Advent | Week 2

Glad that you are with us today. Special, if you're visiting want

to welcome you. My name is Kyle and I serve as

lead. Pastor here today, we are

continuing in our Advent series, which we begun began.

Sorry last week. So if you have your Bible with,

you turn to Genesis chapter 12. The little hopping around again

Genesis 12 · chapter mention

this week. But we'll start in Genesis 12

and I'll read to you from there. It's kind of the foundation for

what we're talking about. Today, before we get in that

just want to remind you, what Advent is, maybe you're visiting

with us on this. This whole idea is new to you.

It's a new word Advent, just simply means coming, we look at

advents on the church calendar each year in December.

It's typically the four weeks leading up to Christmas morning

and the purpose of it is to recall, the Incarnation of

Christ that Christ was born. Amen.

And just as we saying a moment ago that he was born for us, he

was born to redeem God's people and so he was he wasn't going to

do that through his birth simply, but he was going to do

that by becoming a perfect sacrifice, the god-man, 100%

God. 100% man crucified on a cross for our sins.

Risen on the third day, that that by belief in him, we might

also rise with him and then we may be free from the penalty of

sin. And enjoy Christ forever in

heaven. And so that's, that's Advent.

Number one. Advent number one is the coming

of Christ. When he went into heaven, the

disciples were told, why are you standing here looking into the

clouds from the same way that he whence?

He will come again. Amen.

And that's the promise. The promises that Christ will

return and this is the second Advent.

And so, we last week, looked at the fall of mankind.

We looked at the dawn of the Gospel Proclamation, that there

would come through the seed of the woman.

There would come one, who would crush the head of the cunning

serpent would crush the head of Satan, and that in doing.

So he would also be wounded, but he would not be dealt, a death

blow and so Christ did died but he rose again.

And Christ is our savior. Amen.

And so during Advent, we were worshipping the savior.

Worshipping Christ, this is Alan, read a moment ago in

Colossians. He is the preeminence of all

things. He is the glory of God revealed

to us. And as we proclaim the name of

Christ as we sing his Praises. As we read about him in his

word, as we Proclaim his word out loud, as we think through

it, as we pray through it, we are exalting Christ to his

rightful place as Lord of lords. Amen.

And that's especially important - Jasper pointed out in this

season, especially important. This season comes to us, it

makes total sense. That Satan would try to Rob this

season, that he would try to take it for himself and make it

all about merchandising, make it all about purchasing things,

make it all about wanting things and that in that, when that

happens in our materialism, Which is just the worship of

stuff. We forget Christ.

And so Advent comes to us as a way to remember Christ.

And so, today I want to talk to you specifically more

specifically about the darkness of sojourning, the darkness of

so journey. And so, the title of my passage

or my sermon today is the light of God's covenants.

We're going to talk about the darkness of so Journey from talk

about covenants, we're gonna talk about how God initiates

relationship with his people. People, he establishes them as

his people through covenants and that these covenants are there,

the very light of God? They are the faithfulness of God

coming to us. And in that we have hope amid

the darkness of sojourning. So you may write it down this

way. God's covenant, faithfulness is

the Light Of Hope amid. The darkness of so Journey.

It's very loaded sentence. It'll be behind me here, you can

write it down. and so in Genesis 12, we have God initiating.

A covenant, the beginning stages of what will become a covenant

with a man named Abram who you may know as Abraham.

And so let's read that. Would you stand to your feet?

Today, we're going to read Genesis 12 1 through 9 verses 1

through 9. When I'm finished reading, I'll

say this is the word of the Lord, and you will respond as

God's people. Thanks.

Be to God. All right, Genesis 12, verses 1

Genesis 12:1–9

through 9. Now, the Lord said to Abram, go

from your country and your Kindred and your father's house

to the land that I will show you.

And I will make of you a great nation and I will bless you and

make your name great. So that you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you?

I will curse and then you all the families of the Earth shall

be blessed. Verse 4, so Abram wins as the

Lord had told him and lot went with him.

Abram was 75 years old when he departed from her own and Abram

took Sarai his wife and lot his brother's son and all their

possessions that they had gathered and the people that

they had acquired in haran and they set out to go to the land

of Canaan when they came to the land of Canaan Abram passed

through the lands of the place at shechem to the Oak of moreh

at at time, the Canaanites were in the land.

Then the Lord verse 7 appeared to Abram and said to your

Offspring. I will give this land so he

built there, an altar to the Lord who had appeared to him

from there. He moved to the Hill Country on

the east of Bethel and pitched his tents with Bethel on the

west. And I on the East and there, he

built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord

and Abram. Journeyed on still going toward

them again. This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God. Let me pray for us.

