King of Kings

Good morning church family. It's so good to see you this

morning and welcome to worship. I'm so glad that you're here

gathered on the Lord's Day as we gather in Jesus name to give him

glory and honor and praise on the first day of our week.

And what a joy to start with baptism.

I love seeing people go public with their faith in Jesus and of

course, to see our own kids that are seeing us live out our faith

as parents and then have a church family around them, as in

they're investing in them and seeing faith come to fruition in

their lives. What a what a joy to watch the

next generation choose to follow Jesus.

So I'll show you a little picture as we get started this

morning. This past week, Thursday and

Friday we did our ministry staff annual retreat.

This was here local in Taylorsville, the Mountain House

Inn owned and operated by Ricky and Connie Woods.

What a great place and they blessed us with opportunity to

use it. Our spouses got to join and God

gave us a beautiful day on Friday.

So many of y'all prayed for us. This is just a time where we

seek to be renewed and refreshed and worshiped together to hear a

speaker. He's there with us by the name

of Claude King and where we get away in order to come back

fuller and ready to minister as you guys give us the opportunity

to. So, you know, you don't see all

these people on the stage each week, but every single one of

them is just as vital to the ministry of CFPC and their

spouses, just as vital to the ministry of CFPC as anybody that

stands on this stage. So not everybody is in the light

every week, but praise God for them and thank you for your

love, support, generosity that makes working with such a

wonderful staff possible. Y'all.

There's also this is not also the sermon either, but I'll just

share with you because there's a lot going on in the news and.

Your head might be in different places and wondering different

things and with things on the stage of world events going on.

There's a verse out of Mark 13 that comes to mind.

I'll just give you before we dive into Genesis, it says this

and when you. Hear.

Of wars and rumors of wars. Do not be alarmed.

The Bible says don't be shaken, don't be fearful, don't be

alarmed. This must take place.

Jesus said it would happen before it.

Happened God is in total absolute control this must

happen but the end is not yet for nation will rise against

nation Kingdom against Kingdom there'll be earthquakes in

various places be famines. These are but the beginning of

the birth pains. You know, it's when things

happen on a world stage that oftentimes we wonder what's

going on should simply give us confidence in our Savior and the

fact that he's in control of the whole world.

He's got the what as we learned his kids, He's got the whole Rd.

in his hands. He's got us in his hands.

He's got a plan for our life that hasn't changed.

All right. We ought to pray for

righteousness to reign, for evil to be undone, for peace to

happen, for innocent life to be protected and for Jesus to have

this way, for us to be bold in our witness and for us to

maximize every day God gives us for the mission of making

disciples unto Jesus as it's time for him to come.

Amen. And so we continue to walk

faithfully together individually and as a church, and praying for

what God's doing right here locally and around the world,

all under all under God's plan. Well, if you have your Bible, go

and make your way to Genesis chapter 14.

Genesis 14 · chapter mention

Genesis chapter 14 is where we're picking up today.

Genesis 14 · chapter mention

In our series that we've titled Answering God's Call, Genesis

14, y'all would make for an incredible movie, at least the

kind of movie I would like to watch.

All right, you're going to see why kings of old are conspiring

and alliances are forming. There are 4 kings that are about

to go against five and invasion is looming over the

unsuspecting. There's a surprise attack that's

on the brink. The defeated are going to flee

for their lives and some are going to fall into tar pit.

She thought that was just in movies.

That's in the Bible too. Others are killed or captured.

A loved one and his family have been caught in the middle, now

abducted, losing all but their lives.

They're going to be hauled off as slaves and Abraham and his

small band of men. For them, it is time to rise up

and fight. If life is going to be

preserved, they're going to have to go get it back.

They're going to have to go to battle.

They're going to have to go to war.

They're going to have to actually stand up and seek to

regain what has been lost. They're going to have to

sacrifice for those that they love.

And as any good movie will have, the odds are overwhelmingly

against them. In fact, Abraham and his men, as

we're going to read, is no different.

Than a bunch of mice going up against against 10 ton elephants

in the odds. We're going to read in the text

starting in Genesis chapter 14 beginning in verse one through

Genesis 14 · chapter mention

12. Listen to the word of God.

And by the way, I practice these names.

