WEBVTT

0
00:00:04.890 --> 00:00:07.354
Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons podcast.

1
00:00:07.482 --> 00:00:11.150
This is where you can find audio from Sunday morning messages and more.

2
00:00:11.300 --> 00:00:14.442
Make sure you're subscribed so that you don't miss future episodes.

3
00:00:14.506 --> 00:00:16.030
And thanks for listening.

4
00:00:20.210 --> 00:00:21.278
Well, good morning.

5
00:00:21.364 --> 00:00:28.902
If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, please join me in chapter 20 is where we're going to be this morning.

6
00:00:28.956 --> 00:00:33.222
We will drift over into 21 as well, but primarily Genesis 20.

7
00:00:33.356 --> 00:00:36.502
I got a couple of business things that I want to share with you guys.

8
00:00:36.636 --> 00:00:49.638
Typically you're like all business stuff, but I think this is exciting business things that I want to share about with what's going on in our church, areas that you can pray for, areas that you can connect to, also for ministry.

9
00:00:49.814 --> 00:00:52.490
The first one that I want to talk about is this Thursday.

10
00:00:52.910 --> 00:00:57.066
I and a team of all, in total of ten people, will be leaving.

11
00:00:57.178 --> 00:00:59.680
Now, I'm going to tell you, let's pause there for a second.

12
00:01:00.930 --> 00:01:05.986
I woke up this morning, went outside, cranked up my truck or my wife's car.

13
00:01:06.008 --> 00:01:16.390
I actually drove it this morning, started rolling down the road, and I looked at that number on the dash and it said 48 degrees.

14
00:01:18.490 --> 00:01:21.110
And as a chubby fella, that was just good.

15
00:01:21.180 --> 00:01:24.840
You know, like, I might not sweat that much today.

16
00:01:26.250 --> 00:01:32.886
This Thursday, I'll be taking nine people with me to India, where it will not be 48 degrees.

17
00:01:32.998 --> 00:01:37.466
Registering 94 is the high today, but we're excited about it.

18
00:01:37.488 --> 00:01:42.750
I want to encourage you to pray for us in our partnership with Bible Fellowship of India.

19
00:01:43.170 --> 00:02:03.854
We're trying to explore and grow and understand how we, as Willow Ridge Church and them as Bible Fellowship of India, can not only mobilize our church to serve in areas that we are in India, but then also how can we empower other churches to serve.

20
00:02:03.902 --> 00:02:06.034
So we have a test team.

21
00:02:06.152 --> 00:02:16.290
We're excited about it, but going for the first time to do some different ministry in the school that we're partnered with as well in India.

22
00:02:16.370 --> 00:02:19.526
So I want to encourage you to be praying for the team as we go.

23
00:02:19.628 --> 00:02:24.490
So just kind of a snapshot of mostly of what our ministry is going to look like.

24
00:02:24.640 --> 00:02:28.630
Like I said, we're going to be in their school, which is preschool through twelveTH grade.

25
00:02:28.710 --> 00:02:39.726
We've got four areas of study that we're going to come in and bring so that this school can help grow their academic profile of what they offer and what they're able to do.

26
00:02:39.828 --> 00:02:55.586
For our young elementary preschool through fifth grade, they're going to be working on primary literacy, reading in English, and doing different activities with that, as well as growing in different areas of music and all the different things that will come with that.

27
00:02:55.608 --> 00:03:09.862
So we got a group of people that are excited about doing music and reading and teaching and doing all those things for the younger grades and then for the older so 6th through twelveTH grade, we're going to be doing like an introduction to nursing for a lot of the kids.

28
00:03:09.916 --> 00:03:19.834
There much more so even at an earlier age than our kids, there's an emphasis by the time they get to high school to know what they want to do with their life.

29
00:03:19.872 --> 00:03:29.326
And so a wonderful profession like nursing in the medical field, we're going to give them that opportunity to kind of explore and see if this would be something that they would like to do.