Heavenly Father, we praise you, that we get to join together.

Today, to read your word, to hear your word, taught.

That will only be a joy Lord. If I say what you would have me

to say that will only be good for us.

So far as the thoughts that I share, are your thoughts, the

words that I preach, or your words?

Lord, my human wisdom will only fell us.

There is no cunning and me, there is no ability in me to

change Hearts. There's no ability and me to

transform Minds. There's no ability and me to

create a people for God. But father you possess all of

those things in your word. Father there is life in your

word. There is rebuke, there's

correction. There is teaching.

And there is training for godliness in your word.

Is everything that we need for eternal life and godliness.

And so Lord, we come to your word today as beggars.

Come to your word today as men and women who want to hear from

you. We want to see your face who

want to exalt Christ in our life and so Lord.

Would you teach us today? Humble us correct.

Us instruct us Lord. That we might follow you more

Faithfully. Lord way you.

Be honored today in the Name of Christ, I pray, amen.

Amen. You may have seat.

So back in last week, we learned that God makes a promise.

God makes a promise he promises as he is rebuking the serpent.

As he is, executing his judgment on the serpent as he's

condemning the Serpent's. He promises that there will be

one who comes again from the seed of the woman.

As I said earlier, who will crush The Serpent's serpents

Victory will be short-lived what he has done will not last.

He thinks that he has one, but in reality he is only delayed

his defeat amen. And so in Genesis 3:15, we read

Genesis 3:15

there. That God will put enmity between

the man and the woman between her Offspring and his offspring

and that the man will who will come from the an offspring.

They're being singular as one person in mind.

We know him by the name of Christ, he will put enmity

between them and this man Christ will crush the head of the

serpent. That's a promise that said, last

week that this is what theologians called the

protoevangelium meaning. It's the first announcement of

the good news, which is the gospel of Christ.

There will be a man and from the seed of the woman who will crush

the head head of the serpent and that is precisely.

What happens in Jesus Christ will remind you of this as we

think about the Incarnation of Advent, we think about the fact

that Christ put on flesh of the Son of God, who created all

things. He created the woman.

And whom he would grow in her body, he created the woman who

would be his mother. He created the stars and the Sun

and the Moon, he created the Earth as we know it, he created

all mankind by his word, all things came into being this God.

A second member of the Trinity, the Son of God put on flesh.

And became like us. And this is what Philippians 2.

Paul writes. They're encouraging the Saints

to have humility about them but he says, your humility will be

based on these truths about Christ and these truths about

Christ. Her good for us today as well.

Who though, in verse six, he was in the form of God did not count

equality with God. A thing to be grasped but

emptied himself taking the form of a servant being born in the

likeness of man and being found in human form.

He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted

him and bestowed on him. The name, that is above every

name. So that at the name of Jesus,

every knee should bow in heaven and on Earth and under the

Earth. And every tongue confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord, Lord to the glory of God, the Father.

Now, there are roughly 4,000 years between creation and the

birth of Christ. And what happens from Genesis 3

to the gospel accounts of Jesus birth and his death and his

resurrection and the establishment of the church and

how we are to live until the end of the age.

When Christ returns everything that happens there.

Is picked up in this word Offspring.

We are reading about from Genesis to Malachi and your Old

Testament you're reading about and hearing about the Redemption

that will come through Christ. This word Offspring is picked up

in Genesis for 25 and 26 after Kane murders.

Able this is what we read and Adam knew his wife again and she

bore a son and called his name. Seth for she said, God has

appointed for me. Another Offspring, instead of

Abel for Cain killed him. To serve.

Also a son was born. He called his name enosh at that

time. People began to call upon the

name of the Lord. And so we see that through the

line of Seth who's come from the woman, that one would come, who

would crush the head of the serpent Eve is praising the Lord

because she has gotten another Offspring for this promise to be

fulfilled through. And so, the rest of Genesis

traces, a single line of Seth's descendants.

Eventually, it will produce a king, which you read about by

which All Nations. Options will be blessed.

We're going to talk about him next week from Seth's family.

We have a man named Noah God also made a covenant with Noah

right after he destroys the Earth by flood because of its

pervasive evil, God puts a rainbow in the sky and makes a

promise to know that I will never again.

Destroy the world by a flood. Even though man's ways are evil

even from his youth. God says, God tells Noah and his

family. The same thing, he told Adam and

Eve be fruitful and multiply increased greatly on the earth

and multiply in it. And so, the mission is still the

same go forth. From Noah Sun, we get Shem.

And there's a man named Abram. Who is born to shim.

Now, in Matthew 1, as we look at the genealogy of Christ, it

begins with Abraham and Abraham's line goes through

David, all the way to Jesus and God is faithful.

