WEBVTT 0 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:07.910 Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons podcast. This is 1 00:00:07.942 --> 00:00:10.550 where you can find audio from Sunday morning, messages and 2 00:00:10.582 --> 00:00:13.414 more. Make sure you're subscribed so that you don't miss 3 00:00:13.454 --> 00:00:15.914 future episodes. And thanks for listening. 4 00:00:19.934 --> 00:00:20.914 Good morning. 5 00:00:21.694 --> 00:00:24.526 If you have your bible, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us 6 00:00:24.550 --> 00:00:26.714 in Genesis, chapter 27. 7 00:00:30.834 --> 00:00:33.746 As you turn there, we had announcements I want to expound. 8 00:00:33.810 --> 00:00:36.640 Take a couple moments, to explain, maybe in a little bit 9 00:00:36.752 --> 00:00:39.712 more depth, about a couple of things that are going on in 10 00:00:39.728 --> 00:00:42.128 our kids ministry, but that also speak 11 00:00:42.176 --> 00:00:45.090 to, the culture of who we are as a church, the 12 00:00:45.122 --> 00:00:47.784 direction that we feel that, God is leading 13 00:00:47.832 --> 00:00:50.760 us. Last year, we took a break, 14 00:00:50.816 --> 00:00:53.762 an intentional, move and vision from 15 00:00:53.802 --> 00:00:56.142 what we had been doing with our kids, for our 16 00:00:56.174 --> 00:00:59.152 summer. we've called it a lot of different things over the course 17 00:00:59.184 --> 00:01:02.032 of even my tenure. So if you think of, like, a traditional, 18 00:01:02.064 --> 00:01:04.968 like, kids vbs type structure of 19 00:01:04.992 --> 00:01:07.984 an event, and we moved last year to 20 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:10.816 do something called kids camp and had a wonderful, 21 00:01:10.812 --> 00:01:13.412 time, a wonderful response from our kids, wonderful, 22 00:01:13.810 --> 00:01:16.522 times of worship, of bible study, of activities 23 00:01:16.642 --> 00:01:19.282 together. and last year, we talked about that. We were made 24 00:01:19.378 --> 00:01:22.346 for worship, and so this year we're going to 25 00:01:22.370 --> 00:01:25.186 continue on. So if your kids were a part of that 26 00:01:25.370 --> 00:01:27.930 very similar structure, set up 27 00:01:28.042 --> 00:01:30.964 activities, but different activities that we're going to be doing, during 28 00:01:31.004 --> 00:01:33.988 that time, same category, but different ones that they're going to do. 29 00:01:34.060 --> 00:01:36.834 but this year, we're going to do what's called made for mission. 30 00:01:36.954 --> 00:01:39.602 And we're specifically going to look at the book of 31 00:01:39.658 --> 00:01:42.450 acts with our kids over the 32 00:01:42.482 --> 00:01:45.434 course of that week. And so we're excited about that. It is 33 00:01:45.474 --> 00:01:48.242 July 15 through 18th, and I want to kind of 34 00:01:48.298 --> 00:01:51.250 explain some things that are the same and the things 35 00:01:51.362 --> 00:01:54.314 that are different. All right. Now, kids camp is for all of 36 00:01:54.354 --> 00:01:57.176 our, kids who have completed kindergarten to 37 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:00.064 fifth grade. So we're including all of those. We break them 38 00:02:00.104 --> 00:02:02.718 out, into age appropriate groups for their 39 00:02:02.766 --> 00:02:05.334 activities and for their small group times. But all 40 00:02:05.374 --> 00:02:08.112 gathered, together for worship, it will run from 41 00:02:08.168 --> 00:02:11.146 six to 830. and so with that, parents, if you're 42 00:02:11.170 --> 00:02:14.130 thinking, man, that's hard to turn around and get them a meal and do 43 00:02:14.162 --> 00:02:17.152 all those things, that will be with a full meal 44 00:02:17.248 --> 00:02:20.080 that evening that we'll have for them. All right? So you can 45 00:02:20.112 --> 00:02:23.008 bring them here, maybe a little hungry, maybe 46 00:02:23.064 --> 00:02:25.954 not a lot hungry. Like, that's probably not the day to fast, 47 00:02:26.036 --> 00:02:28.826 with your second grader, before you drop them off with us. 48 00:02:28.836 --> 00:02:31.680 but we'll have a full meal for them each 49 00:02:31.720 --> 00:02:34.464 night, and they'll also have a t shirt, all 50 00:02:34.472 --> 00:02:37.368 right. That they're going to have. Now, registration does open 51 00:02:37.424 --> 00:02:40.184 today, and it runs through June 52 00:02:40.272 --> 00:02:43.000 16. And we're doing all the online registration that's 53 00:02:43.040 --> 00:02:45.992 really helping us and helping so many of you. But again, 54 00:02:46.056 --> 00:02:48.900 we want to reemphasize. If you're like, 55 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:51.936 my 1999 flip phone is 56 00:02:51.968 --> 00:02:54.944 sufficient. Right. We're gonna walk along with you 57 00:02:54.952 --> 00:02:57.460 and help you get registered. Okay? Like, 58 00:02:57.760 --> 00:03:00.544 we'll do that and want to help you with that. 59 00:03:00.592 --> 00:03:03.464 But here's how things are a little bit different from May 60 00:03:03.512 --> 00:03:06.088 5 to May 25. We're calling this early 61 00:03:06.144 --> 00:03:09.056 bird registration of $25 per kid. 62 00:03:09.088 --> 00:03:11.770 And then here's what we want to, kind of emphasize and 63 00:03:11.810 --> 00:03:14.594 stress, okay, where some things we can 64 00:03:14.642 --> 00:03:17.490 say, we'll take as many people as we can. And we 65 00:03:17.530 --> 00:03:20.346 love to do that because of the planning of what we have 66 00:03:20.378 --> 00:03:23.186 to do for kids camp and the buying of supplies 67 00:03:23.258 --> 00:03:25.946 and the ordering of things ahead of time, because our 68 00:03:25.978 --> 00:03:28.746 activities get really involved. And for some of our 69 00:03:28.778 --> 00:03:31.570 activity leaders, there's weeks of planning that are going 70 00:03:31.610 --> 00:03:34.194 into this, which is why registration starts so 71 00:03:34.242 --> 00:03:36.594 soon and ends almost a full month 72 00:03:36.642 --> 00:03:39.610 before we begin. So our early bird 73 00:03:39.650 --> 00:03:42.386 registration from May 5 to May 25, it is 74 00:03:42.418 --> 00:03:45.346 $5 off, but we're also doing that in house. Okay? 75 00:03:45.378 --> 00:03:48.352 So if you worship, and you're a part of Willow Ridge 76 00:03:48.376 --> 00:03:51.296 church during those three weeks, that's going to be the 77 00:03:51.328 --> 00:03:54.296 opportunity for you to get your kids registered and then 78 00:03:54.328 --> 00:03:57.216 be a part of that. But then from May 25, 26th, to 79 00:03:57.248 --> 00:04:00.088 June 16, all right, the cost goes 80 00:04:00.184 --> 00:04:03.088 back up. But that is, at that point in time is when 81 00:04:03.104 --> 00:04:06.088 we open it up to the public for you to invite your friends 82 00:04:06.144 --> 00:04:09.088 and your neighbors and all of those sorts of things. We want 83 00:04:09.104 --> 00:04:12.096 to include as many people as possible, but we need to do 84 00:04:12.128 --> 00:04:14.720 so in a way that helps us plan and 85 00:04:14.760 --> 00:04:17.592 prepare for the week that we're gonna have. All right, 86 00:04:17.616 --> 00:04:20.304 now, there is a cost for this. All 87 00:04:20.312 --> 00:04:23.012 right. now, if I were to tell you, that we're gonna feed your 88 00:04:23.036 --> 00:04:25.830 kid for a week, for $25. 89 00:04:25.918 --> 00:04:28.796 I don't know about you, but the bradberries are saving some money that 90 00:04:28.836 --> 00:04:31.722 week, right. and so, the cost definitely 91 00:04:31.762 --> 00:04:34.482 does not cover, but it helps give some ownership for 92 00:04:34.522 --> 00:04:37.288 registration with that. but if the cost is 93 00:04:37.320 --> 00:04:40.098 an issue for any one of you, or anyone that 94 00:04:40.130 --> 00:04:43.018 you know, please make us aware, all right? We do not want 95 00:04:43.050 --> 00:04:46.006 that to be a reason, why people, don't come in and 96 00:04:46.014 --> 00:04:46.942 are not apart. 97 00:04:47.022 --> 00:04:49.990 All right. also, for our volunteers, if you 98 00:04:50.006 --> 00:04:52.934 would like to volunteer for that, here's what we need. 99 00:04:53.038 --> 00:04:56.006 We need you to also register. Okay. All 100 00:04:56.054 --> 00:04:58.734 of our volunteers must be registered ahead of 101 00:04:58.758 --> 00:05:01.614 time and through this process. And that's if 102 00:05:01.638 --> 00:05:04.366 you're an adult and you want to volunteer. But that's 103 00:05:04.414 --> 00:05:07.062 also if you're a 6th grader through a 104 00:05:07.102 --> 00:05:09.966 12th grader that would like to volunteer, 105 00:05:10.094 --> 00:05:12.918 our volunteers are not charged, but that's what 106 00:05:12.950 --> 00:05:15.616 we need, to happen. All right. Our fifth graders 107 00:05:15.704 --> 00:05:18.584 this year, we're going to ask that they be a part of the week if 108 00:05:18.608 --> 00:05:21.608 they want to be a part as a participant in the camp. And I think 109 00:05:21.640 --> 00:05:24.418 they'll be blessed, as a result of that. But if you're a 6th 110 00:05:24.450 --> 00:05:27.258 grader and older, we need you to register for that. 111 00:05:27.290 --> 00:05:30.234 There's background security. There's all sorts of things that 112 00:05:30.258 --> 00:05:33.098 we need to go through to make sure we're not only efficient, 113 00:05:33.178 --> 00:05:36.072 in doing what we need to do, but also that we're providing 114 00:05:36.112 --> 00:05:39.060 the safest, experiences possible for, all of 115 00:05:39.084 --> 00:05:41.764 our kids that are coming in a part of that. All right? And 116 00:05:41.796 --> 00:05:44.520 so, if you're an adult 117 00:05:44.624 --> 00:05:47.600 or you're a 6th grader through 12th grader and, like, you show up that week 118 00:05:47.624 --> 00:05:50.488 for, like, a one night and you just want to help out because there's something 119 00:05:50.528 --> 00:05:53.384 that's going on every other week, so you just pop in that night, 120 00:05:53.416 --> 00:05:56.170 like, what can I do? the answer will be, here's what you can do. 121 00:05:56.194 --> 00:05:59.114 We want you to pray, but we can't have you serve because 122 00:05:59.154 --> 00:06:01.898 you haven't been able to do the things that we're requiring beforehand. All right? 