So let's see how this goes. Y'all ready in the days of

Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch king of Elasar, Kedo Laomer king

of Elam and Title king of Goem? These kings made war with Bera,

king of Sodom, Bursha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Adma,

Shemaber king of Zeboim and the king of Bayla, that is Zoar, and

all these joined forces in the valley of Sidham, that is the

Salt Sea. 12 years, don't miss this, 12 years they had served

Keto Laomer, that is a foreign king.

But in the 13th year they rebelled and in the 14th year,

the one they rebelled against Keto Laomer and the kings who

were with him came and defeated the Raphaim and Ashtaroth

Karnaeim and Zuzim and Ham and Imim and Shava Kiriathaim and

the Horites in the Hill Country of SER as far as El Paran on the

border of the wilderness. Then they turned back and came

to end Mishpat, that is Kadesh and defeated all the country of

the Amalekites and also the Amorites who were dwelling in

Hazazan, Tamar. And then the king of Sodom, the

king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboim and

the king of Bala, that is Zohar went out and they joined battle

in the valley of Sidim with Keto Laomer king of Elam, title king

of Goem, Amraphel king of Shinar and Ariot king of Elasar. 4

kings there it is against 5. Now the valley of Sidim was full

of bitumen pits, that's the tar pits that it had.

And as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into

them and the rest fled to the Hill Country.

So the enemy took took all the possessions of Sodom and

Gomorrah and all their provisions and went their way.

They also took Lot, the son of Abraham's brother, who was

dwelling in Sodom and his possessions and went on their

way. Well, praise God, Amen it.

Could have gone a lot worse, let's say that.

So obviously a little remember, a little reminder, God is called

Abram to leave house, home, country and kindred.

Abram does that, but with a small minor exception.

Do you remember? He doesn't quite leave all the

kindred behind. He takes Lot, his nephew with

him. This is a thing where we often

seek to obey God, but kind of try to do it a little bit our

way. We, we, we think, well, God,

that's wonderful. But I, I've got a little idea

that could improve upon that. Certainly God will be good with

this. And so we like to customize our

obedience. Perhaps this is exactly what

Abram has done. And it's obvious that it's not

really working out. It's only going to cause Abram

trouble. In fact, Abram and lots

employees now their businesses have grown so big that they

can't fit in the same office space together and they can't

share the same parking lot and they're arguing over who gets to

park where. All right, who gets to be in

what office? So now there's bickering, and

now they realize they have to separate.

And Abram is very unselfish and says, hey, Lot, you take first

pick. I'll take the leftovers, All

right? And so Lot looks around and does

the economic and demographic and all the financial calculations

and goes according to the world's wisdom that he needs to

be thinking location, location, location.

And he looks down to the Jordan Valley and sees what he thinks.

Man, that's the most prosperous. That's going to be the most

financially feasible. That's going to be the best for

me and my future and doing what I want, achieving to get what I

want to get. And Lot there moves his family

to the Jordan Valley next to Sodom and Gomorrah.

There was just one problem that Lot either didn't consider or

intentionally overlooked when he chose his new address.

That, he thought, was certain to ensure his success.

But here's what he didn't consider.

Genesis 1313 makes it explicit. We looked at it last week, it

says now the men of Sodom. Were wicked great sinners

against the Lord y'all the political situation in the

Jordan valley modern day Israel is that there is a military.

Alliance among 5 kings. And so what's going on here is

the 5 kings of the Jordan Valley have allied together and they've

been under submission for 12 years to a foreign king with

three kings with him. So 5 kings against four.

And the main one there against Kedalayomer has been the one

that they've been subject to. And it says in the in the 12th

year or 13th year there, they rebel and for the 13th year,

they're on their own. But in the 14th year,

Kedalayomer, along with the three additional kings, has

said, listen, I'm not going to rebel against me without a

fight. I'm going to come back and get

what I have won as mine. So they marched down.

They, they, they launched this military campaign from the

north. They sweep through.

The victory is swift and complete.

And there's a final battle there, if you will, in this area

South of the Dead Sea. And the defeated kings and their

armies flee for their lives. Some fall into tar pits.