30
00:03:29.428 --> 00:03:30.878
So we'll be providing that.

31
00:03:30.964 --> 00:03:37.234
And then also this school is looking to grow so that more people will want to come to their school.

32
00:03:37.272 --> 00:03:44.770
This is a Christian school in a largely and by largely about 98% non Christian context.

33
00:03:45.190 --> 00:03:51.206
And so what we're looking to do is help them expand their athletic program as well.

34
00:03:51.308 --> 00:03:59.890
And so we're going to be bringing over the wonderful American sport of basketball, which is known in India, but largely not played.

35
00:03:59.970 --> 00:04:06.314
And so we'll have a group of people that will be there to be teaching them basketball and doing that.

36
00:04:06.432 --> 00:04:23.482
And then with that, what we're also excited about is two of our people that are going are going to be leading one's going to be doing a coaches clinic where other coaches, other basketball coaches from the area will be able to come in and learn more about drills and get some wonderful items to help them as they look to grow their teams.

37
00:04:23.546 --> 00:04:34.834
And then one of our individuals as well will be doing teacher development with the teachers there at the school who don't have the opportunity to do a lot of the continuing education that we have.

38
00:04:34.872 --> 00:04:41.286
And so it's so wonderful as this Christian school is looking to influence lives for the sake of the gospel in the community.

39
00:04:41.388 --> 00:04:47.926
And so we've got the wonderful privilege to be able to come alongside them and partner with doing that.

40
00:04:48.108 --> 00:04:48.902
While we're there.

41
00:04:48.956 --> 00:04:57.830
We'll also be doing some preaching and teaching in a church and at a Bible college, as well as leading worship and even doing a concert.

42
00:04:57.910 --> 00:04:59.270
So I'm excited.

43
00:04:59.430 --> 00:05:01.094
I'm going to sing in the concert.

44
00:05:01.222 --> 00:05:12.218
The team doesn't know that, but I've been practicing and so I've got dance moves and lyrics that I'm ready and I'm going to introduce them to Christian rap done by this guy, right?

45
00:05:12.404 --> 00:05:13.650
So that's what we're going to do.

46
00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:16.180
That will not be live streamed at all.

47
00:05:16.870 --> 00:05:17.618
At all.

48
00:05:17.704 --> 00:05:27.238
We have, though, been working and I've had the request of can we go.

49
00:05:27.244 --> 00:05:28.630
On a camel ride?

50
00:05:31.690 --> 00:05:43.210
And so we're working out those details of a camel ride and maybe even an elephant ride.

51
00:05:44.510 --> 00:05:54.974
If that happens, there will be pictures that I will take of everyone else doing that.

52
00:05:55.012 --> 00:05:55.760
All right?

53
00:05:56.130 --> 00:05:59.230
So you'll have that on them and not on me.

54
00:05:59.380 --> 00:06:18.658
But pray for us as we travel, pray for us as we're ministering, pray for us as we're doing all of the things and just looking to encourage the believers that are there, train them, and again, to help expand the influence that this ministry has in areas where it's hard for us to fathom.

55
00:06:18.834 --> 00:06:26.694
But literally, this is not an exaggeration, but we will be speaking and ministering to people who have never heard the.

56
00:06:26.732 --> 00:06:31.130
Name of Jesus, much less know that.

57
00:06:31.200 --> 00:06:35.766
Life and salvation is found in Him and him alone.

58
00:06:35.878 --> 00:06:36.266
All right?

59
00:06:36.288 --> 00:06:39.290
So I want to encourage you to pray for us about that.

60
00:06:39.440 --> 00:06:43.718
Secondly, since I will not be here next Sunday, we got an announcement that we can connect you with.

61
00:06:43.744 --> 00:06:49.146
But I wanted to speak to it that on Sunday, November 19, I want you to mark that date on your calendar.

62
00:06:49.178 --> 00:06:51.754
Sunday, November 19 will be our mission.