123 00:06:01.986 --> 00:06:04.872 So, we don't need. We're not trying to draw a harsh 124 00:06:04.928 --> 00:06:07.784 line, but we are trying to draw a line, and we want as many 125 00:06:07.824 --> 00:06:10.704 people involved as possible and a part of this 126 00:06:10.744 --> 00:06:13.736 week, but managing it that way. So I'm looking forward to 127 00:06:13.760 --> 00:06:16.536 this. I'm looking forward to having our 128 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:19.456 kids camp. Last year was just a wonderful time of worship. 129 00:06:19.560 --> 00:06:21.832 Bible study, man. We've got some wonderful 130 00:06:21.888 --> 00:06:24.674 teachers in our congregation, and to sit 131 00:06:24.714 --> 00:06:27.578 back last year and to listen to them work through 132 00:06:27.626 --> 00:06:30.602 in the life of David and to teach was a wonderful 133 00:06:30.658 --> 00:06:33.474 blessing. And so I know that our kids are going to want to be 134 00:06:33.514 --> 00:06:36.106 here and be a part of that as well. So we'd love to have 135 00:06:36.130 --> 00:06:38.906 them register and sign up. Also. There's 136 00:06:38.930 --> 00:06:41.614 some, there's. There's another thing that we're doing, 137 00:06:41.740 --> 00:06:44.496 this summer, and I know it says it's 138 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:47.560 spring, but let's be honest, spring is like 139 00:06:47.592 --> 00:06:50.432 two weeks in South Carolina summers here. All 140 00:06:50.448 --> 00:06:53.370 right, so we're starting, this summer. We're trying something 141 00:06:53.442 --> 00:06:56.392 different. All right. this summer. And it really speaks to the 142 00:06:56.408 --> 00:06:59.266 very end. I'm going to share the heart, behind 143 00:06:59.370 --> 00:07:01.894 why we're doing what we're doing with this. 144 00:07:02.060 --> 00:07:04.988 we're calling them simple Sundays, and it's going to 145 00:07:05.004 --> 00:07:07.606 run from May 26, to July 146 00:07:07.758 --> 00:07:10.742 8. And here's what that's going to look like at our 147 00:07:10.766 --> 00:07:13.622 church. And I want to say this. If you've got questions about 148 00:07:13.686 --> 00:07:16.586 this, specifically, if you got questions about anything, come 149 00:07:16.618 --> 00:07:19.530 see us after church. But if you've got questions 150 00:07:19.570 --> 00:07:21.890 about this, we want to answer those and 151 00:07:22.050 --> 00:07:25.020 eliminate any confusion that's there. but 152 00:07:25.140 --> 00:07:28.002 for simple Sundays, from May 26, to July 153 00:07:28.106 --> 00:07:30.722 28, here's what that looks like for us. On Sunday 154 00:07:30.786 --> 00:07:33.754 mornings, we will have normal discipleship time 155 00:07:33.882 --> 00:07:36.746 at 09:00 a.m. Just like we do for our kids, for 156 00:07:36.778 --> 00:07:39.770 our teens, for our adults. Pastor, Dave talked about what we're going 157 00:07:39.770 --> 00:07:42.450 to be offering for our adults, and we're going to continue to move 158 00:07:42.490 --> 00:07:45.058 forward during our discipleship hour with what we're doing with our 159 00:07:45.074 --> 00:07:47.656 kids, what we're doing with our teens. We're gonna have our normal 160 00:07:47.688 --> 00:07:50.616 fellowship time from 950. And I wanna encourage you, if you 161 00:07:50.648 --> 00:07:53.600 have not been here early, if you haven't been getting here early, like, 162 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:56.552 you're just missing out. You're just missing out. It was about 163 00:07:56.576 --> 00:07:59.494 three months ago, and I like to kind of just have a moment where I stand 164 00:07:59.542 --> 00:08:02.366 over on the side and just kind of look and observe. And I 165 00:08:02.398 --> 00:08:05.220 had one of our church members, she came up to me 166 00:08:05.640 --> 00:08:08.504 and I was just kind of looking out over everything, over everybody. 167 00:08:08.552 --> 00:08:11.536 People that I didn't know know each other, talking, laughing, drinking 168 00:08:11.568 --> 00:08:14.376 coffee, having juice together, kids laughing and have a good 169 00:08:14.408 --> 00:08:17.376 time. Teenagers congregating and hanging out and 170 00:08:17.408 --> 00:08:20.368 talking about their week. And she looked at me and she said, this is 171 00:08:20.384 --> 00:08:23.000 a beautiful picture because this is a picture of the church. 172 00:08:23.160 --> 00:08:26.088 It's a picture of the body of the fellowship. Right? And 173 00:08:26.104 --> 00:08:29.008 that's why we have that. We don't have that because we 174 00:08:29.024 --> 00:08:31.832 think, like, orange juice and a moon pie is going to get you through the service. 175 00:08:31.896 --> 00:08:34.742 All right? we have this because it's just a 176 00:08:34.766 --> 00:08:37.462 wonderful time for us to spend time together 177 00:08:37.646 --> 00:08:40.334 as a family. All right? So discipleship doesn't change. 178 00:08:40.382 --> 00:08:43.182 Fellowship time doesn't change. but here is what 179 00:08:43.206 --> 00:08:46.176 that's going to look like. Here's what's changing. How we're, 180 00:08:46.126 --> 00:08:49.104 doing our worship time together is going to 181 00:08:49.152 --> 00:08:51.740 change. So I'm going to kind of describe twofold, 182 00:08:52.090 --> 00:08:54.954 largely for our elementary kids, how this changes. All 183 00:08:54.962 --> 00:08:57.090 right? So, from May 26 to July 184 00:08:57.170 --> 00:08:59.754 28, kids who have completed 185 00:08:59.882 --> 00:09:02.626 five k to second grade will join 186 00:09:02.698 --> 00:09:05.682 with their families, just like they did today for the beginning 187 00:09:05.706 --> 00:09:08.678 of worship, and then they will be 188 00:09:08.734 --> 00:09:11.670 dismissed just like they were today. They'll 189 00:09:11.710 --> 00:09:14.454 be dismissed after that first worship time that we have 190 00:09:14.502 --> 00:09:17.294 together to head to the back, where they'll be taken over 191 00:09:17.382 --> 00:09:20.182 to building two in room 200. And this is an 192 00:09:20.206 --> 00:09:23.102 exciting part about something that we're doing a little bit differently this 193 00:09:23.126 --> 00:09:25.750 summer. When they leave to go over to room 194 00:09:25.790 --> 00:09:28.302 200, they're going to go in for continue 195 00:09:28.406 --> 00:09:31.278 in worship and discipleship and time together, 196 00:09:31.414 --> 00:09:34.278 and they will be led by our 197 00:09:34.454 --> 00:09:37.228 high school youth, by our 198 00:09:37.324 --> 00:09:39.972 youth leaders and a member 199 00:09:40.036 --> 00:09:42.932 of Willow Ridge church staff. All right, so they're not just 200 00:09:42.956 --> 00:09:45.892 being released with the high schoolers. Y'all go figure this out. Have fun. Right? 201 00:09:45.956 --> 00:09:48.836 That's not it. But some of our kids that are pouring into 202 00:09:48.868 --> 00:09:51.716 and growing as leaders, they're gonna take the charge in the 203 00:09:51.748 --> 00:09:54.732 room. And I'm excited about that, to see teenagers for a 204 00:09:54.756 --> 00:09:57.572 block of time walk alongside these students. But 205 00:09:57.596 --> 00:10:00.380 then in the room as well, are gonna be some of these youth leaders 206 00:10:00.500 --> 00:10:03.484 and also different Willow Ridge staff members. And 207 00:10:03.492 --> 00:10:06.380 so here's what that's strategically doing for us. Right? We believe 208 00:10:06.420 --> 00:10:09.150 that we are one church. Church, that has 209 00:10:09.190 --> 00:10:12.022 different sections, but we are one church, and we believe that what 210 00:10:12.046 --> 00:10:14.918 is happening in the life of a five year old is just as important. 