Others, like Lot, are abducted and taken captive along with all

their possessions. So what in the world do we take

away from that so far? Watch this number one in your

notes. I think this is a principle.

We can clearly see you ready. Lot, by all appearances, is away

from the will of God and loses everything.

Lot is living his life away from the will of God, a way not

answering the call of God, but really responding more to the

call of the world, the call of what he would want of money and

prosperity and possessions and worldly success.

And so Lot is living away from the will of God and, and and and

loses everything. From the facts that we have, it

appears that Lot has made his life choices based on

appearances, based on what he can see and looking for life and

all the things of the world. Lot found it and it cost him

everything. Does that sound familiar with

anything Jesus says in the New Testament?

Matthew chapter 10 verse 39, Jesus says whoever finds his

Matthew 10:39

life will what will lose it and whoever loses his life for my

sake will will find it. What Jesus says is if you think

you found your life and all the ways and things the world offers

you or makes you think that it offers you life.

If that's where you find your life and the things that are of

the here and now and goods and possessions and bank account

balances and political or social status and power and all the

above. If you think that's life, watch

out. There's going to come a day, a

rude awakenings coming when all the sudden you're going to

realize that was no life at all and when all of a sudden is gone

and provides no future, no eternity and no hope.

Jesus says when you realize that this world is not where life is

found, but when you find life in the only true source of life,

that is the creator of life. He's going to be described later

in this passage as the possessor or the creator of heaven and

earth as El Eleon, God Most High.

When you find life and the one and only one who offers life,

then you can mark it down. You truly found life.

You may have lost it in terms of what the world defines life as.

But Jesus says in me. You will find it.

Let me ask you some just questions to consider in light

of the lesson we're learning here from Lot.

And this may not sound like they connect, but then I think

hopefully they will #1. Why do you live where you live?

Why do you work where you work? Why do you go to church where

you go to church? Why do you go where you go?

Why do you do what you do? Let me put it like this.

Hopefully it'll make sense. Are you living where you live,

working where you were going, where you go based on your

response to the call of God on your life or in response to a

different call? Or have you thought about it?

But when you think about that, if God has a plan for your life

and He does, and if God made you and knows the number of hairs on

your head and the number of breaths in your lungs, then God

is not planning for you to just show up and go somewhere

arbitrarily and do something randomly.

God has a very clear plan and path for your life.

And if you ask him for it and say God, I want to follow you

and live your will for my life, then it begs the question, why

do you live where you live? Why do you work where you work?

Why do you go where you go? Are you living your life?

Is your life being driven by God's call or something else?

Lot is obviously his life being driven by something else and

it's cost him everything. Listen to Genesis 14 we pick up

in verse 13 then. One who had escaped came and

told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the

Amorite, brother of Eshkol and of Ainur.

These were allies of Abram, and when Abraham heard that his

kinsmen had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men

born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as

Dan. And he divided his forces

against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them

and pursued them to Hobart, north of Damascus.

And then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought

back his kinsman Lot with his possessions and the women and

the people. This is one of those sections of

the Bible when I would really love to have a lot more details.

About how exactly that went down, because what happened just

then that we read about is absolutely miraculous.

It's absolutely stunning US against all odds.

And the Bible reports it as if it's number six on the Evening

News, like one more normal thing and the life of what God does,

right? So one of the few survivors of

Keto Laomer's military campaign to retake the territory that

rebelled against him shows up and tells Abram, hey, Lot, your

family member and all his people have been hauled off.

Now, when we read about this, we learn a couple things about

Abram here. Number one, you notice this is

the first time in the Bible he is called the Hebrew.

Now, as we know, his descendants would be known as Israelites.

They'll be known as Jews. They're also known as Hebrews.

That word Hebrew comes from a meaning which means to cross

over. And so he gets that name because

Abram has literally geographically crossed over the

Euphrates River into the land of Canaan, which God had promised

him. But I also want you to think

spiritually about this. Abraham is not just a man who's

crossed over physically in the land.

He's also a man who's crossed over spiritually.

He's crossed over from following a different call, perhaps the

one he would have called or the world would have called for his

life. And he's answered whose call.

And now that's determined where he lives and where he goes and

what he does and what his future is.