To his covenants amen. The promise that he made in

Genesis 3, he is keeping in Matthew 1.

As Christ comes, God is faithful to his Covenant.

So Matthew one, we see that Jesus would be called Jesus

because he has come to save their people from their sins.

He's a redeemer. He is the long-awaited Messiah,

the savior. And so God is faithful to his

covenants. You need to hear this even when

his people are not. God is always faithful.

God is always abounding in steadfast love, even when his

people are not. And so we see God steadfast

love, we see his faithfulness. Clearly, in his covenants, his

covenants, give us a way of identifying where we will find

the faithfulness of God, where we can best, find the steadfast

love. Of the father.

And so God's covenant faithfulness is the Light Of

Hope amid, the darkness of sojourning.

So let's get to the sojourning in Genesis 12, what we have is

god making an invitation to Abram in Genesis 12.

God comes to Abram, who is from the line of Seth and makes an

invitation for Abram to join to join him in something.

Truly amazing. I don't know if you caught it in

the first three, verses let me reread.

Those just so we're all together here.

Now, the Lord said to Abram, go from your country and your

Kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show

you. So he's calling him out of there

and sending him into. What is unknown to him, but

known to the father and I will make of you a great nation and I

will bless you and make your name great.

So that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you

and him who dishonors you? I I will curse.

And in you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed in

you. All the families of the Earth

shall be blessed. I want you to know right out of

the gate. This is not so much a promise

about Abraham, as much as it is a promise about the one who

would come from Abraham that n him in his offspring.

All the families of the Earth shall be blessed.

Meaning Redemption would be extended to everyone and so

notice the Which Abram is told to go from your country, that is

his place. Go from your Kindred.

That is his people and from your father's house which is his

purpose, right? He's taking God is taking Abram

away from everything. That is familiar.

This is his identity. He is tear off son.

He's dwelling in Terrazas plays and he's with terrorize people

and he exists their Forte. Ross purpose to undo everything

that Tara would have him to do. And this is typically a pretty

good existence. This is typically a really good

thing but what God invites him. What does God invite him to

become? He says, go go to the land that

I will show you. That's a new place, but it's

God's place and I will make of you a great nation.

That's a new people, but it's God's people and I will bless

you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

And I will bless those who bless you and him who Dishonored you,

I will curse. And in you all the families of

the earth will be blessed. Well, that's a new purpose.

Yes, but it's God's purpose, it's a better purpose, but

Abraham is being called out of his home.

He's being called out of everything that's familiar and

he's being told to what to Soldier.

You know what it means to sojourn.

The sojourn means you don't have a home.

The sojourn means you don't have a place.

Doesn't necessarily mean, you don't have a purpose, you have a

purpose, but it means that you are wondering.

And by the appearances of some, you might be lost.

As some look at you, they might say, what in the world is wrong,

with that fella Abram. He went from all that, he had

all those possessions, all that purpose, all that place he went

from there, which would have been his and he wanders, into an

unknown place for an unknown purpose, seeking an unknown

people. Because God came to him and said

to do it. And so he's a Sojourner God's

given him a new identity, he was not a Sojourner.

Now he's a Sojourner. he will now be though, God's people

Because he was obeying the Lord, he will dwell in God's place

because God has said, I'm going to give you a place and he is

trusting him. From him, the Nations will be

blessed to be, come God's people for God's purpose, because this

is what God has promised him. God's invitation forces Abram to

abandon the normal sources of personal identity and security,

his family. His homeland, his purpose, And

it forces him to obey Abram must trust God by faith.

All human support is largely removed now.

I've told you this before. Faith is Faith is not an

apparition. Faith may not be tangible all

the time. You may not be able to put your

hand on faith, but you can put your hand on the fruit of Faith.

You can cut through the thickness of legitimate Faith

because legitimate Faith Can Be Touched.

You can see the fruit of legitimate Faith because when

you have legitimate Faith, you have things like hope.

Where there should be no hope. You have legitimate Faith, you

have things like peace where there should be nothing but

turmoil and suffering and sadness, when you have

legitimate Faith you have things like love where there should be

hatred, there's forgiveness where there should be

bitterness. You see what I'm saying?

Faith produces fruit, faith is not without a work.

It's not without something tangible to it, but the world

wants to criticize you for Faith.

It wants to say that. Faith is a coping mechanism.

That that faith is what Christians have made up to help

themselves get through life or really what any religious person

has made up to help them better deal with their lives.

The Troubles of their lives. So You know, and in some ways

they, the accusations may be true but where a worldly person

might turn to things like alcoholism.