211 00:10:14.974 --> 00:10:17.942 What's happening in the life of a 15 year old, a 55 year 212 00:10:17.966 --> 00:10:20.838 old and 85 year old. And what it helps us do in 213 00:10:20.854 --> 00:10:23.710 this moment is connect the body together to 214 00:10:23.750 --> 00:10:26.606 remind them that we are one in the importance of 215 00:10:26.638 --> 00:10:29.606 that. And so I'm so excited, as Joel van 216 00:10:29.638 --> 00:10:32.382 Ham has shared this with the kids or our teenagers, and they've 217 00:10:32.406 --> 00:10:35.374 latched onto that. And there's that piece. But then the 218 00:10:35.422 --> 00:10:38.062 other part, right? So we got five k to second grade will be 219 00:10:38.086 --> 00:10:40.982 dismissed. But from May 22 to July 28, kids 220 00:10:41.006 --> 00:10:43.670 who have completed the third grade through the fifth 221 00:10:43.710 --> 00:10:46.286 grade will join their families for the 222 00:10:46.318 --> 00:10:49.222 entire worship service during that time. Okay, so we 223 00:10:49.246 --> 00:10:52.222 will keep them in here. Now, here's some things that we're gonna 224 00:10:52.246 --> 00:10:55.094 do within the context of our service, to kind of walk 225 00:10:55.142 --> 00:10:56.350 alongside them with that. 226 00:10:56.390 --> 00:10:59.316 All right? We've been building in things like Easter, Christmas, 227 00:11:00.052 --> 00:11:02.876 Christmas Eve, like, we build in our 228 00:11:02.988 --> 00:11:05.782 times together where they have this, and we'll try to 229 00:11:05.876 --> 00:11:08.786 reflect our service like we do with those. 230 00:11:08.978 --> 00:11:11.650 The message time. I've been talking to the guy who 231 00:11:11.690 --> 00:11:14.098 preaches, and he's 232 00:11:14.154 --> 00:11:17.106 promised me that he's going to shorten it, 233 00:11:17.138 --> 00:11:19.930 all right? He's promised 234 00:11:20.090 --> 00:11:23.044 that he's going to. All right. so 235 00:11:23.132 --> 00:11:25.960 he's going to keep his word. And if he doesn't, 236 00:11:25.936 --> 00:11:28.696 then I'll have lots of conversations with lots of 237 00:11:28.736 --> 00:11:31.592 parents on Monday where I'll apologize for him 238 00:11:31.624 --> 00:11:34.622 with what he's done. All right? But we'll also. We'll 239 00:11:34.654 --> 00:11:37.522 start a new series. We'll take a break in Genesis, and, 240 00:11:37.522 --> 00:11:40.458 we're gonna be working alongside. Dawn and I were able to sit 241 00:11:40.482 --> 00:11:43.090 down and we're working through the parables of Jesus 242 00:11:43.138 --> 00:11:46.122 together. So all of the kids, all of us, 243 00:11:46.194 --> 00:11:48.850 everybody will be working through this new series 244 00:11:48.978 --> 00:11:51.546 as we do that together. Just as Berger did this 245 00:11:51.586 --> 00:11:54.562 morning, he's gonna incorporate worship music, 246 00:11:54.634 --> 00:11:57.458 both done in kids worship and in adult worship, 247 00:11:57.562 --> 00:12:00.406 so that we have some overlap. That's so our kids 248 00:12:00.446 --> 00:12:03.318 can sing the songs that they know, that we can sing the songs that 249 00:12:03.342 --> 00:12:05.678 we know. And maybe each one of us learn some new 250 00:12:05.702 --> 00:12:08.376 songs, with that. And then also, 251 00:12:08.836 --> 00:12:11.596 Don will be working on each week for a 252 00:12:11.636 --> 00:12:14.484 sermon tool that'll, let's just say, help our kids 253 00:12:14.540 --> 00:12:17.474 maybe stay focused, during the summertime. All right. 254 00:12:17.570 --> 00:12:20.322 I was sharing this with one of the leaders of our church, and he said, 255 00:12:20.394 --> 00:12:23.354 do you think I could have a copy of that sermon tool? And I'll say, if 256 00:12:23.370 --> 00:12:26.318 you want a copy of it, just let dawn know ahead of time so that she has 257 00:12:26.342 --> 00:12:29.318 some extra copies for you, but a piece for them, 258 00:12:29.422 --> 00:12:32.262 not to distract them during the message, 259 00:12:32.374 --> 00:12:34.542 but a tool to help them 260 00:12:34.614 --> 00:12:37.476 engage, with what is going on and what is 261 00:12:37.516 --> 00:12:40.258 happening. The only exception, for kind of 262 00:12:40.290 --> 00:12:43.244 breaking in the norm, for those will be Father's day, June 263 00:12:43.308 --> 00:12:46.204 16, and July 7 is kind of a day 264 00:12:46.228 --> 00:12:49.158 that we've determined, and during that, we'll 265 00:12:49.198 --> 00:12:52.100 have our preschool, through fifth grade in here with us 266 00:12:52.164 --> 00:12:55.060 for the entirety of the service. All right, now, if 267 00:12:55.084 --> 00:12:57.846 you're a parent in here, all right, it wasn't that long 268 00:12:57.902 --> 00:13:00.668 ago, that we were parents 269 00:13:00.788 --> 00:13:03.750 with kids that age, Aaron and I. and I know, 270 00:13:03.862 --> 00:13:06.194 like, this can kind of be a. 271 00:13:09.014 --> 00:13:11.454 But it's important. It's 272 00:13:11.494 --> 00:13:14.334 important. And here's 273 00:13:14.374 --> 00:13:16.254 why it's important. 274 00:13:17.154 --> 00:13:19.930 Why do we do this? Why did 275 00:13:19.962 --> 00:13:22.962 we. And we've even joked around in staff 276 00:13:23.018 --> 00:13:26.014 like, we're calling it simple Sundays, but it's just not simple. 277 00:13:26.554 --> 00:13:29.522 It's not simple for us as a staff. It won't be simple for you 278 00:13:29.538 --> 00:13:32.418 as a family. So why do this? I 279 00:13:32.426 --> 00:13:35.280 think three reasons. Number one, church was 280 00:13:35.312 --> 00:13:37.964 not intended to be a place for family isolation. 281 00:13:38.424 --> 00:13:41.016 It's not. This is not a place 282 00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:44.036 where you just drop off and the 283 00:13:44.060 --> 00:13:46.868 family isolate and never connect. The 284 00:13:46.916 --> 00:13:49.700 relationship with Jesus was always to be the 285 00:13:49.732 --> 00:13:52.652 center in the drawing together of the family. So 286 00:13:52.668 --> 00:13:55.292 you don't want families to isolate. Second, family 287 00:13:55.388 --> 00:13:57.544 worship is needed, and it's essential. 288 00:13:58.284 --> 00:14:01.154 It's essential. our kids 289 00:14:02.014 --> 00:14:03.954 need to see us worship, 290 00:14:04.534 --> 00:14:06.914 right? They need to watch 291 00:14:07.334 --> 00:14:10.226 and see what that looks like. They need 292 00:14:10.250 --> 00:14:13.154 to understand that what's happening in another room 293 00:14:13.194 --> 00:14:15.894 and the commonality of the things that are there. 294 00:14:16.354 --> 00:14:18.414 They need to be challenged 295 00:14:19.794 --> 00:14:22.546 to be a part and to engage in 296 00:14:22.570 --> 00:14:25.346 that. And I would argue for 297 00:14:25.410 --> 00:14:28.298 us, we need to be challenged 298 00:14:28.346 --> 00:14:31.094 as well, to welcome 299 00:14:31.674 --> 00:14:34.530 into the midst a kid who 300 00:14:34.562 --> 00:14:36.694 can't quite sit still the whole time, 301 00:14:37.304 --> 00:14:39.604 to a kid who makes a little bit of noise, 302 00:14:40.264 --> 00:14:42.992 to a kid who spills their orange juice during the middle of a 303 00:14:43.008 --> 00:14:45.704 prayer. Right? We need to be 304 00:14:45.744 --> 00:14:48.544 inconvenienced a little bit. And I think 305 00:14:48.584 --> 00:14:51.044 God's going to use this and bless this. 306 00:14:52.304 --> 00:14:55.232 The last thing, and this is kind of maybe a summation 307 00:14:55.288 --> 00:14:58.176 of all of this, is we are one church and our kids are part of 308 00:14:58.200 --> 00:15:00.984 this church, right? This isn't a. You turn 309 00:15:01.024 --> 00:15:03.958 18 and now you're apart. We are one church and our 310 00:15:04.006 --> 00:15:06.790 kids are a part of this. And what 311 00:15:06.822 --> 00:15:09.686 this does is this communicates that, all right? 312 00:15:09.830 --> 00:15:12.534 This isn't a plan to do 313 00:15:12.574 --> 00:15:15.478 this beyond this summer. This is something, 314 00:15:15.526 --> 00:15:18.270 as we prayed about and as we looked at what God would have 315 00:15:18.302 --> 00:15:21.134 for us, that we believe that this was an avenue that God 316 00:15:21.174 --> 00:15:23.854 was taking us down. And we look forward to the 317 00:15:23.894 --> 00:15:26.830 lessons that we're going to learn and how we're going to 318 00:15:26.862 --> 00:15:29.502 grow as a result of having these kids in here. So 319 00:15:29.598 --> 00:15:31.710 I encourage you, as this time 320 00:15:31.782 --> 00:15:34.340 approaches, to be praying for our time 321 00:15:34.412 --> 00:15:36.782 together, as we do this. All right. 322 00:15:36.878 --> 00:15:39.558 With that said, I'm going to get started in Genesis, 323 00:15:39.510 --> 00:15:42.420 chapter 27. This is 324 00:15:42.452 --> 00:15:45.244 a very long passage, and I'm going to just 325 00:15:45.324 --> 00:15:48.162 hit a few points, with this, but trying 326 00:15:48.218 --> 00:15:50.668 to be faithful, to the passage 327 00:15:50.756 --> 00:15:53.716 scripture as well. I want to ask you a question, 328 00:15:53.780 --> 00:15:56.756 for you to think about what 329 00:15:56.820 --> 00:15:59.436 happens when God has a 330 00:15:59.460 --> 00:16:01.900 plan, but you have an 331 00:16:01.932 --> 00:16:04.724 agenda. As I read 332 00:16:04.764 --> 00:16:07.104 through Genesis 27 333 00:16:07.564 --> 00:16:10.404 this past week in my office, that's the 334 00:16:10.444 --> 00:16:13.340 thought that kind of came over and over in 335 00:16:13.372 --> 00:16:16.188 my mind, what happens when I 336 00:16:16.236 --> 00:16:18.624 know that God has a plan? 337 00:16:19.244 --> 00:16:22.140 And even specifically that God has, in his 338 00:16:22.172 --> 00:16:25.148 kindness and his mercy, has allowed me to 339 00:16:25.236 --> 00:16:28.200 know, to be a part the plan, to have this 340 00:16:28.272 --> 00:16:30.976 plan revealed to me, to see this plan 341 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:33.816 from scripture, but that in the midst 342 00:16:33.920 --> 00:16:36.376 of God's plan and God's 343 00:16:36.440 --> 00:16:39.392 purpose, as I