And now he has crossed over, if you will, now following the call

of God. I could ask you in this way,

have you crossed over from being someone following your call, the

world's call, to following the call of God and Jesus Christ on

your life by faith in Him, right as the Bible would say, if you

crossed over from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light

of his beloved Son, you say, Pastor, how does that happen?

It happens by faith in Jesus Christ.

You realize what separates you is not the Euphrates River, but

something much bigger from God. The Bible says it's our sin.

It's our sin against God that leads to death that separates us

from the author of life. This is why Jesus took on human

flesh. This is why he lived a sinless

life. This is why he died as a

substitute on the cross. This is why he defeated death.

Why? So that we could be rejoined

with our Creator by faith in his Son Jesus.

Has there been a moment you've know you've crossed over?

Your life has been changed because you found life when you

joined yourself with Jesus by faith.

The New Testament has a little phrase for that.

It says over and over called in Christ.

Are you in Christ? Have you crossed over?

Abram is called here the Hebrew. If you've not, you simply call

on the name of the Lord to save you.

The Bible says you can do so even now #2 we learned here.

This is interesting. Abram has 318 trained men.

Now. When I read that, my first

thought is, wow, Abram's household is a lot bigger than I

thought. You get an idea.

Here there's a bunch of people. And you also got to get,

remember, not one of these are a biological offspring of Abram or

Sarah. And yet God has blessed them

with all these people, all right, that are walking, living

with them, going where they go. And of this group, 318 are able

bodied military men. My second thought about these

318 men is that's big. I had no idea Abraham's family

was that big potentially when you first read that.

But then you also think, what in the world are 318 men going to

do against an army of potentially 10s of thousands led

by 4 kings that just wiped out an alliance of 5 kings with all

their soldiers? Like who does?

Who does Abram think he is? Right?

I mean, jiu jitsu is one thing, but it's like, come on now,

what? What?

What in the world do they think is going to happen?

Well, we're going to find out what happens.

As we read the Coalition of Kings, I want to just get some

better insight though into just how big a proposition this would

be. Because when these 4 kings,

Ketelayomer among them, swept through, defeated this alliance

of 5 kings from north to South and back up again.

Some of the peoples they defeated you just read right

past and wouldn't think much about unless I give you some

insight. Notice some of the peoples they

defeated. They defeated the Raphaim, the

Zuzim, the Emim, the Horites, the Amalekites and Amorites.

And the five kings of the Jordan Valley.

All right, those first three people groups, Raphaim, Zuzim

and Emim. I don't know if that means

anything to you or not, but the Bible describes those people as

living in the land of Canaan as starts with AGI heard it giants,

giants people that potentially were between 7 and 10 feet tall.

You think, Kyle, now you're just talking random stuff that I

don't know if I believe. Let me just tell you what the

Bible says right about it. And this is Deuteronomy 2, verse

Deuteronomy 2:20

20 and 21. And the Deuteronomy 311 speaks

of the Raphaim as strong and tall.

In fact, it specifies one by the name of Ogg, king of Bastion,

was described as the last of the Raphaim in the land.

That's Deuteronomy 311. His bed was made of iron.

It was 13 1/2 feet long and six feet wide.

Now, you don't do that if you're 5 1/2 feet tall, you don't order

that bed from the blacksmith. All right?

This is why the Bible calls them mighty men.

This is why the Israelites were what, when they encountered the

edge of the promised land and said, uh, uh, God, there's big

people, right? We're like what it said.

Grasshoppers, you can read in the writings of ancient Egypt,

there were giants living in the land, right?

This are these are the people that Keto Laomer and his army

just defeated? And Abram thinks he's going to

go chase them down and bring Lot back.

Do you see what I'm talking about?

And Abram and his men don't just choke a few guys out, grab Lot

and run. They wipe the table with him

that night and slaughter them all the next day.

It's not even a fight. Nobody gets a scratch.

They come back. They come back without casualty.

It's an absolute miracle. It's mice against elephants.

But here's the deal #2 in your notes.

I don't know where I am, but I'm going to give it to you.

Abram is with God and God is all he needs.

Hallelujah. Abram is with God and God is all

he needs. Do you see the difference

between how Lot is living his life away from the will of God,

losing everything, and Abram here is living his life against

impossible odds. But who's with him?