Or things like perversion of sexuality worldly person might

turn to finding new identities or new copings or new, whatever

in the world. A Christian turns to their faith

in Christ and faith in Christ produces fruits.

I hope you're tracking with what I'm saying, Faith Can Be

Touched. It's not simply, it's not an

apparition, it's not something. That is a magical word, like

Abracadabra or something. To that effect you can touch

faith. Faith can be seen And you might

not see the product of your faith.

Yet take Abram. For example, he's wondering he's

waiting on the Homeland that God's promise he's waiting on

the people that God's promise, but there's fruits of his faith.

He's trusting God, each day in the wandering in the sojourn and

so there's fruit in that. It's fruits.

And so God's invitation forces Abram to trust God by faith, all

human support is removed. All of what he knew before is

gone every in every way that he could have relied on himself,

relied on his family, relied on, what would have been given to

him? Is now taken from him and he

must, he must show faith. But there's a problem, there's a

problem with this whole thing God saying, I'm going to make a

nation from you. Buy you all the peoples of the

earth will be blessed. Was a problem in this Sarah his

wife is barren. Her womb is stricken.

She can't have children. And so Abram begins to wonder

how in the world will a great nation come through me.

My wife's can't even have children.

There can be no Offspring here. Regardless of Sarah's baroness

Abram chooses to go any way. He chooses to trust God, to do

what he said he would do. He wants to see God's steadfast

love and faithfulness firsthand. He's going to see that God is

trustworthy. See that Faith, there will be

fruit of his faith. And so, after some time Abrams

Fame, begins to grow, he he still without a child but he's,

he's collected some people, he's taken over some territories,

he's just rejected, the victory Spoils of a battle that's

offered to him by the king of Sodom.

And in Genesis, 15 1 through 6, the Lord comes to Abram again.

Look at Genesis 15 1 through 6. Let me read this to you.

I'll give you a second to third in there.

After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a

vision. And he said this fear, not a

room, I am your Shield, your reward shall be very great.

So he's rejected the victory Spoils of this defeat of saga of

the king of Sodom. And now the Lord is saying, I'm

your Shield, your reward shall be very great, but Abram said,

and so now here's where these doubts began to creep in.

Oh Lord, God, what will you give me for our continued childless?

And the air of my house is Eliezer of Damascus.

And Abram 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 rare.

And he brought him outside, God brings Abram outside and he says

look toward the heaven. And Number the Stars.

If you are able to number them ever walked outside on a clear

night. Especially if you're like out

west, where the elevation is quite a bit higher.

The skies are just so much larger and clearer.

If you see them at night, you, it's impossible.

It's impossible to count the Stars.

And this is the illustration that God chooses.

For Abram, come with me outside your kids.

Look into the heaven Number, the Stars.

If you're able, And then he said to him, so shall your Offspring

be? A multitude to Great to number,

is what God is telling Abram a multitude to Great to number?

And what do we read in verse 6? And he believed the Lord and God

counted it to him as righteousness.

And then in verse 18 through 21 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 land of the Canaanites McKenna sites.

The catamites Hittites the perizzites The referendum, the

amorites, the Canaanites, the girgashites, and the jebusites.

What we're talking about here is how God makes a covenant makes a

covenant. Think about this in your in your

mind. Again, the Lord says, I am your

Shield, your reward shall be very great Abram replies, but

wait a minute, I don't even have a child yet, my current air is a

servant boy of my household. The Lord says he won't be your

are your very own son, shall be your Heir.

Come outside with me. Look up.

Count the Stars if you can. So shall your Offspring be And

Abram seeing that hearing the voice of the Lord.

Chose to believe, God. And God, counted his belief as

righteousness, and then God makes a covenant and says, to

your Offspring, I give this land And Genesis 17 God gives Abram

assigned for the Covenant which is circumcision Abram is they're

called Abraham and his wife becomes Sarah, God promises a

son and now he names him. Isaac Isaac will be the son of

Sarah who will establish whom. He's going to establish his

Covenant with. So this is going to continue

Abraham. Isaac.

Jacob. All right.

We see God steadfast love. We see his faithfulness in his.

Covenants. God's covenant faithfulness is

the Light Of Hope amid. The darkness of sojourning Abram

finds himself in the middle of his so journey.

And he's beginning to doubt, these things are happening.

These things are great but I still don't have Offspring.

I still don't have anyone who's going to be my Heir.

I still don't see where the family is going to come from.

I don't know how the nations of the world are going to be

blessed through my name. God, how is this going to

happen? And God just re-establishes it

with him, right? He just reaffirms e.

This is coming. Look and see Number the Stars.

So shall your Offspring be? And Abram says, I believe you.

I trust. And so God establishes.

