Genesis 15

in West Africa called Togo.

Togo is located in the middle between Ghana and Benin.

A group of missionaries went to the northern part of Togo

to meet an unreached people group.

Now, how should I describe unreached people group?

Well, unreached people group is people who don't have much contact with outsiders.

Sometimes this is done by their choice because they want to remain

without outside influence.

Or this is because of just the geographic location of where they live.

Sometimes it's just impossible to get there.

So the missionaries were very excited.

They made the contact with this group of people

and they were hoping to bring the good news of Jesus to this group of people.

So the missionaries got to this place where these people

didn't really have much contact with the outsiders.

And they were very thankful that the elders and the chief of the clan

gave the missionaries permission to share the gospel with their tribe.

So the missionaries started to begin sharing the story of Jesus Christ

and the gospel promise with this group of people.

And as they were sharing the gospel, a family told the missionaries,

we know Jesus.

We heard about Jesus.

And we've been following the path of Jesus.

And the missionaries were just shocked.

They were amazed and they were so puzzled.

Where and how did this family heard the news of gospel?

They talk among themselves and they just couldn't figure out.

They thought they were the first people to share the gospel with this group.

And yet there was a family already heard about Jesus

and they were following the path of Jesus.

We will come back to this story a little later on.

Tonight, we're continuing our series in Genesis.

We're going to read from Genesis chapter 15.

Genesis 15 · chapter mention

And it is about God's covenant promise to Abram.

We will look at three aspects of this covenant.

First, what is this covenant about?

What is in this covenant?

Second, what is the significance of this covenant?

And third, why is this covenant important to us?

A covenant made to Abram thousands of years ago.

And why does this matter to us in 21st century?

Let us pray.

Lord, our God, we are grateful that you loved us first.

And you pursued us with your love.

We didn't love you first.

You loved us first.

And Lord, we are grateful that you sent your son Jesus to die in our place for our sins

according to your promise.

And Lord Jesus, we are grateful that our Father God is a promise keeper

and his words never return to him empty.

So as we read and study Genesis 15 tonight, Lord,

we pray that you will prepare our hearts to hear your words.

And Lord, we pray that your words will start transforming our lives for your glory

and for your kingdom.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

So please turn with me to Genesis chapter 15.

Genesis 15 · chapter mention

And it's on page 10 in your pew Bible.

Genesis chapter 15, page 10 in your pew Bible.

Genesis 15 · chapter mention

So what is this covenant about?

What is in this covenant?

So God makes covenant with Abraham, which contains threefold blessings.

The first is numerical blessing.

The second is a geographical blessing.

And the third is spiritual blessing.

Let's look at verses 1 through 6 together.

After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision.

Fear not, Abraham.

I am your shield.

Your reward shall be very great.

But Abraham said,

O Lord God, what will you give me?

For I continue childless,

and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus.

And Abraham said,

Behold, you have given me no offspring,

and a member of my household will be my heir.

And behold, the word of the Lord came to him,

This man shall not be your heir.

Your very own son shall be your heir.

And he brought him outside and said,

Look toward heaven and number the stars if you are able to number them.

Then he said to him,

So shall your offspring be.

And he believed the Lord,

and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Last Sunday evening,

Pastor Greg preached on the previous chapter

where Abraham went into a battle to rescue his nephew Lot,

and Abraham returned victorious.

And now, perhaps, he feared retaliation from the enemies.

So God tells him,

Do not fear.

I am your shield.

I am your protector.

And then he goes on to say,

Your reward shall be very great.

And then Abraham lets out his frustration.

What good is all this wealth and reward?

I don't have a child.

I have to pick somebody who was born in my house,

probably a servant,

as my heir.

So Abraham lets out his frustration to God.

Now, according to the ancient custom,

when a wealthy man doesn't have a child,

he will pick one of his servants as his heir

to inherit his wealth possessions.

But God told Abraham,

No, no, no.

Not this guy, Eliezer of Damascus,

but your own son will be your heir.

And then he goes on to tell Abraham,

Your descendants will be as many as stars in the sky.

Now, we have learned in chapter 13,

God told Abraham,

Your descendants will be as many as the dust of the earth.

Too many to count.

So this is the numerical blessing,

that your descendants will be as numerous as stars,

as numerous as the dust of the earth.