God is with him and it doesn't matter who's against him.

If there's one principle to learn in life that I hope you

know, not only is Jesus the way, the truth, and the life, but you

can mark this down in these scripture verses.

Make this so clear. If God is for you, who can be

against you? If the Lord is my light and my

salvation, whom shall I fear? If the Lord is the strong one of

my life, of whom shall I be afraid?

Fear not, I love this one, Elisha said.

Those that be with us are far more than they that be with

them. When he showed in the armies of

heaven surrounding them, right? If the Lord had not been on our

side, disastrous the results would have been, David says.

But our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and

earth when God is with you and you're living in the will of

God. If you're doing the will of God

and plan of God, walking in obedience to God and God's will

for your life is what you've given yourself to.

I'll just tell you you're undefeatable.

You're unstoppable, you're invincible.

Little Lottie Moon, all four foot nine of her, that I

consider myself immortal until God's will from my life is done.

Mark it down, period. That's you and that's me.

When we live our lives according to the answer of the call of

God, then everything, everything that God has planned for us by

faith is possible by him until he says otherwise.

That doesn't mean things don't go wrong.

That doesn't mean we may not die of disease one day, but we're in

the hands of God and God's will for our lives when we say yes to

that call. That's what we'll walk in by

God's help. All right, lots living away from

the will of God. Abraham's living in the will of

God, God with us changes everything when someone

complimented. Jay Hudson Taylor, the famous

missionary to China, they founded the China Inland

Mission. Here was his response.

He says all God's giants have been weak men or women, that is

you could say who did great things for God because they

reckoned on God being with them. They learned the lesson.

So when I say yes to God's call, and when I'm with God and God is

with me, and I'm living God's plan for my life, and nothing,

nothing, nothing can change or stand in the way or defeat.

No weapon formed against me, as the Bible will say, will

prosper. Have you learned that lesson?

Friends? This is the way life is meant to

be lived. Why do you live where you live?

Why do you work where you work? Why do you go where you?

Why do you do what you do? Why are you living the way

you're living? Why, why, why?

Is it an answer to the call of God?

Or is it something different? Or maybe have you ever asked the

question from God at all? Let's pick up in verse 17 after

his return from the defeat of Kedo Laomer and the kings who

were with him. The king of Sodom went out to

meet him in the valley of Shavet, that is the King's

valley, and Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and

wine. He was priest of God Most High,

and he blessed him and said Blessed be Abram by God Most

High, possessor of heaven and earth, and blessed be God, that

is El Elian Most High. Who's delivered your enemies

into who did? Who did all the deliverance,

right? I mean, it wasn't that Abram

trained the baddest Navy Seals on the planet, OK, it says they

were trained, but it was God who gave them the victory.

And Abram gave, what's this, a 10th of everything?

And the king of Sodom said to Abram, give me the persons that

take the goods for yourself. But Abram said to the king of

Sodom, I've lifted my hand to the Lord that is made a vow that

God most high possessor of heaven and earth, that I would

not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours,

lest you should say I've made Abram rich.

I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten and the

share of the men who went with me, with me.

Let Ainur, Escol and Mamre take their share.

The times of victory can be the times of greatest testing you

and I will ever face. Typically, we tend to think that

is in the lowest of lows. That is in life's hardship, that

we discover who we really are. And there's a lot of truth to

that. There is a lot of truth that

what happens in the fire and in the trial exposes what's deep

down all right. But there's something else

actually that counterintuitively, I think

actually is even more effective at revealing who you and who I

really are. Proverbs puts it like this in

chapter 27, verse one. The Crucible is for silver and

the furnace for gold and a man. This is so random sounding but

listen to this. And a man is tested by his

praise. I'll be honest, I think the

first time I read that I just scratched my head.

What in the world? But here's what I think that

verse means. You want to make a man or you

want to make a woman? Put them in the fire.

Put them in the fire. It'll refine them.

It'll burn away that which won't last.

Put them in the fire. If you want to make a man or

make a woman. But if you want to reveal who a

man or a woman really is, pour on praise, pour on power, pour

on success. See what that person does, and

then you're really going to know who they really are.

A man, a woman is tested by. By their praise, I think victory

can be times, success can be times of great testing.