A covenant with Abram. And becomes Abraham that we see

the Fulfillment of in Christ. And so God not only made a

covenant. Now, he makes a way to see

Israel. Struggled to keep the covenants.

They couldn't keep their covenants and the law comes the

law. Reveals their sinfulness reveals

their need for a savior reveals how utterly deplete they are of

any righteousness. And so God must make a way,

which was always the promise. The promise was what a head

Crusher. One who would come, who would

crush the head of the serpent? So, how do we understand?

This today will covenants are the conduit through, which God's

Redemption story flows. This is how he helps each person

see his covenants. This is how each person gets to

see the Redemption story. It's through the covenants that

God makes Only God fulfills his Covenant with Abraham in the

light of Jesus Christ and its blessings extend to all who

believe in Jesus. This is exactly the case that

Paul's making in Romans chapter 4, verse 2 and 3, Paul writes

Romans 4:2

this he says for If Abraham was justified by works, meaning he

was able to keep the law. He has something to boast about.

But not before God for what does the scripture say Abraham

believed God and it was counted to him him, sorry as

righteousness. And so, The the in you all the

nations will be blessed. In Genesis 12 becomes in Christ.

You receive the blessings of God in Romans chapter 4, look at

Romans 4 · chapter mention

verses twenty look at verses 23 through 25 there.

And and Romans for if you want to flip their, I'll read it to

you. Romans chapter 4 verse 23.

Romans 4:23

Sorry, my brain was getting ahead of how fast I could

actually talk. So I'll slow down, but the

words, it was counted to him. Meaning, his righteousness was

counted to him, Paul saying, we're not written for his sake

alone. But for ours also, And Paul

writes, this it will be counted to us who believe in Christ who

sorry in God, who raised from the dead Jesus.

Our lord who was delivered up for our transport trespasses and

raised for our justification. So righteousness is counted to

us as well as we believe in God who gave Christ right, sent

Christ to the Earth ultimately to the cross for our sins that

we might live with him. And so, righteousness is

counted. To us for our belief in God just

as it was counted to Abraham for his belief in God and so it's

always been that you come into the family of God by faith

alone. Sit.

It's never been about working, it's never been about how good

can you be? It's ever been by performing the

right religious acts. It's never been about making the

right sacrifices. It's simply about faith in

Christ. Looking to The Offspring who

would crush The Serpent. And so how does this happen?

Well, happens through the birth and the death and the

resurrection of Jesus Christ. The totality of Christ's life.

The amazing thing about his birth is that he was born to

die. As I said last week, the amazing

thing about his birth that he was born to suffer for our sake.

The amazing thing about his birth of the, he was born to,

not only died but to rise again. He dwells now, in bodily form in

heaven, his body will be the only body in heaven that

pertains any scarring. And there are a reminder of the

death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Amen. He pleads that on your behalf

before the father. He he intercedes on your behalf

before the father Hebrew 7 tells us that as he stands there.

He's able to save to the uttermost all who draw near to

God through him. He's able to save to the

uttermost. You don't have to doubt whether

or not God is able to save. You doesn't matter what your

life is looked like, doesn't matter how many sins you've

committed Christ, died for all of your sins, Past present

future your slate is erased. If your faith is in Christ and

now you stand before God under the righteousness of Christ, Not

under condemnation. And You're free forever.

Trusting. Love him.

He's worthy of our affection. And Galatians 4:4 through six

Galatians 4:4

Allen read this last week from the stage but when the fullness

of time had come God sent forth his son, born of a woman born

under the law to redeem those who were under the law so that

we might receive adoption as sons.

And because you are Sons, God has sent the spirit of his son

into our hearts. Crying Abba Father.

And so you were once not an air and now you are an heir.

You were once not a people but now you were God's people.

You were once a part of a Homeland on Earth, serving your

father, Satan with your life. And now you have been called out

of Darkness into Marvelous Light.

And first Peter 2, it says that you were once not a people, but

now you are a holy people. You're not a priest of God.

Amen. You have a new identity.

You have a new purpose, you have a new Homeland in heaven, that

awaits. You, you are a Sojourner.

That's your identity. You're on your way to heaven.

Once you would reject the fatherhood of God, you wanted

nothing to do with the fatherhood of God and now you

welcome him crying Abba. Father.

Because the spirit of God has been poured into your hearts And

that with your heart, you sing father.

Romans 3:23 through 25 for all, have sinned and fallen short of

Romans 3:23–25

the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a

gift. Through the Redemption that is

in Christ. Jesus, whom God put forward as a

propitiation as a substitute by his blood and a payment a

substitute that's a payment, right?