And the important verse here is,

And Abram believed the Lord,

and he counted it to him as righteousness.

So Abraham is now known as a man of faith

because he believed God.

He believed God's promise.

Let's continue with verses 7 through 11.

And he said to him,

I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans

to give you this land to possess.

But he said,

Oh Lord God,

how am I to know that I shall possess it?

He said to him,

Bring me a heifer,

three years old,

a female goat three years old,

a ram three years old,

a turtle dove,

and a young pigeon.

And he brought him all these,

cut them in half,

and laid each half over against the other.

But he did not cut the birds in half.

And when the birds of prey came down on the carcasses,

Abram drove them away.

Cutting animals in half was an ancient custom,

symbolizing that one who breaks the promise

will be like these animals cut in half.

So as we read chapter 11,

Abram chased away the birds of prey,

probably vultures.

Now the author of Genesis,

pointing out this,

was he just merely pointing out a natural phenomenon.

Of course,

you cut animals in half,

and it will attract probably vultures.

Is this why the author of Genesis

just pointing out a natural phenomenon?

A Bible commentator said,

these birds of prey

symbolize Israel's enemies,

the unclean,

the idol-worshipping nations

that surround Israel.

I also believe that spiritually,

this symbolizes the schemes of the devil,

trying to distract, deceive,

and sabotage good things.

We experience this in our spiritual walk.

This morning,

Pastor Matt mentioned

Satan tempted Eve

with the deception.

Satan told Eve,

eh,

you could eat the fruit.

You're not going to die.

You'll become like God.

Do not follow God's rule.

You don't have to listen to God's wisdom.

Listen to your own wisdom.

You'll be like God.

And don't we experience this?

Satan trying to deceive us,

distract us,

and also try to sabotage

what is really good for us.

So Abram chased these birds of prey away,

and we need to chase the schemes of the devil

away in Jesus' minded name.

Now this is a geographical blessing.

In chapter 12,

God told Abram that

I will make of you

a great nation.

In chapter 13,

God told Abram to look

all different directions.

He said,

look northward,

southward,

east,

and west.

For all the land

you see,

I'll give to you

and your offering,

your offspring

forever.

So a nation of Israel

is born

with this blessing.

So the second blessing

is a geographical blessing.

And let's continue to read

verses 12 to 16.

As the sun was going down,

a deep sleep fell on Abram.

And behold,

dreadful and great darkness

fell upon him.

Then the Lord said to Abram,

know for certain

that your offspring

will be sojourners

in a land

that is not theirs,

and will be servants there

and they will be afflicted

for 400 years.

But I will bring judgment

on the nation

that they serve

and afterward

they shall come out

with great possessions.

As for you,

you shall go to your fathers

in peace.

You shall be buried

in a good old age.

And they shall come back here

in the fourth generation

for the iniquity

of the Amorites

is not yet complete.

So in verse 8,

Abram asked God,

how am I to know

that my descendants

or I shall possess

this land?

So God reveals

to Abram

what's going to happen

to his descendants.

As the sun

was going down,

a deep sleep

fell on Abram

and behold,

a dreadful

and great darkness

fell upon him.

So,

when God

was explaining

to Abram

that your descendants

will suffer

in slavery

for 400 years,

I'm sure

that was very

dreadful

and terrible thing

for Abram

to hear

and feel.

And yet,

God tells Abram,

but that's not

where we'll end.

Your descendants

will come out

in fourth generation

with great possessions.

And he also

tells Abram,

but you

will die

in peace.

Let's continue

with verses

17 to 21.

When the sun

had gone down

and it was dark,

behold,

a smoking firepot

and a flaming torch

passed between

these pieces.

On that day,

the Lord

made a covenant

with Abram,

saying,

To your offspring

I give this land

from the river

of Egypt

to the great river,

the river

Euphrates,

the land

of Canaanites,

the Canaanites,

the Kadamonites,

the Hittites,

the Perizzites,

the Raphame,

Amorites,

the Canaanites,

the Girgashites,

and the Jebusites.

So God

walks through

these

carcasses

in a smoking

firepot

and a flaming

torch

as if he's

putting his

own signature

to this

geographic blessing

saying,

I will make you

a great nation.

your descendants

may suffer

for 400 years

under the bondage

in Egypt,

but when they

come out,

they will inherit

this land

and here

is my signature.