63
00:06:51.802 --> 00:06:52.346
Sunday.

64
00:06:52.458 --> 00:06:57.806
Several years ago, we started that here at Willow Ridge Church of having a Sunday that we dedicate.

65
00:06:57.918 --> 00:07:02.142
And we've been growing that and looking what that could look like in our context.

66
00:07:02.206 --> 00:07:09.478
And this year as we sat back and kind of look and saw what God was doing, there was just a wonderful opportunity for us to expand that.

67
00:07:09.564 --> 00:07:11.910
So on that Sunday you'll want to be here.

68
00:07:11.980 --> 00:07:19.094
We're going to have five different missionaries and missionary organizations that are going to be represented here with us.

69
00:07:19.132 --> 00:07:24.538
A little snapshot of what that day will look like that morning.

70
00:07:24.624 --> 00:07:25.034
I'm sorry.

71
00:07:25.072 --> 00:07:26.810
So our guests let me say that first.

72
00:07:26.880 --> 00:07:28.202
Our guests that day will have Dr.

73
00:07:28.256 --> 00:07:28.534
Sam.

74
00:07:28.582 --> 00:07:30.774
John will be here from India.

75
00:07:30.902 --> 00:07:31.578
We'll have.

76
00:07:31.664 --> 00:07:34.270
Daryl Cheeks will be here from the Philippines.

77
00:07:34.610 --> 00:07:38.586
Johnny Rumbo will be here from Lexington Baptist Association.

78
00:07:38.698 --> 00:07:55.186
And if you're just wondering where that johnny and his team are doing a wonderful job in church revitalization in our community, and we partner with them to help strengthen churches because what we understand is one church cannot reach all of the people who live in this area.

79
00:07:55.288 --> 00:08:06.934
And so we cooperate together with other local bodies to empower other churches so that when churches grow and the gospel is shared, it's a win for the kingdom, which means it's a win for us.

80
00:08:06.972 --> 00:08:11.338
And so Johnny's going to be here with us that evening, sharing with us about that.

81
00:08:11.424 --> 00:08:15.562
Rodney Ogle from Black Mountain Children's Home will be with us as well.

82
00:08:15.696 --> 00:08:25.162
Our 6th through twelveTH graders definitely know who Rodney is, and when he walks in, he's not this tall, but it looks like all seven foot of him comes through the door.

83
00:08:25.306 --> 00:08:27.678
And, you'll know, Rodney's a great guy.

84
00:08:27.844 --> 00:08:34.094
But then also to speak to some things you just heard, walter Valencia and his wife Veronica will be here.

85
00:08:34.212 --> 00:08:37.566
They're sort of a new official partnership with us.

86
00:08:37.588 --> 00:08:44.558
In our announcement, we said that we're formalizing this partnership with them in New York City, specifically in Queens.

87
00:08:44.654 --> 00:08:45.850
Walter Pastors.

88
00:08:45.950 --> 00:08:51.286
Iglesia Bautista Nueva vita Berger, and I have been practicing that all week.

89
00:08:51.388 --> 00:08:53.042
That's New Life Baptist Church.

90
00:08:53.106 --> 00:08:53.606
All right.

91
00:08:53.708 --> 00:09:00.662
And reaching a Hispanic community that is there in Queens and God's doing a wonderful work last year at Coats for the City.

92
00:09:00.716 --> 00:09:06.546
When we've done that, I believe for three years, we had a team that went up, and they just got placed with Walter.

93
00:09:06.658 --> 00:09:10.382
And they met Walter and his wife and his team and fell in love with him.

94
00:09:10.436 --> 00:09:13.582
And everyone who came back was within, like, five days.

95
00:09:13.636 --> 00:09:15.082
It's like, but you've got to meet Walter.

96
00:09:15.146 --> 00:09:16.074
You've got to meet Walter.