He put forward Christ as a propitiation by his blood to be

received by faith. This was to show God's

righteousness because in his Divine forbearance he had passed

over former sins. So we are Justified freely by

God's grace We are Justified freely by God's grace from our

sins through faith in Christ Jesus.

This means that we like Abraham are justified by faith alone in

Christ alone. Just as I said, a moment ago, so

Christ issues an invitation to believe in him.

He issues an invitation to receive him and he says this in

Matthew 16. If anyone would come after me,

let him deny himself. Take up his cross, take up his

life and follow me. For whoever would save his life

will lose it. If you try to take your life in

your own hands, and you say, I'm clinging to this, this is my

life. This is my homeland, this is my

purpose, this is my people. You take that to Heaven, that

cling to Heaven, you will find that you gained nothing and you

lost everything, including your own soul.

You gain nothing. And so much of what you spend

your life living for what you spend your life building, and

creating is going to be burnt up.

One day. And God has issued an invitation

through the sun. If anyone wants to live, like

you don't have to do those things if you want to live come

to Christ. Deny yourself, take up your life

and follow him. Whoever loses his life.

For my sake, Christ says, we'll find it.

So what's he saying? When you arrive at the end of

your sojourning and you stand before the Lord, you stand

before Christ. And you have to give an answer

for your life, you have to say, here's what I've done.

Your answer will simply be, I have nothing to offer but Christ

and him crucified and I stand here under his Merit, not mile,

he called me. He saved me.

Amen. This is what it means to live

like Abraham. When you believe in Jesus

Christ, you can rest and a New Covenant of Grace.

That's been initiated by God. 1st Peter 3:18 for Christ.

Also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous

that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh

but made alive in the spirit. And so now it's really Crystal

Clear how the Nations might be blessed through Abraham, isn't

it? It will be through belief in

Jesus Christ. It'll be through faith in

Christ. Remember when God told Abraham,

I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you I will

curse. notice the plural, those who bless contrasted with the

singular Kim. That the blessing people

received is based on how they received Abraham in that time,

but the way they received Abraham was simply based on the

promise or the Covenant that God had made with Abraham who is

Christ now. And so the same is true today

for how people receive the blessing of God.

They must receive Christ. If they reject him, they will be

cursed. If you will receive Christ, you

will be blessed with his very own righteousness.

He will cover your sins. And if you will not receive

Christ, you will be cursed, you will remain in your own

unrighteousness. You will left to answer God on

your own apart from the mercy of Christ on Judgment Day.

And one of the takeaways of this needs to be our understanding of

The Inheritance that Christians will receive it will be a land

full of God's people. We will inherit the Earth on the

last day we were told and so if you remember what God says to

Abraham count, the Stars if you can.

So shall your Offspring. Be we are Offspring by faith for

the promise to Abraham and his offspring.

That he would be the heir of the world did not.

I'm through the law, but through the righteousness of Faith.

That's what Romans 4:13 says. And so we have every reason to

Romans 4:13

believe that the new heavens and the new Earth will be filled

with a multitude of Believers. And in fact, Abraham knew

something of this. Even though he could not yet see

it for himself. And this is why we would say he

was so Journey. And Hebrews 11, 10 through 16 as

the Bible. There is recalling.

The faithfulness of Abraham, this is what it says.

It says, for he was looking forward, it's talking about how

he left his homeland and went and obeyed God by faith.

And it says, for he was looking forward to the city that has

foundations whose designer and Builder is God.

I'm about you, but I like the sound of a city that has

foundations. Amen.

Especially in a world in which we live, where it seems that no

City, no country has any legitimate Foundation to it

anymore. There's a city that has

foundations whose designer and Builder is God and verse 11.

It says by faith. Sara herself received power to

conceive, even when she was past the age.

Since she considered him faithful who had promised.

So they considered the faithfulness of God, the

steadfast love of God and they said we're going to believe him.

That's your Light Of Hope amid. The darkness of so Journey.

The trust the Lord. And verse 12, therefore from one

man and him as good as dead. I love it.

We're born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as

many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore, even

Hebrews is confirming. This is not hyperbole on God's

part, God is not saying look into the stars and see the

multitude and be overwhelmed. And then say, okay, I believe

you. Hebrews here in verse 12 is

recalling it. And saying there will be born

descendants as many as the stars of heaven.

And as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore,

how are we born of Abraham Now by faith in Christ?

The descendants of Abraham. Are those who have faith in

Christ Jesus? Verse 13, these all died in

faith, talking about all the people that he's mentioned here

and here has 11, not having received the things promised but

having seen them and greeted them from afar and having a

knowledge that they were strangers and Exiles on the

earth. This is important.

It's tying Faith. The substance of things yet.