wrestle with that process 344 00:16:39.488 --> 00:16:42.336 of sanctification of what's in me, as 345 00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:45.040 there's the part of me that is praising and 346 00:16:45.072 --> 00:16:47.952 celebrating Jesus, but still that selfish 347 00:16:48.048 --> 00:16:50.944 part of the old me that from time to time wants to 348 00:16:50.984 --> 00:16:53.779 raise its ugly head up, that in the midst of 349 00:16:53.851 --> 00:16:56.635 that plan of God, of what I'm trying to 350 00:16:56.659 --> 00:16:59.067 do is maneuver and 351 00:16:59.115 --> 00:17:01.907 manipulate and deceive and to 352 00:17:01.955 --> 00:17:04.939 get my agenda worked out through the plan of 353 00:17:04.971 --> 00:17:07.955 God. And I think that's 354 00:17:07.979 --> 00:17:10.915 what we see in 355 00:17:10.939 --> 00:17:13.739 Genesis 27. Now, this 356 00:17:13.771 --> 00:17:16.635 week, I didn't think this is where we 357 00:17:16.659 --> 00:17:19.512 would go. In fact, when 358 00:17:19.528 --> 00:17:22.520 I read Genesis 27, it took me 359 00:17:22.552 --> 00:17:25.484 back to the technology of the 1980s. 360 00:17:26.304 --> 00:17:28.776 If you grew up in a church in the 1980s, 361 00:17:28.840 --> 00:17:31.760 specifically my generation, this is what I remember. So 362 00:17:31.792 --> 00:17:34.408 some of you remember before that. Some of you remember after 363 00:17:34.456 --> 00:17:36.924 that. But we didn't have screens 364 00:17:37.944 --> 00:17:40.560 in kids ministry. We didn't have 365 00:17:40.592 --> 00:17:43.544 tvs. We had 366 00:17:43.584 --> 00:17:46.440 felt boards. Remember the felt 367 00:17:46.472 --> 00:17:49.216 boards? And our teachers 368 00:17:49.280 --> 00:17:52.152 would play out the Bible 369 00:17:52.248 --> 00:17:55.164 story by taking these cutouts 370 00:17:55.464 --> 00:17:57.484 and placing them on the felt board. 371 00:17:58.184 --> 00:17:59.844 And then you had some kids 372 00:18:02.304 --> 00:18:05.296 that, when they would turn around, like, you'd reposition the characters. You know what I mean? 373 00:18:05.320 --> 00:18:08.280 Like you weren't paying attention. And look, what I did, right, 374 00:18:08.352 --> 00:18:11.000 was that kid. And as I read 375 00:18:11.072 --> 00:18:13.034 this, this story, 376 00:18:14.374 --> 00:18:16.902 it took me back to Calvary 377 00:18:16.958 --> 00:18:19.550 Baptist Church in South 378 00:18:19.622 --> 00:18:21.674 Augusta, near Regency Mall, 379 00:18:22.854 --> 00:18:25.486 sitting in the second story in the 380 00:18:25.510 --> 00:18:28.486 classroom that had the record player that I 381 00:18:28.550 --> 00:18:31.326 constantly got in trouble with because I tried to scratch on 382 00:18:31.350 --> 00:18:33.754 it, and it didn't work. 383 00:18:34.174 --> 00:18:36.034 It just tore the record players up. 384 00:18:37.274 --> 00:18:40.090 It took me back to that, and I began to rest, 385 00:18:40.122 --> 00:18:42.482 like, in that, 386 00:18:42.538 --> 00:18:45.082 lord, like, what do you 387 00:18:45.138 --> 00:18:48.122 have? Because you see so much 388 00:18:48.178 --> 00:18:50.970 of oftentimes, how we read the 389 00:18:51.002 --> 00:18:54.002 Bible is we want to figure 390 00:18:54.058 --> 00:18:56.714 out who's the good 391 00:18:56.754 --> 00:18:59.690 guy. I know who the bad 392 00:18:59.762 --> 00:19:02.602 guy is, but who's the good 393 00:19:02.658 --> 00:19:05.308 guy? And sometimes we see 394 00:19:05.356 --> 00:19:08.304 that. Sometimes as we read through, 395 00:19:08.884 --> 00:19:11.860 we see, here's the good guy. This is how God's 396 00:19:11.892 --> 00:19:14.876 working. This is what God's doing. Here's the bad guy. The bad guy's trying to 397 00:19:14.900 --> 00:19:17.500 stop what God's doing. The bad guy's trying to stop how God's 398 00:19:17.532 --> 00:19:20.372 working. But sometimes we get stories 399 00:19:20.428 --> 00:19:23.380 like this, and it's 400 00:19:23.412 --> 00:19:23.984 like, 401 00:19:27.724 --> 00:19:29.304 I don't see a lot of good guys. 402 00:19:30.824 --> 00:19:33.640 And so I think what we're going to see when we 403 00:19:33.672 --> 00:19:36.584 see this, it's the 404 00:19:36.624 --> 00:19:39.416 truth that maybe doesn't warm 405 00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:41.960 our heart in the beginning, but I hope it does by the 406 00:19:41.992 --> 00:19:44.800 end that we're 407 00:19:44.832 --> 00:19:47.164 all just bad. 408 00:19:48.584 --> 00:19:50.364 But in spite of that, God is good, 409 00:19:51.344 --> 00:19:54.104 and that God's working and moving to 410 00:19:54.144 --> 00:19:57.104 save for himself a people, 411 00:19:57.764 --> 00:20:00.260 in spite of what we want to 412 00:20:00.292 --> 00:20:03.268 do and how we want to get in the way of that. 413 00:20:03.436 --> 00:20:05.884 So let's read. We're going to read all the way 414 00:20:05.964 --> 00:20:08.184 through all of chapter 27, 415 00:20:08.724 --> 00:20:11.244 starting in verse one. Get a sip of water 416 00:20:11.284 --> 00:20:11.864 first. 417 00:20:15.684 --> 00:20:18.588 When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim, 418 00:20:18.636 --> 00:20:21.536 so that he could not see, he called Esau 419 00:20:21.600 --> 00:20:24.024 his older son, and said to him, my 420 00:20:24.064 --> 00:20:26.724 son. And he answered, here I am. 421 00:20:27.064 --> 00:20:29.616 And he said, behold, I am old. 422 00:20:29.800 --> 00:20:32.284 I do not know the day of my death. 423 00:20:32.704 --> 00:20:35.136 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver, and your 424 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:38.040 bow, and go out to the field and 425 00:20:38.072 --> 00:20:40.872 hunt game for me. And prepare for me delicious 426 00:20:40.928 --> 00:20:43.512 food such as I love. 427 00:20:43.688 --> 00:20:46.352 And bring it to me so that I may 428 00:20:46.408 --> 00:20:49.400 eat, that my soul may bless you before I 429 00:20:49.432 --> 00:20:52.392 die. Paul's really quick. Like, what he's talking about with this blessing, 430 00:20:52.488 --> 00:20:55.040 like this is carrying, like, some birthright 431 00:20:55.112 --> 00:20:57.976 implications. And if you've been journeying with us, you 432 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:00.678 know about that, and we'll talk about that some here, as 433 00:21:00.766 --> 00:21:02.334 in the message, verse five. 434 00:21:02.374 --> 00:21:05.166 Now, Rebecca was listening when Isaac spoke to his 435 00:21:05.190 --> 00:21:08.126 son Esau. So when Esau went to the field 436 00:21:08.190 --> 00:21:10.750 to hunt for game and bring it, Rebecca said to her 437 00:21:10.782 --> 00:21:13.780 son, jacob, I heard your father speak 438 00:21:13.812 --> 00:21:16.580 to your brother Esau. Bring me game 439 00:21:16.652 --> 00:21:19.484 and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and 440 00:21:19.524 --> 00:21:22.124 bless you before the Lord before I 441 00:21:22.164 --> 00:21:24.988 die. Now, therefore, my son, obey my voice 442 00:21:25.036 --> 00:21:27.900 as I command you. Go to the flock and bring me 443 00:21:27.932 --> 00:21:30.532 two good young goats that I may prepare 444 00:21:30.668 --> 00:21:33.540 from them delicious food for your father, such as he 445 00:21:33.572 --> 00:21:36.348 loves. And you shall bring it to your father 446 00:21:36.436 --> 00:21:39.304 to eat so that he may bless you before he dies. 447 00:21:39.484 --> 00:21:42.324 But Jacob said to Rebekah, his mother, behold, 448 00:21:42.624 --> 00:21:45.536 my brother Esau is a hairy man, and 449 00:21:45.560 --> 00:21:48.304 I am a smooth man. Perhaps my father 450 00:21:48.384 --> 00:21:51.216 will fill me, and I shall seem to be 451 00:21:51.320 --> 00:21:54.056 mocking him and bring a curse upon myself 452 00:21:54.120 --> 00:21:57.104 and not a blessing. And his mother said 453 00:21:57.144 --> 00:21:59.760 to him, let your curse be on 454 00:21:59.832 --> 00:22:02.740 me, my son. only obey my 455 00:22:02.780 --> 00:22:05.494 voice and go and bring them to me. 456 00:22:05.692 --> 00:22:08.538 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother. And 457 00:22:08.554 --> 00:22:11.386 his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father 458 00:22:11.458 --> 00:22:14.122 loved. Then Rebecca took the best garments of 459 00:22:14.146 --> 00:22:17.058 Esau, her older son, which were with her in the house. 