And Abram here is in a time where he's just in, he's just

experienced one of the greatest, most miraculous victories a man

could have ever imagined. In fact, Abraham's gone viral in

the Middle East. This is this is unheard of.

He couldn't believe what just happened.

All right, Everybody wants Abraham's signature, wants his,

wants his. What's the word I'm looking for?

There you go. That's what I'm trying to say.

And in the midst of this, Abram interacts with two people that

give us insight into who he really is.

OK, the first one is this guy by the name of Melchizedek.

Now, I don't have a ton of time to expand upon all this, but let

me just just stay with me here. You ready?

It says he's the king of Salem. Salem is the word for the

ancient city that would come to be known as Giroux Salem, right?

Salem means peace. Okay, the the king of peace or

king of righteousness. This is also he's a priest of

God most high. That is, he knew, he served, he

worshipped, he ministered on behalf of Yahweh, the one true

God, the one who is El Elian God Most high.

Melchizedek y'all is one of the most mysterious characters in

all the Bible. I don't have time to really

develop this, but scholars talk about it in two different ways.

Some actually believe that this Melchizedek is what we've

called, if you've been here, a Christophany that is a pre

Incarnate appearance of Christ in the Old Testament.

There's some who believe that, but most scholars believe this

actually was a very real actual person man here that Abram

encounters. Here's what Hebrews says about

him for this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most

High God, met Abraham returning from the watch this how big was

Abram's win from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him,

and him and to him Abram apportioned a tenth part of

everything he is first by. Translation of his name, King of

Righteousness, and then he's also King of Salem, that is King

of peace. He is without father or mother

or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of

life. But resembling the Son of God,

he continues a priest forever Hebrews 715 quoting Psalm 110

four Speaking of Jesus says this you are that is Jesus, you are a

priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Part of the difference here this being spoken to is Hebrews is

that the Levitical priesthood the the the priesthood developed

under the old covenant depended on your lineage.

All right, your family tree and it was dependent on working and

serving as a priest, but those priests were not kings.

The difference is Melchizedek, at least from what we can tell,

the Bible says had no genealogical records or whatever

it means to be without father or mother beginning or end of days.

All right, which is a very mysterious we can't get into all

that now, but it but what it means is this one is not based

on genealogy and it's also not limited to someone just being a

priest, but also a king. Jesus comes as a priest in the

line of one who is a priest and king, which is exactly how Jesus

will operate because it's who he is.

Melchizedek brings you notice, bread and wine.

No doubt, on the surface, these are physical provisions for

Abram and those weary from war and.

Returning the prisoners of war. That they rescued.

Perhaps it's also a sacrifice used in the sacrifice to God.

I also think it's interesting and I think perhaps

foreshadowing isn't an interesting out the bread and

the wine he brings out for their provision and potential

sacrifice. I think also perhaps speaks to

what do we use now to celebrate the greatest victory that who

secured for us on the cross with his broken body and shed blood,

setting us free, bringing us back from prisoner of war to sin

and death and separation from God.

And Jesus Christ rescues us when everything had been lost because

of our sin and we were rescued by the Son of God, right?

A miracle in itself as Jesus loved us who'd sinned against

him. Two things happen here, you

know, Kizadek blesses Abram and gives God the glory for the

victory, and then Abram gives Melchizedek.

Watch this a 10th. That's called a tithe in the

Bible. Literally 110th of everything

that he won in terms of the victory in the spoils of war.

Abram does this y'all as a voluntary act of worship.

It's a recognition of God's power and provision that enabled

him to have this miraculous victory.

So what I want to do is just for a moment, talk to you about

where do we get this pattern of giving of generosity that we

call a tithe? We get it right.

Out of the pattern of the Bible. All right, this is not some man

made math that we come up with, but we see this exemplified

right here in Scripture. And what I want you to also

notice is that pattern of giving to God a tithe of all He gives

to us as a part of our worship predates the Old Testament law.

God's not written anything on any tablets yet.

God's not given an old covenant, the old covenant for that the

Israelites that he will make with them.

He started with the Abrahamic covenant, but Abraham gives to

God as a voluntary act of worship long before the

Israelites. And by the way, when you add up

all the percentages that the Israelites gave as a part of the

old covenant, it's like high twenties, 30% of their total

income. They gave back to the worship

and following of God in the way they they did life.