97
00:09:16.122 --> 00:09:17.178
You've got to meet Walter.

98
00:09:17.274 --> 00:09:20.398
And so I went up to New York and met Walter, and we talked.

99
00:09:20.484 --> 00:09:27.490
And so we are going to be growing that partnership from Coates For the City to much more than that.

100
00:09:27.560 --> 00:09:28.414
And so we're excited.

101
00:09:28.462 --> 00:09:35.502
And so he's going to be here that evening as well, to be able to share all of the things that are going on in his church.

102
00:09:35.566 --> 00:09:36.850
And so you can ask questions.

103
00:09:36.920 --> 00:09:40.246
So that's the guest list of who will be here that day.

104
00:09:40.268 --> 00:09:44.118
On November 19, here's what the day is going to look like that morning.

105
00:09:44.284 --> 00:09:44.662
Dr.

106
00:09:44.716 --> 00:09:47.190
Sam will preach during our service.

107
00:09:47.260 --> 00:09:48.054
He's preached here before.

108
00:09:48.092 --> 00:09:52.118
It is a wonderful job, as he's going to dive into Scripture and teach us from Scripture.

109
00:09:52.214 --> 00:09:58.502
And then that evening, he, as well as all of the other missionaries, will be back here at our church.

110
00:09:58.566 --> 00:10:01.622
And you're invited back at 05:00 for a dinner.

111
00:10:01.686 --> 00:10:04.878
Now, here's how you can help us, and here's where this goes, okay?

112
00:10:05.044 --> 00:10:08.030
This evening, it is a ticketed event.

113
00:10:08.100 --> 00:10:11.774
And so next Sunday, we'll announce that you can get tickets through our website.

114
00:10:11.892 --> 00:10:14.398
Now, we'll have a dinner that night.

115
00:10:14.484 --> 00:10:16.862
The cost is $5 per person.

116
00:10:16.916 --> 00:10:17.214
All right?

117
00:10:17.252 --> 00:10:19.680
So let me kind of break this down.

118
00:10:20.450 --> 00:10:23.520
I got a Big Mac value meal a few weeks ago.

119
00:10:25.370 --> 00:10:29.160
It cost me $12.

120
00:10:30.650 --> 00:10:33.000
I don't know why y'all laughing that hard at me.

121
00:10:34.010 --> 00:10:37.686
We're going to feed you for five, all right?

122
00:10:37.868 --> 00:10:39.960
Now here's what we're doing with that money.

123
00:10:41.070 --> 00:10:44.860
We, through our tithes and offerings, are going to provide the meal, okay?

124
00:10:45.470 --> 00:10:48.378
The ticket helps us know how many we need to plan for.

125
00:10:48.544 --> 00:10:59.182
And then all of the money, 100% every $5 that's spent per person is going straight to missions on the mission fields, okay?

126
00:10:59.316 --> 00:11:01.614
So all that we give, all that you do.

127
00:11:01.652 --> 00:11:05.326
So you're going to get your belly full for $5.

128
00:11:05.428 --> 00:11:07.954
And then all of that is going to go.

129
00:11:08.072 --> 00:11:14.690
Then we're going to have times that evening for large group sharing where missionaries can speak to the group as a whole.

130
00:11:14.760 --> 00:11:22.230
We're going to have small group breakouts where you can go in rooms to learn more and to be able to ask questions and to dialogue and do that.

131
00:11:22.300 --> 00:11:32.262
We're going to have a time for our children's ministry is going to be talking with them, with some of the missionaries and their spouses, and then our youth are going to be built in that as well.

132
00:11:32.316 --> 00:11:41.674
So it is a completely family friendly night that we want to encourage you to be a part of starting at 05:00 clock on November the 19th.

133
00:11:41.722 --> 00:11:42.862
We want you to be there.

134
00:11:42.916 --> 00:11:45.274
Now, at the end of the night, let's speak some love language.

135
00:11:45.322 --> 00:11:45.710
All right?