So he walks

through

these carcasses

and consumed

them

with the fire.

Now,

the third

blessing

in this covenant

is a spiritual

blessing.

and it is

found in

chapter 12.

In chapter 12,

God told Abraham,

in you

all the families

of the earth

shall be blessed.

In other

translations,

it says

all nations

will be blessed

through you.

All ethnic

groups

will be blessed

through you.

Now,

God did not

explain

this blessing

in detail

to Abraham.

but

what

God

promised

Abraham

is

basically

this.

I will

send my

own son,

Jesus,

as one of

your descendants

to save

the world.

And it

is shown

in the

genealogy

of Christ.

You can look

that up in

Matthew chapter

Matthew 1 · chapter mention

1

or in

Luke

Luke 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3

and you

can trace

from the

birth of

Jesus

to Abraham.

So,

to recap

the threefold

blessings,

one,

it was a

numerical

blessing,

your descendants

will be as

many as

stars in

the sky,

and two,

I will

make you

a great

nation,

a nation

of Israel

is born,

and the

third,

all nations

will be

blessed

through you.

Now,

what is the

significance

of this

covenant?

Well,

continuing

from the

third,

the spiritual

blessing,

God

proclaimed

the gospel

to Abraham.

He's

telling

Abraham,

I'm not

only going

to bless

you with

numerous

offspring

and make

you a

great

nation,

but I

will also

redeem

this whole

world

by sending

my son

Jesus

as one

of your

descendants.

In

Galatians

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

chapter

3,

18-19,

it says,

and the

scripture

foreseeing

that God

would justify

the Gentiles

by faith,

preached the

gospel

beforehand

to Abraham,

saying,

in you

shall all

the nations

be blessed.

So then,

those who

are of

faith

are blessed

along

with Abraham,

the man

of faith.

if you

believe

like

Abraham

believed

God,

then you

become

blessed

along

with

Abraham,

the man

of faith.

Tim Keller

puts it

this way

in his

book,

Galatians

for you.

this is

why

apostle Paul

says in

Galatians,

those who

believe

are children

of Abraham.

What matters

is not

physical

descent

from Abraham,

like being

Jewish,

but spiritual

descent,

having the

same faith

as he did.

So what

does it

mean to

have faith

like Abraham?

First,

saving faith

is believing

the gospel

promise.

Second,

saving faith

is faith

in God's

provision,

not our

performance.

Another

significance

of this

covenant

is that

it serves

as a

foundation

for missions,

both local

and global.

When we

do mission

work,

it is

tempting

to feel

as if

we

accomplish

something

for God.

First of

all,

it is

God's

mission.

He

mobilizes

us to

accomplish

His

purpose.

All

ethnic

groups,

all

families

of the

earth,

all

nations

will be

blessed

through you.

And this

is God's

mission.

Now,

let's go

back to

the story

of this

family in

Togo.

So,

the

missionaries,

they were

amazed and

they were

puzzled by

this

family

who already

heard

about

Jesus.

So,

the story

unfolds

when the

father of

this family

became

sick,

they

seeked

out a

good,

reputable

hospital.

So,

they went

on a

several

hundred

mile

journey

to this

Christian

hospital.

And as

their father

was receiving

treatment,

the whole

family had

an opportunity

to receive

the gospel.

That's the way

they heard

about Jesus.

and ever

since then,

they've been

following the

path of

Jesus.

Now,

when we

hear a

story like

this,

our tendency

is to

praise,

wow,

you know,

that's a

great

organization.

Like,

who built

that Christian

hospital?

Or you

may say,

wow,

those Christian

doctors and

nurses and

staff,

they are doing

wonderful

things.

But what

we oftentimes

forget is,

who is really

behind all

this?

This is

God's

mission.

God already

proclaimed to

Abraham that

I'm going to

bless all

nations,

all ethnic

groups through

you.

And God's

promise is

just getting

fulfilled.

I was in

Bolivian Amazon

two months

ago,

serving on a

medical boat

for two

weeks.

When we

dock our

boat in

this village,

there was a

curious young

man who

came to

our boat.

He was

just so

curious.

He wanted

to know

why we're

here and

what we're

doing and

where we're

from.