Unseen Two axles and strangers on the earth, your sojourning,

for people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a

Homeland. If they had been thinking of

that land from, which they had gone out, they would have had

opportunity to return. Was that, as it is, they desire

a better country. That is a Heavenly one.

Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for, he has

prepared for them a city. T a men.

And this is how you sojourn. This is how you live between the

advents. This is how you walk through

Darkness. This is how you experience the

Light of Christ and the middle of your Darkness.

It's have faith in God. It's to trust him.

It's to recall his word to ask him to show you to reveal

himself, right? You recall.

Often God's covenant faithfulness.

He's promised and he will deliver.

You can see it in the scriptures.

God is speaking to you from the scriptures and telling you

today, you can trust me. I am trustworthy.

I'm trustworthy. You can trust me.

All of your sojourning is building for you and insurance

into my Eternal City, trust me. Follow me.

Walk with me. He's promised and he will

deliver you will not be forsaken.

This is what we know about God. He never leaves, he never

forsakes. We also know about God, that he

works all things together for the good of his people.

There's nothing in his purposes that are not meant for the good

of his people. Nothing.

Nothing and he's called you according to his purpose.

You love him. So trust him, that all things

are working together for good Press On Sojourner must decide

to press on. It must decide that there is

more left for me as long as there's breath.

In me, there's more left for me. Amen.

And until God calls you home. And tell God brings you into his

presence. There is work for you to do.

There is experiences with God to enjoy. there's a I thought about

this this morning a little bit. I don't want to bust anybody out

but I asked a couple of people this morning you know like we do

on Sundays good morning how are you?

And it's just a rattle off of all the things that are terrible

or just a uh good you know. And I understand that's natural.

That's part of the darkness of sojourning, that's part of the

difficulty. Of life in a fallen world,

there's pain or suffering. There's times, we don't enjoy

it. And so a Sojourner must decide.

I'm pressing on for that upward call of Christ.

Jesus, my Lord and I will not finish until he says, I'm

finished and I will not stop growing until he says come home

and I will not stop putting off my sin and putting on Christ

likeness. Until he decides, it's time for

me to enter his presence. Now, as I was saying, we could

keep going with that. And so Sunday mornings are a

break. And you're so Journey.

There are rest, stop, maybe a break is a bad word.

Sunday, mornings are meant to be a rest stop in the weeks of your

sojourning and you get 52 opportunities.

A year to come into the presence of God, with your brothers and

sisters to sing praises to his glorious name, to exalt him on

high, to have your heart transcend, your physical world,

and be drawn into the spiritual realm with God.

Don't mean to sound crazy. Yeah, but that's what's

happening. Worshiping with the angels, when

we worship Christ together, or worshiping with believers who

have gone on before us as we worship Christ together.

And so again, I know life is difficult boy.

Do I I know that it comes with much pain and turmoil, but

you're alive today. Christ has blessed you with

another day to worship with his people.

Shame on us. If we enter the church even on

Sunday morning, saying, or complaining, I get it.

I'm not saying you have to fake it till you make it.

I'm not, don't do that. I'm just saying, acknowledge the

fact that you're joining with angels and worship today,

acknowledge the fact that Christ has given you New Life, a new

identity, a new purpose, a new Homeland that all those things

that are bad about your life. Right now, will one day be made

brand new and even the best of this life You name it.

Maybe it's chocolate ice cream for you.

Maybe it's your marriage. Maybe it's your a relationship

with your child, may be, whatever, even the best of this

life will have to be made new on that day, because it won't

compare to the glory of Christ. So sojourn with some heart.

Would you sojourn with some peace about?

You sojourn with some Faith? Let's not walk around.

Like we've been kicked in the pants.

Like we're a dog with our tail tucked under we serve The God,

Who is the victor We serve a God.

I was telling Patricia this this week, it just astounds me.

I can't. I can't figure it out.

I don't know why does it but he doesn't God, transcends all

creation. All creation God transcends

every single thing he created it's right by his mouth it came

forth nothing he didn't have to have a substance and W it

together and say whoop. There it is.

Right. He just speaks and it comes into

being and he transcends all things he's outside of time.

He sees the world in all its completeness.

He sees the timeline as though it's already complete.

And you know what? That God, who can see that way?

Who is all powerful and all knowing, and all present.

There's not a place in the world that he's not at, right?

David says, I can descend into the depths of shield, and you

were there I can Ascend to the heights of the heavens and you

were there, there is nowhere that I can hide from your

presence. Even the darkness is not dark to

you. It's like right Psalm 139 and so

that God, who transcends all things, Do you know that he is

also imminent? He?

He comes to you. He wants to have a relationship

with you. He wants to know you, he wants

you to know him, he makes himself known to you, he reveals

himself in the word, he reveals himself in nature.