136
00:11:45.780 --> 00:11:48.558
At the end of the night, we're going to have a dessert fellowship time.

137
00:11:48.644 --> 00:11:48.942
Yes.

138
00:11:48.996 --> 00:11:50.670
And amen together to that, right?

139
00:11:50.740 --> 00:11:52.494
And so we're going to have a dessert fellowship time.

140
00:11:52.532 --> 00:11:57.858
What we're going to ask is that evening, if you're able to, that you bring a dessert with you and then we're going to share that.

141
00:11:57.944 --> 00:12:00.610
And then all of our missionaries will be in here.

142
00:12:00.680 --> 00:12:07.250
They'll have items from their ministry and you can interact with them, you can ask questions, you can do different things.

143
00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:15.510
And so just a wonderful it's not all of the missionaries that we partner with, but just a wonderful snapshot of these different missionaries.

144
00:12:15.930 --> 00:12:22.758
We didn't plan to have this many here, but God just started making ways for us to have this.

145
00:12:22.844 --> 00:12:27.894
And we were sitting there as a staff and like, it would be crazy if we did not use this for the kingdom.

146
00:12:27.942 --> 00:12:49.202
So that you can see and so that we can see that this is even just a snapshot from India to the Philippines to New York to North Carolina to right here in your own backyard, our own backyard of how God is working and how we have a wonderful opportunity to be a part of that.

147
00:12:49.256 --> 00:12:49.570
Okay?

148
00:12:49.640 --> 00:12:54.882
So I want you to be a part of that evening with us also, please.

149
00:12:54.936 --> 00:12:56.180
Coats for the city.

150
00:12:56.550 --> 00:13:02.246
Every year people ask how are we giving for like a Christmas gift for others?

151
00:13:02.348 --> 00:13:05.894
And so we've tried to bring that into a central point for us.

152
00:13:05.932 --> 00:13:07.878
And so that is coats for the city.

153
00:13:07.964 --> 00:13:09.370
That is happening now.

154
00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:11.322
Want to encourage you to do that.

155
00:13:11.456 --> 00:13:12.666
All coat sizes, right?

156
00:13:12.688 --> 00:13:18.986
There will be kids, men, women that need these and so be collecting those.

157
00:13:19.088 --> 00:13:20.358
Clean out your closet.

158
00:13:20.454 --> 00:13:22.746
You probably have too many, just like I do.

159
00:13:22.848 --> 00:13:27.950
And we can get that if you want to go out and purchase some of those that would be welcomed as well.

160
00:13:28.020 --> 00:13:30.062
And just want to have an opportunity for you to do that.

161
00:13:30.116 --> 00:13:32.430
And then last, not least, Pastor Dave talked about this.

162
00:13:32.500 --> 00:13:35.562
Connect in the studies as we continue to go.

163
00:13:35.636 --> 00:13:36.306
I've enjoyed it.

164
00:13:36.328 --> 00:13:37.986
I know so many of you have as well.

165
00:13:38.088 --> 00:13:40.290
And we want to continue on with that.

166
00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:59.820
All right, as we get into our message this morning, have you ever in leadership, whether it's leading your family, whether it's leading at work, whether it's leading a sports team or anything, have you ever had to repeat yourself?

167
00:14:02.190 --> 00:14:02.890
Right?

168
00:14:03.040 --> 00:14:03.980
You have.

169
00:14:05.470 --> 00:14:07.100
You've had to repeat yourself.

170
00:14:08.190 --> 00:14:18.320
I'll tell you, like, if I ever hear this phrase directed at me I've said this before to you.

171
00:14:19.090 --> 00:14:36.660
What is coming to me is something of importance, of important enough to acknowledge that it's been said, but to acknowledge that it's important enough to say it again.

172
00:14:37.370 --> 00:14:41.234
Oftentimes when we read God's Word, we find those moments.