I mean,

he didn't

have any

medical needs.

He was

just so

curious and

he wanted

to talk

to us.

Maybe he

thought I

was Jackie

Chan.

I don't

know.

But he

was just

so curious.

So,

one of our

translators

got to

know him

and started

to share

the gospel

with him.

And the

young man

told us,

I mean,

as a custom,

as a tradition,

he grew up

as a Catholic,

but he never

really understood

or heard

the gospel.

And he never

owned his

own Bible.

And he was

really desiring

to receive

a Spanish

Bible from

us.

So,

the translator

spent time

with him.

He opened

the scripture.

He shared

the gospel

with him.

And then,

at the end,

he gave

him his

own Bible.

Now,

does

Samaritan

purse deserve

any of the

credit?

The volunteers

deserve any

of the credit?

No.

This is

God

mobilizing

the volunteers,

the translators,

through Samaritan's

purse,

to fulfill

his promise.

All nations,

all ethnic groups,

all families

of the earth

will be blessed

through you.

Now,

in the beginning

of the service,

Pastor Greg

read Isaiah

Isaiah 55:10–11

chapter 55

verses 10 to 11.

Let's just

turn to that

real quick.

It's on

page

615.

Page

615

in your

pew Bible,

Isaiah

Isaiah 55:10

chapter 55

verses

10 and

11.

For as

the rain

and the

snow

come down

from heaven

and do

not return

there but

water the

earth,

making it

bring forth

and sprout,

giving seed

to the

sower

and bread

to the

eater,

so shall

my word

be that

goes out

from my

mouth,

it shall

not return

to me

empty,

but it

shall

accomplish

that which

I purpose

and shall

succeed

in the

thing

for which

I

sent it.

God's word

never returned

to him

empty.

God

never makes

empty promises.

Isn't that

amazing?

Before we

move on

to why

is this

covenant

so important

for us,

I'll tell

you a story.

On March

12th,

on an evening

service just

like this,

Pastor Nick

told us

right before

his sermon

that my

sermon is

going to

be about

40 to

45 minutes

long.

Now the

sermon in

evening service,

it usually,

you know,

it starts

around 5 to

7,

sometimes

at 7 o'clock.

Now that

evening,

I served

the communion.

So I

came up

here after

the sermon,

as I'm

standing next

to Pastor

Nick,

I looked

up and I

saw that

clock.

And it

was 7

or 5.

And I,

for a split

second,

I started

to get

really,

like this

excitement

was like

welding up

inside of

me.

I said,

wow,

God,

this is

miracle.

It's like

Joshua,

you know,

you stop

the sun

from setting

so Joshua

can win

the battle.

You stop

the time.

It's a

7 o'clock.

Then suddenly

I realized

somebody forgot

to turn

the clock

forward.

Thus

daylight

time saving

had begun.

So every

time I look

at the clock,

now I look

at it a

little bit

differently.

So,

okay,

let's

continue.

why is

this

covenant,

why is

this

covenant

so important

for us?

Well,

it is

God,

it is

God who

pursued

Abram

with his

love.

Abram

did not

pursue

God.

God

initiated

this whole

thing.

What about

us?

What about

you?

How did

you come

to know

Christ?

who

told you

the gospel?

A friend?

Your parents?

Online

sermon?

A Christian

book?

No matter

how you've

come to

know

the

Christ,

it was

not a

coincidence.

God

pursued

you

with his

love even

before you

were formed

in your

mother's

womb.

Just like

my experience

in Bolivia

or the

story

about this

Togo

family,

God

pursued

them

with his

love

because

that is

his

covenant

promise.

All

nations,

all ethnic

groups,

all families

of earth

will be

blessed

through you.

Whether

you're in

Bolivia,

whether you're

in United

States,

Europe,

Asia,

it doesn't

matter.

God

proclaimed

that

you will

be

blessed

because

of my

son

Jesus

and what

he did

on the

cross.

And that

is the

spiritual

blessing

and that

is

why

this

covenant

is so

important

for us.

Now,

if you

have never

been to a

church in

your life

and if

you're

sitting here

today,

this is

not an

accident.

God's

been

pursuing

you

with

his

love

your

whole

life.

Jesus

told us

a parable

of a

shepherd

searching

and searching

for that

one lost

sheep.