But beginning the beginning of giving to God as a part of

worship doesn't even begin here. It goes all the way back to

Cain. And who gave what to God as a

part of their worship? A sacrifice.

And the only one that was honorable to God was one that

was a first, a best offering to God.

And so here we see this pattern predating the law of giving to

God in proportion to what he has given to us.

If giving to God is not a part of your worship, the Bible says

it ought to be. If giving to God is not a part

of your worship, the Bible says it's a actual part of the way we

worship and honor God based on all that he's given us and as a

part of our worship. I also think the Bible very

clearly that would give us the principle that our primary

giving in our worship should be where we worship through.

How do we worship? Through the gathering of the

local church that we're a part of that doesn't mean there's not

all sorts of wonderful amazing things and ministries to give to

of all sorts but guess what none of those other things that man

comes up with are God's plan A to advance the mission of God to

make disciples to the ends of the the earth right.

So giving what I'm trying to show you is there's.

A pattern of worship in the Bible.

You're not going to turn to any New Testament book and it says

thou shalt tithe 10%. You're not going to find that

verse, OK, But what you're going to find there is the application

of principles that have been built through the whole Bible of

man giving to God in worship, sacrificially, giving God their

best, giving God first. And then you're going to read

how God loves the cheerful giver.

And then you're going to hear Paul's.

Instructions to set aside things on the first day of the week,

right? You're going to hear him call

for radical generosity to meet needs.

You're going to hear of the early church gathering together

and selling their stuff to meet needs.

You're going to hear and read of much more radical generosity

than 10% in the New Testament. And it's obvious what I'm trying

to say there is that 10% as a pattern is meant to be a floor,

not a ceiling of the giving and the life of a follower of God in

their worship. Y'all follow me.

So we don't have time to turn to all these verses and show you.

But if you're, if you're interested and learning more

about what is giving as a part of worship look like, let me

just give you some principles. You can fill these in on your

notes. All right, I'm going to go quick

on this. First is how would you grow in

your giving? Well, you might need to #1

become a new giver. In other words, you've never

done that before. You never worship God by giving

back of what he's given to you of any amount at any time.

To say God, I want to start by faith to give #2 would become a

regular giver. That this is not a one time

random thing. This is the thing that's a

systematic intentional action in my life.

And then #3 the next step would say, hey, I want to, I want to

be a tither. I want to at least embrace the

pattern that the Bible from the early pages of the first book

gives as a principle of what would it look like to give in

proportion to what God has given to us.

That's a 10%, all right. And then again, that's not a

ceiling thing, that's a floor thing.

And so sacrificial tithing is something that we see people

giving above and beyond as God calls them to and.

Let me give you a little example.

I read it, didn't read. I actually heard a man share

with a group that I was with in Texas about how he and his wife

had been very blessed by the Lord and they actually were led

by God to make a decision to. Up their tithe by 1% every year.

And when I heard this man share he was in his 90s, they were

giving 94 to 95% of their income away and living on the rest.

And by the way, they weren't hurting on the rest.

That old principle you can't out give God.

Let me get show you some guidance and giving.

And again, here's what I would tell you y'all listen, don't

take my word for it, but examine your own Bible and see what

principles jump out to you for how giving should be a part of

your worship. But here's some that I think

that you can take away. Number one, you're going to see

that it ought to be regular. This ought to be something

that's done intentionally and consistently.

I think you're going to see something that's going to show

you that it ought to be in proportion to what God has given

you. Abram did a tie they tent it

wasn't based on a certain amount.

It was like how much did God give me?

I'm going to do in proportion to that percentage based church

focus. Why?

Because giving is a part of. Worship.

And so we're giving through the way we worship in our church,

where we worship doesn't mean you don't give beyond that in

other ways. And then finally, God does not

ask Abram to put his bonus on the altar.

What does he ask him to put on the altar?

A sacrifice, right? In other words, if you could

really give to God and not notice it, you're probably not

really giving to God, right? I think it's designed to say,

God, we wouldn't do this if we didn't have faith in you to

honor you with what you've given us, believing that you're going

to you're going to honor those who honor.