460 00:22:17.114 --> 00:22:19.610 And put them on Jacob, her younger 461 00:22:19.650 --> 00:22:22.650 son. And the skins of the young goat. She put on his 462 00:22:22.690 --> 00:22:25.514 hands and the smooth part of his neck. 463 00:22:25.642 --> 00:22:28.626 And she put the delicious food and the bread. Which 464 00:22:28.658 --> 00:22:31.010 she had prepared. Into the hand of her son 465 00:22:31.050 --> 00:22:33.800 Jacob. So he went to his father and said, my 466 00:22:33.840 --> 00:22:36.656 father. And he said, here I am. Who are you, 467 00:22:36.688 --> 00:22:39.408 my son? And Jacob said to his father, I am 468 00:22:39.464 --> 00:22:42.432 Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you 469 00:22:42.456 --> 00:22:45.392 told me. Now sit up and eat of my game. 470 00:22:45.456 --> 00:22:48.408 That your soul may bless me. But Isaac said to 471 00:22:48.424 --> 00:22:51.226 his son, how is it that you have found, it 472 00:22:51.258 --> 00:22:53.690 so quickly, my son? And he 473 00:22:53.730 --> 00:22:56.570 answered, because the Lord, your God, granted 474 00:22:56.610 --> 00:22:59.242 me success. Then Isaac said to 475 00:22:59.266 --> 00:23:02.146 Jacob, please come near. That I may fuel 476 00:23:02.218 --> 00:23:05.090 you, my son, to know whether you are 477 00:23:05.130 --> 00:23:07.842 really my son Esau or not. 478 00:23:08.026 --> 00:23:10.882 So Jacob went near to Isaac, his father, who 479 00:23:10.906 --> 00:23:13.402 felt him and said, the voice is 480 00:23:13.426 --> 00:23:16.266 Jacob's voice, but the hands are the 481 00:23:16.298 --> 00:23:18.698 hands of Esau. And he did not 482 00:23:18.754 --> 00:23:21.538 recognize him. Because his hands were hairy 483 00:23:21.594 --> 00:23:24.362 like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed 484 00:23:24.386 --> 00:23:27.174 him. He said, are you really 485 00:23:27.262 --> 00:23:29.990 my son, Esau? He answered, I 486 00:23:30.030 --> 00:23:32.878 am. Then he said, bring it near 487 00:23:32.934 --> 00:23:35.710 to me. That I may eat of my son's game and 488 00:23:35.750 --> 00:23:38.470 bless you. So he brought it near to him. 489 00:23:38.590 --> 00:23:41.486 And he ate. And he brought him wine. And he 490 00:23:41.518 --> 00:23:44.318 drank. Then his father Isaac said to 491 00:23:44.334 --> 00:23:46.790 him, come near and kiss me, my 492 00:23:46.830 --> 00:23:49.670 son. So he came near and kissed him. 493 00:23:49.790 --> 00:23:52.286 And Isaac smelled the smell of his 494 00:23:52.318 --> 00:23:55.210 garments. And blessed him and said. See, 495 00:23:55.250 --> 00:23:58.162 the smell of my son. Is as the smell 496 00:23:58.226 --> 00:24:01.016 of a, field that the Lord has blessed. 497 00:24:01.128 --> 00:24:03.656 May God give you the dew of heaven. And the 498 00:24:03.688 --> 00:24:06.480 fatness of the earth. And plenty of grain and 499 00:24:06.520 --> 00:24:09.264 wine. Let people serve you and nations 500 00:24:09.312 --> 00:24:12.240 bow down to you. Be lord over your 501 00:24:12.280 --> 00:24:15.168 brothers. And may your mother's sons bow down 502 00:24:15.224 --> 00:24:18.064 to you. Cursed be everyone who curses 503 00:24:18.112 --> 00:24:20.864 you. And blessed be everyone 504 00:24:21.032 --> 00:24:23.976 who blesses you. As soon as Isaac had 505 00:24:24.008 --> 00:24:26.856 finished blessing Jacob. When Jacob had scarcely gone 506 00:24:26.888 --> 00:24:29.752 out from the presence of Isaac. His father Esau, 507 00:24:29.816 --> 00:24:32.336 his brother, came from his hunting. He also 508 00:24:32.408 --> 00:24:35.152 prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. 509 00:24:35.296 --> 00:24:38.240 And he said to his father, let my father arise 510 00:24:38.320 --> 00:24:40.952 and eat of his son's game. That you may bless 511 00:24:41.016 --> 00:24:43.632 me. His father, Isaac said to him, who are 512 00:24:43.656 --> 00:24:46.462 you? He answered, I am your son. Your 513 00:24:46.486 --> 00:24:49.248 firstborn, Esau. Then Isaac 514 00:24:49.304 --> 00:24:52.000 trembled very violently. And 515 00:24:52.040 --> 00:24:54.920 said. Who was it that then that 516 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:57.776 hunted game and brought it to me? And I 517 00:24:57.808 --> 00:25:00.512 ate it before you came and have blessed 518 00:25:00.536 --> 00:25:03.272 him? Yes, he shall 519 00:25:03.376 --> 00:25:06.312 be blessed. As soon as Esau heard 520 00:25:06.336 --> 00:25:08.760 the words of his father. He cried out with an 521 00:25:08.800 --> 00:25:11.736 exceedingly great and bitter cry. And 522 00:25:11.768 --> 00:25:14.390 said to his father, bless me. 523 00:25:14.786 --> 00:25:17.760 Even me also, my father. But he said, 524 00:25:17.800 --> 00:25:20.568 your brother came deceitfully and has taken 525 00:25:20.624 --> 00:25:23.032 away your blessing. And Esau 526 00:25:23.096 --> 00:25:25.160 said, it is not 527 00:25:25.320 --> 00:25:28.024 rightly named. Is he not rightly 528 00:25:28.072 --> 00:25:30.808 named, Jacob? For he has cheated me 529 00:25:30.904 --> 00:25:33.256 these two times. He took away my 530 00:25:33.288 --> 00:25:36.232 birthright. And behold, he now has 531 00:25:36.256 --> 00:25:39.212 taken away my blessing. Then he said, have 532 00:25:39.236 --> 00:25:42.012 you not reserved the blessing from me? And 533 00:25:42.036 --> 00:25:44.828 Isaac answered and said to Esau, behold, 534 00:25:44.884 --> 00:25:47.676 I have made him lord over you and all of his 535 00:25:47.708 --> 00:25:50.580 brothers. I have given to him for servants, and with 536 00:25:50.620 --> 00:25:53.600 grain and wine I have sustained him. 537 00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:56.540 What then can I do for you, my son? And 538 00:25:56.580 --> 00:25:59.364 Esau said to his father, have you but 539 00:25:59.412 --> 00:26:02.204 one blessing, my father, bless me. 540 00:26:02.332 --> 00:26:05.186 Even me also, o my father. And 541 00:26:05.218 --> 00:26:08.070 Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 542 00:26:08.570 --> 00:26:11.082 Then Isaac, his father, answered and said to 543 00:26:11.106 --> 00:26:13.706 him, behold, away from the 544 00:26:13.738 --> 00:26:16.642 fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be. And 545 00:26:16.666 --> 00:26:19.006 away from the dew of heaven on high. 546 00:26:19.006 --> 00:26:21.562 Huh? By your sword you shall live, 547 00:26:21.706 --> 00:26:24.482 and you shall serve your brother. But when you 548 00:26:24.506 --> 00:26:27.314 grow restless, you shall break his yoke 549 00:26:27.362 --> 00:26:28.410 from your neck. 550 00:26:28.570 --> 00:26:31.484 Now, Esau hated Jacob because 551 00:26:31.532 --> 00:26:34.284 of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. 552 00:26:34.452 --> 00:26:37.420 And Esau said to himself, the days of 553 00:26:37.460 --> 00:26:40.452 mourning for my father are approaching. Then I 554 00:26:40.476 --> 00:26:43.436 will kill my brother Jacob. But the words of 555 00:26:43.468 --> 00:26:45.908 Esau, her older son, were told to 556 00:26:45.924 --> 00:26:48.716 Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob, her younger 557 00:26:48.748 --> 00:26:51.740 son, and said to him, behold, your brother Esau 558 00:26:51.860 --> 00:26:54.788 comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 559 00:26:54.924 --> 00:26:57.898 Now, therefore, my son, obey. my voice. Arise, 560 00:26:58.074 --> 00:27:01.066 Frida Laban, my brother in Haran. And 561 00:27:01.098 --> 00:27:03.922 stay with him for a while. Until your brother's fury turns 562 00:27:03.946 --> 00:27:06.826 away. Until your brother's anger turns away from 563 00:27:06.858 --> 00:27:09.794 you and he forgets what you have done to him. 564 00:27:09.962 --> 00:27:12.910 Then I will send and bring you from there. 565 00:27:13.290 --> 00:27:16.170 Why should I benefit of you both one 566 00:27:16.210 --> 00:27:19.138 day? Then Rebekah said to Isaac, 567 00:27:19.274 --> 00:27:22.138 I loathe my life because of the hittite 568 00:27:22.194 --> 00:27:25.044 women. If Jacob marries one of the hittite women 569 00:27:25.092 --> 00:27:27.724 like these, one of the women of the land, 570 00:27:27.892 --> 00:27:30.360 what good will my life be to me? 571 00:27:32.940 --> 00:27:34.920 Makes you feel a little bit better 572 00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:38.440 about your family gatherings, don't they? Right? 573 00:27:39.780 --> 00:27:42.740 What we see from here is 574 00:27:42.780 --> 00:27:45.764 a group of people who have heard 575 00:27:45.812 --> 00:27:48.276 from God and who know God's 576 00:27:48.308 --> 00:27:50.956 plan, but that within 577 00:27:51.068 --> 00:27:53.820 that, they're driving home 578 00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:56.868 their own agenda. And I think that you and 579 00:27:56.884 --> 00:27:59.708 I, we can look at this and we 580 00:27:59.724 --> 00:28:02.400 can see this, and rightfully so. 581 00:28:02.636 --> 00:28:05.628 we're gonna barely be able to crack into the dysfunction of 582 00:28:05.652 --> 00:28:08.604 a lot of the things that we see that are happening here. 583 00:28:08.740 --> 00:28:10.896 But there are some comparisons. 584 00:28:11.396 --> 00:28:14.372 They believe God and what God has said God is 585 00:28:14.404 --> 00:28:17.346 going to do, but they're believing God through 586 00:28:17.386 --> 00:28:20.194 their narrative. And what does it look 587 00:28:20.250 --> 00:28:23.246 like in our life when we believe the word of God? 588 00:28:23.786 --> 00:28:26.730 We believe that it is true, but then 589 00:28:26.778 --> 00:28:29.330 through our own selfish, 590 00:28:29.458 --> 00:28:32.242 sinful narrative, this 591 00:28:32.274 --> 00:28:35.146 is what we seek to pursue it as and to 592 00:28:35.186 --> 00:28:37.954 see it through. But this has kind of been the 593 00:28:38.010 --> 00:28:40.898 dynamic of their family. This 594 00:28:40.922 --> 00:28:43.664 is the lineage of Abraham, 595 00:28:43.850 --> 00:28:46.500 who had the promise of God that God, 596 00:28:46.628 --> 00:28:49.496 even in his own age, was going to give him a son, 597 00:28:51.236 --> 00:28:53.884 and he was going to give him a son through his wife, 598 00:28:53.940 --> 00:28:56.820 Sarah. And so what did Abraham do? Abraham 599 00:28:56.868 --> 00:28:59.532 believed God, but he saw and he believed 600 00:28:59.564 --> 00:29:02.324 God through his own narrative. And so he didn't 601 00:29:02.380 --> 00:29:05.252 wait for the plan of God to happen and trust fully in the plan of 602 00:29:05.284 --> 00:29:08.116 God. Instead, he says, I believe in the plan of God, but 603 00:29:08.156 --> 00:29:10.946 I'm going to steer the ship and how we're going to get there. 