God's

been

pursuing

you

like

this

shepherd

with

his

redeeming

love.

In

1 John

1 John 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4,

it reads,

God

first

loved

us.

God

loved

us

even

to the

death

of his

son,

Jesus.

And

what's

really

amazing

is that

Jesus

did not

just stop

there.

Jesus

did not

say to

God,

Father,

I obeyed

you.

Die for

these

people.

Now I'm

done with

these

sinners.

I did

my part.

Thank

you.

Jesus

didn't

say that.

Jesus

also

promised

us

with

threefold

blessings.

Jesus

knew

the time

has

come

for him

to

leave,

for him

to

die.

So he

tells his

disciples,

one,

I will

never

leave

you

like

orphans.

and

two,

I will

send

a helper,

Holy

Spirit,

to help

you,

to guide

you,

to comfort

you.

The Holy

Spirit will

intercede

for you.

Jesus

is saying

that I

am not

going to

be with

you

physically

anymore,

but the

Holy Spirit

will live

inside of

you.

And

third,

I will

go and

prepare a

place for

you,

then I

will

come

back

to

bring

you

back

home

with

me

to

God's

kingdom.

Please

reflect

with me.

You may

close your

eyes if

you wish.

God's

are you

hurting

tonight

because

someone

made a

promise

to you

but

did not

keep it?

Are you

struggling

with pain

and anger

or living

the consequences

of that

broken

promise?

Please

bring them

to the

Lord

and ask

Him

for

healing.

ask

Him

to

enable

you

to

forgive.

Just

like we

read

tonight

in

Isaiah

Isaiah 55 · chapter mention

chapter

55,

God

never

breaks

His

promises.

Just

like

Abraham

believed

God,

won't

you

believe

Jesus

who

came

to

die

for

your

sins

just

like

God

promised?

And

let the

Holy

Spirit

live

inside

of

you

comforting,

healing,

helping,

and praying

for you

till

Jesus

comes

back

to

bring

you

home

to

God's

kingdom.

Let

us

pray.

Lord

our

God,

we

praise

you

and

honor

you

and

thank

you

for

this

precious

covenant

promise

that

you

made

with

Abraham

thousands

and

thousands

of

years

ago.

And

Lord,

your

word

never

returns

to

you

empty.

And

Lord,

because

of

your

promise

that

now

our

sins

are

forgiven,

we

have

eternal

life

with

Jesus,

and we

have the

Holy

Spirit

living

inside

of us

to

help

us

and

guide

us

and

comfort

us

and

heal

our

wounds.

And

because

the

Holy

Spirit

continually

intercede

for us,

Lord,

that we

are just

amazed

by your

love

and what

you have

done

for us,

Lord.

so

Lord,

help us

to continue

to remember

this promise

each day

and live

in joy

giving you

thanks

and honor

and all

the glory.

In

Jesus'

name we

pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Would you

stand with

me as we

sing our

closing song

together?

Amen.

I hear

the Savior

say

Thy

strength

indeed

is

small

Child

of

weakness

watch

and pray

find

in me

thine

all

in all

Jesus

paid

it

all

all

to

him

I

owe

sin

had

left

a

crimson

stain

he

washed

it

white

as

snow

Lord

now

indeed

I

find

thy

power

and

mine

alone

can

change

the

leper

spots

and

melt

this

heart

of

stone

Jesus

paid

Jesus

paid

it

all

all

to

him

I

owe

sin

hath

left

a crimson

stain

he

washed

it

white

as

snow

for

nothing

good

have

I

whereby

thy

grace

to

find

I

wash

my

garments

white

in

the

blood

of

Calvary's

lamb

Jesus

paid

it

all

all

to

him

I

owe

sin

had

left

a crimson

stain

he

washed

it

white

as

snow

and

when

before

the

throne

I

stand

in

incomplete

Jesus

died

my

soul

to

save

my

lips

shall

still

repeat

Jesus

paid

it

all

all

to

him

I

owe

sin

had

left

a

crimson

stain

he

washed

it

white

as

snow

sin

had

left

a

crimson

stain

he

washed

it

white

as

snow

a

I think there's some cold drinks and snacks at the back.

Feel free to stay around for those.

And take note of, on the back of the bulletin, there is a list of...