! 1 YOUR FATHER S COVENANT Title: The REAL Big Bang, Pt 15 Series: A Father s Covenant, Pt 3 June 23-24, 2018 ser#3744 SunE SunL I.POINT OF INTRIGUE A. In our last study we began to see the stuff from which Abram was made. My mother would say, that s not good English. LOL! (show photo) So, Mom, let me reword that. Last week we began to see the character for which Abram was selected by the One True God. B. Abram emerged from Genesis 14 as: 1. A provider for a large household 2. A protector he had trained 318 men to be ready for war in and out of season. 3. A priest he set an example for his household and the world we still refer back to it today in his
worship and giving of the tithe/tenth of everything, to Melchezidec (show photo, p2). ILLUSTRATION: O n occasion GCCC will receive a large financial gift, which is unusual to a person s normal pattern of giving. Typically that means a person has received an inheritance in whatever form it may come: life insurance policy, gift from a parent s or relative s will, something along that line. Personally, I have always felt that the tithe on a person s income should go to their storehouse, which should be their local church. But the tithe on additional moneys can go wherever they feel led to give. So when a person chooses to give GCCC the tithe on additional moneys, I am grateful. My point isn t that the money comes here; my point is that the recipient has done right by giving God the tithe on EVERYTHING. Could that be one reason of the many reasons why Abram was referenced as a friend of God? 4. A true friend he risked his life and all of his possessions for his nephew, Lot. In type, he is a picture of Christ, who gave His life, His all, for us. He was a friend who sticketh closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). C. Let us pray!! 2
! 3 II. GENESIS CHAPTER 15 GOD S COVENANT WITH ABRAM A. Our text The LORD s Covenant With Abram 1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. 2 But Abram said, Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir. 4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir. 5 He took him outside and said, Look up at the sky and count the stars if indeed you can count them. Then He said to him, So shall your offspring be. 6 Abram believed the LORD, and [God] credited it to him as righteousness. B. Examining the text 1. v1 the word of the LORD came in a vision NOTE: The root word for vision here is chazah (khaw-zaw). It means to gaze at; mentally perceive;
to behold. I remember when my wife saw the Grand Canyon for the first time. Literally I had to hold her up. She was so overtaken by its awe that she became weak. (show photo) Fact: There s not a photo in the world that can adequately capture its grandeur. What is peculiar to a vision is that the event actually takes place. E.g.: It is one thing to see the Grand Canyon in a dream; it is an altogether different thing to see the Grand Canyon in person. What distinguishes a vision from a dream is that in a vision the event is taking place at that moment regardless of when the vision takes place in time and space, the person seeing the vision is there at that moment. ILLUSTRATION: Joseph saw in a dream the stars, sun and moon bowing down to him. Two decades later his brother and parents bowed down to him when he was Prince of Egypt. In this instance, Abram is experiencing God ratifying a contract in person, in the here and now. Verse 5 says, 5 [God] took [Abram] outside and said, Look up at the sky and count the stars if indeed you can count them. Then [God] said to [Abram], So shall your offspring be. (Before we move on I d like us to look at verse 1 for a moment.) 2. God s first words to Abram are: Do not be afraid, Abram. WHY? Because Abram has a lot of enemies. His success has regrettably solicited the jealously of his neighbors. He! 4
! 5 has defeated kings and nations in battle. His blessings have gobbled up the land. He is hated by many and he has no heir. To whom are the blessings of the LORD going to go when Abram is gone? But God says, Don t be afraid! WHERE ARE YOU FEARING THOSE AROUND YOU AND WHAT LIFE IS BRINGING YOUR WAY? 1) Getting into college? 2) Passing final exams? 3) Being bullied? 4) The outcome of a nasty divorce? 5) Making it on your own now that you ve lost a husband or wife? 6) Loss of job? 7) Paying for a college education? 8) Finding a husband? 9) Finding a wife? 10)Your parents have moved and you have to go to a new school? 11)You re pregnant and you may have to travel this journey alone. 12)You fill in the blank. Where are you afraid? God says to you, Fear not! I am your shield (protection), your very great reward (compensation/wage). NOTE! If you re honestly seeking first His kingdom and not your own (Matthew 6:33), you have NOTHING to fear;