604 00:29:11.526 --> 00:29:13.678 So what did Abraham end up with? He ended up with 605 00:29:13.702 --> 00:29:16.566 Ishmael from his servant, 606 00:29:16.686 --> 00:29:18.426 from his wife's servant, 607 00:29:19.326 --> 00:29:21.306 and the son of sin. 608 00:29:22.166 --> 00:29:24.734 And then he ends up with Isaac, 609 00:29:24.910 --> 00:29:27.806 the son of promise. What we saw 610 00:29:27.886 --> 00:29:30.734 often and early in his life 611 00:29:30.830 --> 00:29:33.406 was that he believed God, believed the 612 00:29:33.446 --> 00:29:36.348 promises of God, but is going to fulfill the. The promises of 613 00:29:36.372 --> 00:29:38.716 God in his own time, in his own 614 00:29:38.756 --> 00:29:41.132 expectations, as he takes matters into his own 615 00:29:41.164 --> 00:29:44.044 hands. I think. We think sometimes that the 616 00:29:44.060 --> 00:29:46.916 people who do that are the spiritually weak 617 00:29:46.956 --> 00:29:49.844 people. They're not the people who get it. They're not 618 00:29:49.860 --> 00:29:52.764 the people who love the Lord. They're not the people who come to church. They're not the 619 00:29:52.780 --> 00:29:55.468 people who go on mission trips. They're not the people who read their 620 00:29:55.492 --> 00:29:57.656 bibles. They're not the people who trust the God. 621 00:29:58.356 --> 00:30:00.496 But that's not what we see in scripture. 622 00:30:01.116 --> 00:30:03.570 Abraham left 623 00:30:03.698 --> 00:30:06.446 everything, everything, 624 00:30:07.866 --> 00:30:10.794 his family, his country, his 625 00:30:10.850 --> 00:30:13.754 land, all that was there in order to 626 00:30:13.770 --> 00:30:16.370 be obedient to God, a high level of 627 00:30:16.418 --> 00:30:19.126 obedience in his first act of faith. 628 00:30:19.826 --> 00:30:22.306 But yet we still see this balance 629 00:30:22.386 --> 00:30:24.930 with him in 630 00:30:24.978 --> 00:30:27.326 Isaac. This is what we see 631 00:30:27.786 --> 00:30:30.668 in Isaac following. God meets and 632 00:30:30.692 --> 00:30:33.516 marries Rebecca. After their 633 00:30:33.556 --> 00:30:35.816 marriage, they have two sons. They have twins. 634 00:30:36.636 --> 00:30:39.636 Firstborn is Esau, firstborn, 635 00:30:39.676 --> 00:30:41.852 therefore the oldest and the right of the 636 00:30:41.884 --> 00:30:44.860 inheritance, the right of the birthright, the right of the 637 00:30:44.908 --> 00:30:47.532 blessing. This is who it would come to. 638 00:30:47.724 --> 00:30:50.476 And then Jacob is born. Jacob the heel 639 00:30:50.516 --> 00:30:52.908 grabber, the second born, and therefore the 640 00:30:52.932 --> 00:30:55.876 youngest. And we talked about this a few weeks ago, 641 00:30:55.916 --> 00:30:58.532 a couple months ago, actually, where Rebecca is having this 642 00:30:58.564 --> 00:31:01.124 difficult pregnancy. So, in Genesis 25 643 00:31:01.180 --> 00:31:04.170 23 23, I, want you to see her conversation with 644 00:31:04.194 --> 00:31:07.010 the Lord. It says, the children struggled 645 00:31:07.034 --> 00:31:09.466 together within her. And she 646 00:31:09.522 --> 00:31:12.496 said, if it is thus, why is this happening to 647 00:31:12.512 --> 00:31:15.000 me? Like God, if this is your plan? So she went to 648 00:31:15.024 --> 00:31:17.920 inquire to the Lord, and the Lord said to her, 649 00:31:18.024 --> 00:31:20.744 two nations are in your womb, and two 650 00:31:20.776 --> 00:31:23.320 peoples from in your womb shall be divided. 651 00:31:23.504 --> 00:31:26.160 One shall be stronger than the other. 652 00:31:26.264 --> 00:31:28.628 The older shall serve the younger. 653 00:31:30.368 --> 00:31:32.148 God breaks the social norms. 654 00:31:33.208 --> 00:31:35.200 God says, what should be 655 00:31:35.304 --> 00:31:37.428 Esau's birthright, 656 00:31:38.128 --> 00:31:40.628 what should be Esau's blessing 657 00:31:41.048 --> 00:31:43.028 is actually going to be Jacob's. 658 00:31:43.848 --> 00:31:46.824 And this is how I'm going to work, and this is what I'm going to 659 00:31:46.856 --> 00:31:47.428 do. 660 00:31:50.088 --> 00:31:52.904 This is what we see. Isaac believed 661 00:31:52.936 --> 00:31:55.620 God. One son will be blessed over the 662 00:31:55.644 --> 00:31:58.516 other. Isaac tries to control the narrative. I'll decide which 663 00:31:58.532 --> 00:31:59.368 one that is. 664 00:31:59.988 --> 00:32:02.772 So my question for you is this, what do you 665 00:32:02.820 --> 00:32:05.796 do? What do you do when it comes to God's will for 666 00:32:05.812 --> 00:32:08.692 your life? What do you do when it comes to God's will for 667 00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:11.568 your life? Is it an Abraham moment 668 00:32:12.148 --> 00:32:15.044 where I'll leave it all, I'll leave every part 669 00:32:15.076 --> 00:32:17.964 that's there? Or is it the moments of what 670 00:32:17.996 --> 00:32:20.860 we have, of what we see, what we can experience? I'll believe you 671 00:32:20.884 --> 00:32:23.408 and obey you only as far as I'm comfortable with 672 00:32:23.908 --> 00:32:26.844 and lacking what I can hold on to. Right. 673 00:32:27.036 --> 00:32:29.676 So we see this situation that 674 00:32:29.772 --> 00:32:32.764 happens and then creates, and we see what begins to 675 00:32:32.796 --> 00:32:35.612 happen when we drive our agenda over 676 00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:38.532 the will of God. And what we see is agendas create 677 00:32:38.620 --> 00:32:40.876 deception. Agendas create 678 00:32:40.932 --> 00:32:43.820 deception. Right? Isaac called Esau to him. 679 00:32:43.844 --> 00:32:46.404 And this is very interesting when you see this interaction that is 680 00:32:46.436 --> 00:32:49.262 happening in there. Number one, we don't even really know 681 00:32:49.310 --> 00:32:52.128 how old, Isaac is. And he continues, 682 00:32:52.168 --> 00:32:55.120 most theologians believe that he continues to live for a pretty extended 683 00:32:55.184 --> 00:32:58.050 amount of time beyond, this day. But he calls 684 00:32:58.082 --> 00:33:00.794 Esau to him because he's like, I don't know when I'm going to die. And so 685 00:33:00.874 --> 00:33:03.374 here's what I want to do. And he calls him away 686 00:33:03.754 --> 00:33:06.066 from rebekah, and he calls him away from 687 00:33:06.090 --> 00:33:08.986 Jacob. Right. This would not be the norm 688 00:33:09.130 --> 00:33:11.706 when you're talking about a blessing. Right. 689 00:33:11.730 --> 00:33:14.706 So what we see here from the very 690 00:33:14.770 --> 00:33:17.626 beginning, and this is why I say it's kind of really hard to find 691 00:33:17.650 --> 00:33:20.626 the good guy in the story, is because from the very 692 00:33:20.690 --> 00:33:23.634 moment, Isaac's like, your mom's not gonna like 693 00:33:23.674 --> 00:33:26.594 this, and neither is your brother. So 694 00:33:26.634 --> 00:33:29.618 here's what we're gonna do. Here's what I'm gonna give 695 00:33:29.666 --> 00:33:31.986 you. Here's how I'm gonna bring 696 00:33:32.050 --> 00:33:35.042 deception into this. He sought to do something in 697 00:33:35.058 --> 00:33:38.058 private that he would never do in public, and he sought to 698 00:33:38.106 --> 00:33:41.042 do this to deceive those around him. When you 699 00:33:41.058 --> 00:33:43.763 and I, when we live for our agenda, 700 00:33:44.223 --> 00:33:47.199 as much as we want to shadow it by saying we're 701 00:33:47.231 --> 00:33:50.175 doing this for the will of God, we're not doing it for the will of God. We're doing 702 00:33:50.199 --> 00:33:53.127 it for the will for ourself. We might want to make it look 703 00:33:53.175 --> 00:33:56.119 pretty by saying, I just want to follow God and 704 00:33:56.151 --> 00:33:59.119 do what he has me to do. But 705 00:33:59.151 --> 00:34:01.663 really, we're masking this with what we want to do for 706 00:34:01.703 --> 00:34:04.323 ourselves. And Jacob seeks to deceive, 707 00:34:04.983 --> 00:34:07.943 seeks to lie. I'm sorry, Isaac. Seeks to deceive, 708 00:34:07.983 --> 00:34:10.734 seeks to lie. We see that God is the God of truth. 709 00:34:11.154 --> 00:34:14.002 God is the God of truth. And when deception becomes what we 710 00:34:14.018 --> 00:34:17.002 practice, we break from the God of truth. The Bible tells us that Satan is 711 00:34:17.018 --> 00:34:19.770 the father of lies. When we look all the way back to 712 00:34:19.802 --> 00:34:22.014 Genesis three and we see the fall in the garden, 713 00:34:23.954 --> 00:34:26.930 how does the fall come apart? How does it begin to happen? 714 00:34:26.962 --> 00:34:29.562 How does it begin to build? Very 715 00:34:29.618 --> 00:34:32.570 simply, Satan comes in 716 00:34:32.762 --> 00:34:35.700 and doesn't come out and give, like, a flat out lie. he takes the 717 00:34:35.732 --> 00:34:38.384 truth of what's there, and he twists it and he manipulates it, 718 00:34:38.684 --> 00:34:41.624 and he deceives in that moment. 