather,
30:31
our first
30:32
dad,
30:34
faced a tree
30:39
that represented
30:40
everything
30:41
desirable.
30:42
he thought
30:44
and he
30:44
knew to
30:44
have that.
30:46
It was
30:46
going to
30:46
complete him.
30:47
It was
30:47
going to
30:48
fulfill
30:48
everything
30:48
in him.
30:49
He was
30:49
going to
30:49
be like
30:50
God.
30:51
And he
30:51
believed it.
30:53
And he
30:53
faced it,
30:54
and what
30:55
did he
30:55
do?
30:57
He
30:58
did he.
30:59
And in
31:00
doing so,
31:01
he enslaved
31:02
all
31:02
mankind
31:04
to sin.
31:07
That tree
31:08
was his
31:09
due
31:09
north.
31:10
He
31:10
couldn't
31:10
think of
31:11
anything
31:11
else
31:11
but that
31:12
tree.
31:12
His
31:13
comfort
31:13
was going
31:13
to be
31:14
found in
31:14
that.
31:15
His
31:16
power
31:16
was going
31:17
to be
31:17
found in
31:17
that.
31:17
His
31:18
fame
31:18
was going
31:18
to be
31:18
found in
31:19
that.
31:19
His
31:19
fortune
31:19
was going
31:20
to be
31:20
found in
31:20
that.
31:20
His
31:20
name
31:21
was
31:21
found in
31:22
that tree.
31:24
And instead
31:24
of finding
31:25
fame,
31:28
he enslaved
31:29
himself
31:30
all
31:31
mankind.
31:32
Now
31:33
Jesus,
31:33
the second
31:34
Adam,
31:35
the perfect
31:35
Adam,
31:36
the right
31:37
Adam,
31:38
faced the
31:38
tree that
31:39
represented
31:39
everything
31:40
undesirable,
31:43
everything
31:43
wretched,
31:45
everything
31:46
evil and
31:47
dark and
31:48
vile.
31:50
No one
31:51
would want
31:52
that.
31:53
No one
31:53
could bear
31:55
what that
31:56
tree represented.
31:58
And Jesus,
32:01
obediently,
32:03
as he
32:05
was well
32:05
of sin.
32:05
It's
32:06
for the
32:06
joy that
32:06
was set
32:07
before him
32:07
endured
32:08
the cross.
32:10
That tree
32:11
he endured
32:12
it.
32:12
What did
32:13
he do
32:13
enduring that?
32:14
He freed
32:15
the captives.
32:16
He freed
32:17
you and
32:18
he freed
32:18
me from
32:20
sin.
32:20
The sin
32:21
that Adam
32:22
made.
32:23
may
32:27
this
32:27
happen
32:27
to you.
32:28
What
32:29
Adam
32:29
jacked
32:29
up,
32:30
Jesus
32:30
fixed.
32:31
What
32:32
Adam
32:32
messed
32:33
up,
32:33
Jesus
32:34
fixed
32:34
forever.
32:36
And
32:36
because you
32:37
have been
32:37
set free,
32:38
because Jesus
32:39
died,
32:39
you can
32:40
live in
32:41
the
32:41
uncomfortable.
32:42
You can
32:43
live in
32:43
the unknown.
32:44
You can
32:44
live in
32:46
a situation
32:47
that just
32:47
doesn't seem
32:48
made sense.
32:49
because it
32:51
is God
32:51
calling you
32:52
you cannot
32:53
you cannot
32:54
you cannot
32:55
disobey.
32:58
Because of
32:59
Jesus,
33:00
we can
33:01
go that
33:02
direction
33:02
and it's
33:02
okay.
33:04
Because of
33:04
Jesus,
33:07
he can
33:07
help us
33:08
take
33:08
those steps.
33:11
Now this
33:11
morning,
33:12
I believe
33:13
that you're
33:14
at one of
33:14
those crossroads
33:15
this morning.
33:18
And here
33:18
in a few
33:19
minutes,
33:19
we're going
33:20
to partake
33:21
of the Lord's
33:22
Supper here
33:22
at the table
33:23
that we've
33:24
been invited
33:24
to sit at.
33:27
We've been
33:27
invited by
33:28
Jesus.
33:30
If you're
33:30
a Christian,
33:31
you've been
33:31
invited to
33:34
eat of
33:35
his body
33:35
and drink
33:36
of his blood
33:37
some more.
33:40
He's
33:40
invited you
33:41
to join
33:42
him at
33:43
the table.
33:45
The crossroads
33:46
is,
33:47
the crossroads
33:48
this morning
33:49
is,
33:49
his doing
33:50
it.
33:51
Eating crackers
33:52
and breakers
33:52
doesn't make
33:53
a lot of
33:54
sense.
33:55
We're
33:55
celebrating
33:56
Jesus' blood.
33:57
Another
33:57
crossroads
33:58
this morning
33:58
is maybe
33:59
you're not
34:00
even a
34:00
Christian.
34:00
Maybe you
34:01
don't know
34:01
Jesus yet.
34:02
Maybe he's
34:03
calling you
34:04
this morning
34:04
for the
34:05
first time.
34:06
Maybe you
34:06
realize this
34:07
morning for
34:08
the first
34:09
time that
34:10
your sin
34:10
is great
34:11
and his
34:11
grace is
34:12
greater.
34:13
Maybe for
34:14
the first
34:14
time you
34:15
realize,
34:16
I can't
34:18
do it on
34:19
my own.
34:19
Maybe for
34:20
the first
34:20
time you
34:21
realize that
34:22
that tree
34:23
that I've
34:23
been going
34:23
after,
34:25
that girl
34:26
or that
34:26
maid or
34:27
that job
34:27
or that
34:28
money or
34:28
whatever it
34:29
is,
34:29
is it
34:30
going to
34:30
fulfill,
34:31
Jesus
34:32
will fulfill.
34:33
Maybe for
34:34
the first
34:34
time your
34:37
eyes have
34:37
been opened
34:38
to the
34:39
great salvation,
34:40
the great
34:41
grace of
34:41
God.
34:42
God,
34:43
and so
34:43
you're at
34:44
a cross
34:44
road.
34:44
Do I
34:45
follow?
34:46
Do I
34:47
follow a
34:47
savior that
34:48
I couldn't
34:48
see?
34:50
Do I
34:50
follow somebody
34:51
that just
34:52
the Bible
34:52
talks about?
34:54
Or do I
34:55
continue to
34:56
know the
34:56
road that
34:56
is comfortable
34:57
to me,
34:58
that makes
34:58
sense to me?
35:00
That might be
35:01
the cross
35:01
road you're
35:01
at.
35:03
And let
35:03
me plead
35:05
!
35:04
Let me
35:05
plead with
35:05
you.
35:10
Make the
35:10
right decision.
35:11
follow Jesus
35:12
this morning.
35:15
Church family,
35:17
celebrate what
35:18
Jesus has
35:19
done, but
35:19
do it with
35:20
joy, not
35:22
out of
35:22
religious
35:24
duty.
35:26
Or you
35:27
think you're
35:27
going to
35:28
gain something
35:29
out of
35:29
it.
35:31
Jesus
35:31
has been
35:32
invited you
35:32
to this
35:32
table,
35:34
in this
35:34
moment,
35:34
for free
35:36
to you.
35:38
But it
35:39
costs a
35:39
great deal
35:39
to you.
35:41
종
35:42
night.
35:43
Let's
35:43
Thank you.