So those are just some principles I'd encourage you to

explore, pray, read for yourself, land on that according

to how God leads you. But let me talk to you not just

about Melchizedek, but quickly here before we can conclude the

king of Sodom. This man is the polar opposite

of Melchizedek. This was a wicked man who led

wicked people. He's present for the interaction

between Abram and. Melchizedek.

But he's silent. When he does speak, he does not

congratulate. Notice he doesn't say thank you.

He doesn't say wow, Abram, that was amazing.

I lost, but you won. Dude's a sore loser.

And what does he ask for? Not the stuff he realizes.

He's got no right to ask for that.

What does he ask for? He asked for his people back.

What is a king? Not without his people.

He's not a king, Abram. Can I have my job back, Abram?

Can I have my relevance back, my importance back, my identity

back? You know, this man basically is

silent while he watches Abraham answer the call of God.

And then he asked back so that he could just go back to being

what he wanted to be. And we see here Abram's response

to him. It says, listen, I don't want

your stuff. I made a vow to the Lord that I

would not prosper by anything else than the blessings of God.

I would not allow any human being to get credit for what God

wants to accomplish alone in my life.

Let me tell you there's a lesson there because so often sometimes

in our effort for pursuit or success, we start to grope and

to grab after maybe what we can get on our for us by human hands

or human ability, rather than simply trusting God and saying

God, whatever prosperity or success you want to give to me,

I'm going to trust you for and go about the right way.

Abram says let my neighbors who allied with me get their share,

otherwise I want nothing. Abram did not want the spoils of

war that wouldn't last. He wanted the enduring promises

of God. Lot ran after something away

from the call of God. Abram ran after the call of God.

And watch, look, notice, don't miss the difference #3 is this.

Abram is with God and gives God a tenth of the goods and all the

glory. Abram is with God and he gives

God a tenth of the goods and all the glory.

God is with Abraham and Abram is with God.

Folks, that's the way life is meant to be lived.

This is the pattern God wants for us.

God with us means we have all we need and us with God means God

gets all the glory for everything in our life.

Life is God with us and us with God.

Don't miss those blinks. Life is God with us and us with

God. My question for you this morning

is where are you? John and praise team are going

to come out. Lot was away from the will of

God. If you're living away from the

will of God, you're risking everything.

The Bible says you might think you found life, you might even

think you've prospered, but in the end there's no life there if

you're not living in response to the call of God on your life.

Abram was with God choosing to answer God's call on his life

and realize God was all he needed and he didn't need even

the stuff that man could give him.

When he even got it by God's help, he gave it right back and

said that's not God's plan for me and he knew it.

He answered the call of God just as much with his no as he did

with his yes. Are you living in response?

To the call of God on your life, can I be honest with you?

I think a lot of Christians go day in and day out without

thinking about what God's call on their life is that day.

They're just worried about maybe a paycheck and food on the table

and doing what needs to be done, but not living in daily

surrender. Not living by saying God, I want

you with me and me with you, and walking by faith even if against

impossible odds. But I'm telling you that's how

life is meant to be lived. That's where life is found.

I don't know how you may need to respond this morning, but you

may need to call on Christ to save you because you've never

been joined with God by faith in His Son.

You might need to come and just kneel and stand and say God.

I've just not been asking what your call on my life is, what

your plan is. I haven't done that in a long

time, but I want to do it today, God, I don't want to risk

everything by living for my own plan or the call of the world or

my own ideas. God, if it's, if it's not your

ideas, I don't want it because God, I want to do it your way.

I want you to get all the glory and I trust you.

I don't know what decision God wants you to make, but I'm going

to ask you to respond boldly, respond faithfully.

Respond in a way that you know you're answering God's call on

your life. Heavenly Father, I prayed that

that's exactly what we would do. God, including me.

God, every day I want to live in response to your call, your

plan, your will, and God, we want that as a church.

We want that as individuals and I pray that you'd have your way,

your will, and our lives today. If anyone doesn't know you as

their savior, may the day be the day they call on you and respond

to your call on their life to trust in your Son.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen. If you would stand with me as we

sing, you come. We're going to wait for you to

pray with you, to minister to you in any way as you come.