719 00:34:41.924 --> 00:34:44.852 I love this. The Bible is very clear about the people of God and who we're to 720 00:34:44.868 --> 00:34:47.836 be. The Bible says, let our yes be yes. Let our no be no 721 00:34:47.860 --> 00:34:50.764 be people of truth. The second thing that we see in 722 00:34:50.804 --> 00:34:53.780 here is that deception creates manipulation. 723 00:34:53.972 --> 00:34:56.868 Deception creates manipulation. Like mama Bear, Rebecca, 724 00:34:56.956 --> 00:34:59.894 she hears what's going on, right? She's hiding out. She's sneaking 725 00:34:59.934 --> 00:35:02.926 around the corner. She's listening, right? And she hears 726 00:35:02.950 --> 00:35:05.566 what's going on. What does that imply, right? Family. Not build on 727 00:35:05.590 --> 00:35:08.470 trust. So what does she do as soon 728 00:35:08.502 --> 00:35:11.406 as Esau goes away? She doesn't confront. She 729 00:35:11.430 --> 00:35:14.286 doesn't confront, right? I have to be honest with 730 00:35:14.310 --> 00:35:17.260 you. that's not how Aaron Bradbury would have handled this 731 00:35:17.292 --> 00:35:19.940 situation. You know, 732 00:35:20.092 --> 00:35:22.748 she'd be like, bo, yes, 733 00:35:22.796 --> 00:35:25.396 ma'am. We're going to have a conversation. You 734 00:35:25.420 --> 00:35:28.366 know, she doesn't confront. What does she do? She 735 00:35:28.390 --> 00:35:30.982 conspires. She doesn't confront. She 736 00:35:31.038 --> 00:35:33.942 conspires. And in her conspiracy, what she does is she 737 00:35:33.958 --> 00:35:36.554 begins to manipulate, right? 738 00:35:37.654 --> 00:35:40.558 And in doing that, she embraces the sin 739 00:35:40.606 --> 00:35:43.470 of the moment. And then takes it and begins to build 740 00:35:43.502 --> 00:35:45.910 on it. What does she do? She fights sin with 741 00:35:45.942 --> 00:35:48.646 sin. She doesn't fight sin with the pursuit of 742 00:35:48.670 --> 00:35:51.652 holiness. She doesn't come in and say, whoa, whoa, let's wait 743 00:35:51.668 --> 00:35:54.592 a minute. What has God told us? How 744 00:35:54.608 --> 00:35:57.304 has God been faithful? What is God doing? You see, 745 00:35:57.384 --> 00:36:00.328 right here in this moment, spiritually speaking, the adult doesn't walk in 746 00:36:00.336 --> 00:36:03.216 the room. The adult doesn't come in there and say, no, no, no, 747 00:36:03.240 --> 00:36:06.122 no. this is going wrong. This is going bad. This is 748 00:36:06.138 --> 00:36:09.058 going here. We got to stop. We got to set this. We got 749 00:36:09.066 --> 00:36:11.618 to move forward. Here's what we're going to do. And when 750 00:36:11.666 --> 00:36:14.018 manipulation and 751 00:36:14.146 --> 00:36:16.722 deceit build in, what it 752 00:36:16.778 --> 00:36:19.734 creates in this moment is the culture of lies, 753 00:36:20.694 --> 00:36:23.566 manipulation, and the agenda. What they do is they create 754 00:36:23.750 --> 00:36:26.438 a culture of lies. So one brother 755 00:36:26.486 --> 00:36:29.198 dressing up like another brother, like, I still 756 00:36:29.246 --> 00:36:32.134 can't get the picture over. Like, that's a hairy 757 00:36:32.174 --> 00:36:35.134 dude, right? For, like, let's 758 00:36:35.174 --> 00:36:37.874 get the skin of the animal and put it on you. 759 00:36:38.254 --> 00:36:41.134 But dressing up after dressing up after dressing 760 00:36:41.174 --> 00:36:43.966 up. But what we see in here is the lies of 761 00:36:43.990 --> 00:36:46.894 what's being created create the callousness of the 762 00:36:46.934 --> 00:36:49.204 hearts, that of what's there. 763 00:36:50.144 --> 00:36:52.312 And lies create callousness, while 764 00:36:52.368 --> 00:36:54.764 truth brings healing. 765 00:36:55.704 --> 00:36:58.672 It isn't easy to always be a 766 00:36:58.688 --> 00:37:01.152 person of truth. It isn't 767 00:37:01.208 --> 00:37:03.800 easy to always be the person that 768 00:37:03.832 --> 00:37:06.712 confronts the sin. It isn't easy to be 769 00:37:06.728 --> 00:37:09.696 the person that stands on the 770 00:37:09.720 --> 00:37:12.632 solid ground of the gospel. But it is 771 00:37:12.688 --> 00:37:15.212 gravely damaging to your 772 00:37:15.268 --> 00:37:18.116 soul and to the culture of your family to 773 00:37:18.140 --> 00:37:20.948 embrace the lies. So you saw 774 00:37:20.996 --> 00:37:23.252 returns. The entire 775 00:37:23.348 --> 00:37:25.664 scheme is brought to light. 776 00:37:26.284 --> 00:37:29.068 The dysfunction in that moment that is there 777 00:37:29.196 --> 00:37:32.124 begins to build and build and build and build and build, and it 778 00:37:32.164 --> 00:37:34.724 explodes. Isaac's 779 00:37:34.764 --> 00:37:37.464 exposed. Rebecca's exposed. 780 00:37:37.764 --> 00:37:40.360 Esau's exposed. Jacob's 781 00:37:40.392 --> 00:37:43.280 exposed. The ramification of one 782 00:37:43.312 --> 00:37:45.444 brother promising that he's going to kill another brother, 783 00:37:46.264 --> 00:37:48.800 one brother who's going to run and fight against 784 00:37:48.952 --> 00:37:51.816 anything, any standard that his 785 00:37:51.840 --> 00:37:54.640 family would have set before conflict and 786 00:37:54.672 --> 00:37:57.544 strife is going to fill. Page after page, verse after 787 00:37:57.584 --> 00:37:59.404 verse, chapter after chapter, 788 00:38:01.304 --> 00:38:04.272 we see a dad. We 789 00:38:04.288 --> 00:38:06.692 see a dad who I believe loves the 790 00:38:06.708 --> 00:38:09.476 Lord, wants to 791 00:38:09.500 --> 00:38:11.644 follow God and 792 00:38:11.684 --> 00:38:14.332 realizes, I got in the 793 00:38:14.348 --> 00:38:17.332 way. I want you to look back at verse 33 of 794 00:38:17.348 --> 00:38:20.276 chapter 27. This is when he 795 00:38:20.300 --> 00:38:23.064 realizes what's happened. 796 00:38:25.484 --> 00:38:28.384 It says, then Isaac trembled very violently 797 00:38:29.684 --> 00:38:32.500 and said, who was it then that hunted 798 00:38:32.532 --> 00:38:35.124 game and brought it to me? 799 00:38:35.504 --> 00:38:38.488 And I ate it all before you came. And I've 800 00:38:38.536 --> 00:38:41.320 blessed him. Yes, and he shall be 801 00:38:41.352 --> 00:38:43.928 blessed. He knew the 802 00:38:43.976 --> 00:38:46.360 answer. To that question, he 803 00:38:46.392 --> 00:38:49.360 knew. He knew what had happened. He 804 00:38:49.392 --> 00:38:51.976 knew that he had been deceived. He knew that his 805 00:38:52.040 --> 00:38:54.960 plan had been foiled. He knew that all of 806 00:38:54.992 --> 00:38:57.964 this had gone wrong. And it says 807 00:38:58.384 --> 00:38:59.964 that he trembled 808 00:39:00.574 --> 00:39:03.390 violently. In this moment we talked about 809 00:39:03.422 --> 00:39:06.054 earlier, there's not a good guy to 810 00:39:06.094 --> 00:39:09.054 find in here. But so many times the 811 00:39:09.094 --> 00:39:11.894 stories that we find in scripture are not about the good 812 00:39:11.934 --> 00:39:14.654 guys getting better, but it's about the bad guys who need a good 813 00:39:14.694 --> 00:39:17.646 God. And here's what 814 00:39:17.670 --> 00:39:20.514 we see in here. We see the grace 815 00:39:20.894 --> 00:39:23.886 of God's lessons. I think 816 00:39:23.910 --> 00:39:26.438 this is what verse 33 is teaching 817 00:39:26.486 --> 00:39:29.350 us. Theologians have asked themselves 818 00:39:29.422 --> 00:39:32.350 this question, and it's a question I want to pose to you this 819 00:39:32.382 --> 00:39:35.154 morning. Why did Isaac Tremble? 820 00:39:35.654 --> 00:39:37.862 Why did he tremble? Well, there's two 821 00:39:37.918 --> 00:39:40.662 thoughts that I think we can learn 822 00:39:40.838 --> 00:39:43.670 on both of these, of what God can 823 00:39:43.702 --> 00:39:46.590 teach us in these moments when 824 00:39:46.622 --> 00:39:49.518 the exposure of our sin happens. 825 00:39:49.646 --> 00:39:52.350 Number one is this. The thought was that 826 00:39:52.382 --> 00:39:55.228 Isaac was angry. I've been 827 00:39:55.276 --> 00:39:58.204 deceived. My wife and my son, 828 00:39:58.244 --> 00:40:01.212 they plotted against me. Who 829 00:40:01.268 --> 00:40:04.116 are they? How dare they do 830 00:40:04.180 --> 00:40:06.864 this to me? 831 00:40:08.044 --> 00:40:10.984 And they, theologians think he trembled out of anger. 832 00:40:11.644 --> 00:40:13.864 And I think, here's the warning of God's grace. 833 00:40:14.804 --> 00:40:17.764 Not on the screen, but if you want to write this down, Galatians, chapter 834 00:40:17.804 --> 00:40:20.640 six, verse seven. Paul tells 835 00:40:20.672 --> 00:40:22.764 us, hey, 836 00:40:23.424 --> 00:40:25.324 be careful what you sow. 837 00:40:26.384 --> 00:40:28.800 You sow sin, you're gonna reap 838 00:40:28.832 --> 00:40:30.944 sin. If you sow 839 00:40:30.984 --> 00:40:33.004 righteousness, holiness, 840 00:40:33.864 --> 00:40:36.680 that's what you reap too. Maybe he 841 00:40:36.712 --> 00:40:39.520 was angry. Maybe he was angry in that 842 00:40:39.552 --> 00:40:42.434 moment. And you and I, on this side 843 00:40:42.490 --> 00:40:45.246 of this story can look at it as a warning. 844 00:40:45.976 --> 00:40:48.896 A warning of what happens when people 845 00:40:49.016 --> 00:40:51.816 who call themselves the people of God 846 00:40:51.936 --> 00:40:54.712 begin to allow the evil of sin 847 00:40:54.824 --> 00:40:57.560 to be sown into the 848 00:40:57.608 --> 00:40:59.396 culture of our family. 