So the God who transcends is also Eminence and he creates

intimate relationship with him where we might actually know the

god of the universe. And so, as sojourners Sundays

are a rest stop in. Turn opportunity to come in and

to have our batteries recharged there, an opportunity to come in

and sing from the depths of Who We Are.

It's read as word with the desire to know him and to know

that he wrote it so that we might know him.

Eminence yet, transcending, all things.

It's really mind-blowing. It's incredibly loving

incredibly loving And he's made a way, he's made a way for us to

know him. This is how you sojourn you

press on. You understand that this world

has its stuff, but it's not my home.

But I by the grace of God can bring the Light of Christ into

the darkness of this world in the way that I live.

And the way that I talk in the way that I approach life in the

way that I love others. And the way that I Grumble or

don't grumble, The way that I praise the King.

Praise the King. And so, we speak that way, we

must. The world must look at a

Christian, a true Christian and say, man you talk funny, we

ought to look different and sound different than the world.

Got to make it clear to yourself.

Clear to others that you are seeking a Heavenly Homeland.

This isn't wishing your life away.

This is putting purpose and every millisecond of your day.

And if you do that, God will not be ashamed to be called your

God. Amen. for, he has prepared a

place, a Heavenly dwelling for you Revelation 7:9 through 10

Revelation 7:9–10

Again, looking at the future Kingdom, the Apostle, John and

his vision is shown this and he writes it down for us.

After this, I looked and behold a great multitude that no one

could number sound familiar from every nation from all tribes and

peoples, and languages standing Before the Throne and before the

lamb clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands and

crying out with a loud voice. Salvation Belongs To Our God,

who sits on the throne and to the lamb.

Amen. You see, God's covenant

faithfulness is the Light Of Hope for you. this life is full

of its Darkness has, but on you in Christ, a great light has

Shone and Christ calls his people in Matthew 5, the light

of the world calls you the light of the world, not because

you're, you know, special But because he is in you.

Amen. Sean like lights.

Let the light of God's faithfulness to his covenants.

Be hope for you as you sojourn in this Earth.

Let me pray for you. Heavenly Father, we love you.

We praise you, father for your kindness toward us, we are so.

So unworthy. We have hearts that are defiled.

We have loves that have nothing to do with you.

We have desires for things that you call evil.

And we try to rename them as good.

And so, Lord, the fact that you saw fit to save us in Christ

that you saw fit to crush the head of the serpent, through

your son. Is is really a love that?

We struggle to comprehend? it goes beyond anything that we

could ask or think it exceeds, Our wildest dreams.

And yet we still try to Soldier apart from you.

Yet, we still try to live a life deplete of your righteousness.

Because we're deceived Lord. And so, father, I ask that you

would Enlighten us help us to see Christ, Opus to see his

sacrifice for our sins of us to see the resurrection.

Opens to see with eyes that believe hearts.

That believe mouths that will confess that Christ is Lord and

a will that will be transformed to live for him every day.

God, I'm asking for you to save sinners.

Grant them. Redemption.

Grant them, peace. And Lord for those of us in here

who call you Lord. We seek to live for you.

Lord, we to get distracted. And are sojourning.

We get distracted by the false lights that are out there.

The promises of our enemy take this.

It's good for you. Take this.

It'll make you like God take this.

He's wanting the worst for you and yet here's the best. and so

Lord, we take often We take often.

Because the desires of our flesh lead us to do.

So they give birth to sin and would you forgive us?

So, journey is difficult. At times, it's hard to live in a

world that we know we're not made for our hearts yearn for

Perfection or Hearts yearn for Redemption.

And though, we get glimpses of it in Christ, we get glimpses of

it in our own lives. It just seems at times that the

darkness is so overwhelming. And yet here we are in your

world. Serving you living for you.

A God, who is transcendent yet Eminence and you come to us?

You tell us cry to me and I will answer your call.

We see it over and again you answering the call of your

people as they cry out to you. You tell us that if will seek

you will find you. that no one ever seeks and doesn't find And

God, you reveal yourself to us through your word, things that

you've created but perfectly and your word salvific lie in your

word alone. And so father, would you train

us for godliness? Forgive us, our sins, but help

us Lord, to press on to live as lights in this world.

Not for our own Glory, my goodness, but for the glory of

Christ. But others might be drawn into

the lights out of the darkness that others who were once.

Not a people might be called God's people.

Save us father, help us to take the gospel to others.

We love you. We love you.

And we were pleased honored humbled to be your servants.

Help us live for you. Oh, Christ precious name.

We ask these things. Amen.

Oh, Christ precious name. We ask these things.

Amen.