God will see that you re GREATLY rewarded and protected. 3. In verses 4-6, God answers Abram showing him the heavens and telling him his children will be as numerous as the stars. The Scriptures then tell us, Abram believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. NOTE! Anyone can believe God when everything is saying yes. But, can you believe God when everything is saying no? Can you believe God then? Stop and think about it! Where are you facing the impossible? Abram was 99 and Sara was 89. No child. But God had said, Out of your loins and Sara s womb you will have a child. JBS Yes, that is MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. Yet, it happened. That s faith. That s believing God. III. RATIFYING THE CONTRACT A. After God promises Abram the land and an heir, Abram asks for a sign. He says to God, How can I know? Let s look at it. It s not doubt that says, How can I know? its faith. 8 But Abram said, Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it? B. God responds by telling Abram to draw up a contract. Recently the POTUS drew up a denuclearization contract with the dictator of Korea words and ink on paper. God s contracts often look nothing like what man draws up, and His contracts are usually experiential. Just ponder the Cross. //! 6
9 So the LORD said to him, Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon. NOTE: These were all prescribed sacrifices to be found in the Law 418 years later. (Leviticus 1:14; Luke 2:24) 10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. THIS IS TYPICAL OF GOD! God draws up the contract, but He makes us wait for His signature. Guaranteed, His timing is seldom, if ever, ours. E.g.: 1) GCCC waited 10 years to enter this building after we covenanted to build without debt. But God s word is always proven true. 2) I waited 9 months to enter ministry after God told me His profession for me was local church ministry. But God s word is always proven true. Now, the place wasn t my choosing (Pleasantville, NJ), but clearly it was God s. a) Learning to hear God s voice apart from family and trusted friends. b) Learning to trust God for finances as a young married man with a young wife away from parents. c) Willing to move, with a young family, after life had become comfortable. God s ways are NOT our ways. But they are best and we must learn to patiently wait and trust. It s how He does things!! 7
! 8 C. Eventually God shows up and signs the contract. 17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. NOTE! When it s dark, when everything looks the bleakest, God shows up as a smoking firepot and blazing torch. 1) It s like revival, it comes in the darkest of times. 2) Listen, the world s pretty ugly right now but GCCC s going to be a smoking firepot and a blazing torch when we march in this year s 4 th of July parade. We re holding up Jesus, the Light of the World. 3) Wherever we are the streets of Pitman or Township, home, a friends picnic let s sport our shirts and hold up a light. And the Church said, U-betcha! 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi e of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites. (show photo)
! 9 Although at one time in Israel s history it looked like this promise was far removed from reality, God s promises do not fail. And today, the land promised Abram is now safely in the hands of the Jew. God s promises do not fail. D. And the promises God has given to you won t fail either. 1. Go back to the spot where God spoke to you. Hold on to His promise and don t let go. 2. And if you haven t laid hold of this promise, why not today! Romans 10:9 & 10 9 if you confess with your mouth Lord Jesus is LORD, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. 10 For it is with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. IV. INVITATION Admit your sins have separated you from God. (Psa 14:1-3; Rom 3: 23); Believe that God did something about your sins through Jesus Christ. (The final Pascal Lamb/Messiah.) (Lev 17:10; Heb 9: 19-22); Commit yourself to His righteous by confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior. (Isa 53:5; Col 1:22); Do it today! (Isa 49:8; 2 Cor 6:2).
! 10 Father in Heaven, I m sorry for the things I ve done that are wrong: I am a sinner; forgive me. Thank You for loving me and sending your Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for my sin. Holy Spirit, come into my heart; Jesus be my Lord and Savior. I give You my life. Amen! ser3744, Your Father s Covenant (The REAL Big Bang, Pt15 A Father s Covenant, Pt 3) Words w/ Invitation 1868)