849 00:41:00.376 --> 00:41:02.516 And then why are we surprised 850 00:41:03.096 --> 00:41:05.952 when the harvest is ready and it's 851 00:41:05.984 --> 00:41:07.196 more of what we've sown? 852 00:41:08.896 --> 00:41:10.756 Or we sow the goodness of God 853 00:41:11.996 --> 00:41:14.908 in the love of God, in the holiness of 854 00:41:14.932 --> 00:41:17.496 God, and the righteousness of God. 855 00:41:18.716 --> 00:41:21.296 Second, that theologians think, 856 00:41:22.676 --> 00:41:24.976 and I'm an optimist, 857 00:41:25.516 --> 00:41:27.096 so this is what I believe, 858 00:41:28.756 --> 00:41:30.176 that in this moment, 859 00:41:31.556 --> 00:41:34.428 you ever been caught and, like, you know, 860 00:41:34.452 --> 00:41:37.172 you're caught and you can't do nothing about 861 00:41:37.204 --> 00:41:39.962 it? I will describe that like my 862 00:41:39.994 --> 00:41:42.962 teenage years, right? You're just. You're 863 00:41:42.994 --> 00:41:45.474 caught and you get that 864 00:41:45.530 --> 00:41:48.006 feeling that's there. 865 00:41:49.426 --> 00:41:51.206 I think what happened is this. 866 00:41:52.266 --> 00:41:55.218 Isaac knew he was caught, and 867 00:41:55.242 --> 00:41:57.566 he knew that he wasn't caught by his wife 868 00:41:58.026 --> 00:42:00.914 or by his son, but he knew that he was 869 00:42:00.930 --> 00:42:03.578 caught by God. He knew that in that 870 00:42:03.602 --> 00:42:06.472 moment and what he's experiencing 871 00:42:06.544 --> 00:42:09.416 in that is the conviction of 872 00:42:09.456 --> 00:42:11.636 his sin because he was caught. 873 00:42:12.616 --> 00:42:15.436 And God's saying to him, hey, bud, 874 00:42:16.216 --> 00:42:18.236 I told you what I was going to do. 875 00:42:18.976 --> 00:42:21.848 And you tried to take it in your own hand and 876 00:42:21.872 --> 00:42:24.116 do it your way. But guess what? 877 00:42:25.056 --> 00:42:27.912 It's still playing out the way that I said that it 878 00:42:27.944 --> 00:42:30.792 would. Because I'm God and you're 879 00:42:30.824 --> 00:42:33.768 not, and you're not. And 880 00:42:33.792 --> 00:42:36.568 his sin's exposed in that moment. And the 881 00:42:36.592 --> 00:42:39.436 beautiful piece of conviction is there. 882 00:42:39.856 --> 00:42:42.116 That's why it's the grace of God's lessons 883 00:42:42.536 --> 00:42:45.392 that in these moments, God didn't 884 00:42:45.424 --> 00:42:48.368 take that old man and wipe him off the earth, that 885 00:42:48.392 --> 00:42:50.792 God used that moment to work his 886 00:42:50.824 --> 00:42:53.632 heart, to prune back the dead that was 887 00:42:53.664 --> 00:42:56.236 there to eliminate the sin. 888 00:42:56.726 --> 00:42:59.518 And in God's grace, he did what his 889 00:42:59.542 --> 00:43:02.542 wife didn't do. He confronted, he 890 00:43:02.574 --> 00:43:05.118 addressed. And we see the pieces of what's 891 00:43:05.142 --> 00:43:07.926 there. Either scenario, 892 00:43:07.966 --> 00:43:10.598 we see God's plan holds 893 00:43:10.622 --> 00:43:13.478 true. God's grace is given to his 894 00:43:13.502 --> 00:43:16.398 people, and the purpose of God continues 895 00:43:16.422 --> 00:43:19.374 on. In just a moment, the band's gonna come up 896 00:43:19.390 --> 00:43:22.062 on stage and we're gonna sing one last song 897 00:43:22.094 --> 00:43:24.996 together. And then we're gonna take the Lord's supper together. 898 00:43:27.176 --> 00:43:30.144 And I'll be honest with you, I think today's passage of scripture 899 00:43:30.200 --> 00:43:31.796 is a wonderful reminder 900 00:43:33.456 --> 00:43:35.716 that God doesn't just simply come 901 00:43:36.696 --> 00:43:39.528 to save a group of people who 902 00:43:39.552 --> 00:43:42.416 deserve a salvation. God doesn't 903 00:43:42.456 --> 00:43:45.016 come to save a group of people who always get it 904 00:43:45.056 --> 00:43:47.824 right. God doesn't save a group of 905 00:43:47.840 --> 00:43:50.676 people who know what he 906 00:43:50.716 --> 00:43:52.736 wants and always lives 907 00:43:53.436 --> 00:43:56.256 to fulfill everything that God has for them. 908 00:43:57.276 --> 00:44:00.176 God comes to save a group of people 909 00:44:00.636 --> 00:44:03.604 who are lost, who are broken, who are 910 00:44:03.620 --> 00:44:06.484 hurting. The Bible tells us that we are dead in 911 00:44:06.500 --> 00:44:09.292 our trespasses and sins. And Christ 912 00:44:09.364 --> 00:44:12.296 came, and he lived on this earth, 913 00:44:13.316 --> 00:44:16.112 and he lived a perfect life. And he 914 00:44:16.144 --> 00:44:18.944 died on the cross, died for your 915 00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:20.916 sins and mine, 916 00:44:21.896 --> 00:44:24.156 and was buried in a tomb. 917 00:44:24.696 --> 00:44:27.556 And three days later, rose again. 918 00:44:28.496 --> 00:44:30.768 The Bible tells us that on the days leading up to 919 00:44:30.792 --> 00:44:33.776 Christ's crucifixion that he's 920 00:44:33.816 --> 00:44:36.552 with his disciples and he 921 00:44:36.584 --> 00:44:39.356 tells them about that he's going to leave them, 922 00:44:40.016 --> 00:44:42.998 but it's okay because he's going to go and he's gonna prepare 923 00:44:43.022 --> 00:44:45.894 a place for them. And one 924 00:44:45.910 --> 00:44:48.830 of the disciples says, how do 925 00:44:48.838 --> 00:44:51.830 we go? How do we get to be where you're going? 926 00:44:51.918 --> 00:44:54.702 How do we go to that place that you've prepared for 927 00:44:54.734 --> 00:44:57.718 us? And Jesus doesn't 928 00:44:57.782 --> 00:45:00.750 say, well, buddy, you better straighten some things 929 00:45:00.798 --> 00:45:03.782 out. Jesus doesn't say, well, 930 00:45:03.814 --> 00:45:06.466 it's too late, because you've already done too much wrong. 931 00:45:07.466 --> 00:45:10.188 Jesus says, I'm, The 932 00:45:10.212 --> 00:45:13.212 way, the truth, and the 933 00:45:13.244 --> 00:45:16.052 life. No one comes to the father 934 00:45:16.244 --> 00:45:19.220 except through me. And so today, if you're a 935 00:45:19.228 --> 00:45:22.164 follower of Jesus Christ, we're gonna 936 00:45:22.220 --> 00:45:25.116 acknowledge the sufficiency 937 00:45:25.196 --> 00:45:27.868 of his work on the cross and the 938 00:45:27.932 --> 00:45:30.852 power of the resurrection, as we've 939 00:45:30.884 --> 00:45:33.744 been cleaned by the blood of the lamb 940 00:45:33.940 --> 00:45:36.836 and his body paid the price that we deserved. 941 00:45:37.456 --> 00:45:39.856 And if you're here today and you're not a follower of Jesus 942 00:45:39.896 --> 00:45:42.276 Christ, let me just say this. 943 00:45:42.696 --> 00:45:45.584 Here's what it means. It doesn't mean getting it, 944 00:45:45.600 --> 00:45:48.232 all right. It means trusting the one who 945 00:45:48.264 --> 00:45:51.216 did and putting your faith, your 946 00:45:51.256 --> 00:45:54.208 hope, your trust in him. And 947 00:45:54.232 --> 00:45:56.636 as you journey on this road, 948 00:45:57.056 --> 00:45:59.752 there's going to be bumps in it. There's going to be times of 949 00:45:59.784 --> 00:46:02.752 deception, times of deceit, times where the sinfulness of your life 950 00:46:02.784 --> 00:46:05.734 seems to. To take over. But God is faithful 951 00:46:05.870 --> 00:46:08.146 and good in that, 952 00:46:08.526 --> 00:46:11.238 to hold you in the palm of his 953 00:46:11.262 --> 00:46:13.386 hand. Would you pray with me? 954 00:46:14.446 --> 00:46:17.318 God, I thank you so much for this day, in this 955 00:46:17.342 --> 00:46:19.678 time that we could be here. God, as we 956 00:46:19.702 --> 00:46:22.502 prepare to take the Lord's supper together, as we 957 00:46:22.534 --> 00:46:25.502 prepare to continue on in worship, Lord, I pray that you would 958 00:46:25.534 --> 00:46:26.986 speak to our hearts, 959 00:46:28.566 --> 00:46:31.474 Lord, that you would reveal those hidden 960 00:46:31.530 --> 00:46:34.490 areas that we try to hide, those 961 00:46:34.538 --> 00:46:37.474 parts of us, Lord, that we're wanting to hide 962 00:46:37.530 --> 00:46:40.330 in the shadows and sneak behind 963 00:46:40.498 --> 00:46:43.498 and try to give this false impression of 964 00:46:43.522 --> 00:46:46.162 who we are and God. 965 00:46:46.194 --> 00:46:49.074 Instead, just reveal to us the deceit that's 966 00:46:49.130 --> 00:46:52.114 there, the lies that are there, and that, God, you are good 967 00:46:52.170 --> 00:46:55.138 and faithful to forgive. God, 968 00:46:55.162 --> 00:46:58.018 I pray if there's anyone here who doesn't know Christ as 969 00:46:58.042 --> 00:47:00.828 their lord and savior, God, I pray that today 970 00:47:00.932 --> 00:47:03.868 would be the day that they put their faith, their hope, their trust in 971 00:47:03.892 --> 00:47:06.816 him, or that it would not be 972 00:47:07.316 --> 00:47:10.196 any other means, that they would think that they 973 00:47:10.236 --> 00:47:13.068 might earn a salvation, but it is only 974 00:47:13.132 --> 00:47:15.932 found through Christ in Christ 975 00:47:16.004 --> 00:47:18.388 alone. Listen. Jesus name we 976 00:47:18.412 --> 00:47:20.176 pray. Amen. 977 00:47:24.616 --> 00:47:27.584 Thanks again for listening, and be sure to check back next 978 00:47:27.640 --> 00:47:30.632 week for another episode. In the meantime, you can 979 00:47:30.664 --> 00:47:33.456 visit us, uh@willowridgechurch.org, or by 980 00:47:33.496 --> 00:47:36.344 searching for Willow Ridge Church on Facebook, Instagram 981 00:47:36.400 --> 00:47:36.776 and Twitter.