173
00:14:41.282 --> 00:14:46.070
In fact, I've taught a class before on very specifically how to read God's Word.

174
00:14:46.140 --> 00:14:56.634
And one of the exercises that we do is we find a passage of Scripture and we read through that and we find very specifically repetition of words that are there.

175
00:14:56.672 --> 00:14:58.682
So that's a quick freebie this morning.

176
00:14:58.736 --> 00:15:02.606
If you're reading you're like, man holy is mentioned repeatedly throughout this.

177
00:15:02.708 --> 00:15:03.694
There's a reason for that.

178
00:15:03.732 --> 00:15:06.160
That's a word that we need to pay attention to.

179
00:15:06.530 --> 00:15:19.940
Our passage this morning in Genesis 20 is very similar, not exact, but is very similar to a passage of Scripture that we read in Genesis chapter twelve.

180
00:15:20.950 --> 00:15:27.910
And so as we go for this this morning, as we dive in, there's that piece for me that just kind of pauses.

181
00:15:28.730 --> 00:15:42.026
Because God in his sovereignty, god in his power, god as he communicates to us through the words of his scripture, there can be times where we can read passages and go, well, I've heard that before.

182
00:15:42.208 --> 00:15:45.514
Or I've heard something similar before and kind of check out.

183
00:15:45.552 --> 00:15:51.260
And God's like, no, I've told you this before and I'm going to say it again.

184
00:15:51.710 --> 00:15:53.610
I've told you this before and I'm.

185
00:15:53.610 --> 00:15:54.590
Going to say it again.

186
00:15:54.740 --> 00:16:00.302
So as we read through this kind of feel that I've said this before.

187
00:16:00.436 --> 00:16:02.694
I'm going to say it again from the Lord.

188
00:16:02.842 --> 00:16:03.378
All right?

189
00:16:03.464 --> 00:16:05.700
So let's start Genesis chapter 20.

190
00:16:07.350 --> 00:16:12.722
We're going to start in verse one from there.

191
00:16:12.776 --> 00:16:15.426
Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the.

192
00:16:15.448 --> 00:16:17.870
GEB and lived between Kadesh and Shur.

193
00:16:18.030 --> 00:16:21.106
And he journeyed sojourned in Gerar.

194
00:16:21.298 --> 00:16:26.950
And Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, she is my sister.

195
00:16:27.690 --> 00:16:33.882
And Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah very similar to what happened.

196
00:16:33.936 --> 00:16:35.914
In Egypt in Genesis twelve.

197
00:16:36.112 --> 00:16:38.026
But God came to Abimelek in a.

198
00:16:38.048 --> 00:16:39.942
Dream by night and said to him.

199
00:16:40.096 --> 00:16:46.686
Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken.

200
00:16:46.868 --> 00:16:48.938
For she is a man's wife.

201
00:16:49.034 --> 00:16:49.630
Right?

202
00:16:49.780 --> 00:16:51.520
Bad dream to have.

203
00:16:52.550 --> 00:17:01.140
Now, Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, Lord, will you kill an innocent people?

204
00:17:02.230 --> 00:17:04.974
Did he not himself say to me.

205
00:17:05.032 --> 00:17:07.030
She is my sister?

206
00:17:07.610 --> 00:17:11.110
And she herself said, he is my brother.

207
00:17:11.930 --> 00:17:17.800
In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands, I have done this.

208
00:17:18.430 --> 00:17:31.518
Then God said to him in the dream, yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me.

209
00:17:31.604 --> 00:17:34.560
Therefore, I did not let you touch her.

210
00:17:35.410 --> 00:17:46.420
Now then return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you and you shall live.

211
00:17:46.950 --> 00:17:57.218
But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.

212
00:17:57.394 --> 00:17:59.720
So let's pause there for a second.

213
00:18:00.090 --> 00:18:06.120
Are these similarities that come back from Genesis twelve to Genesis 20?

214
00:18:06.490 --> 00:18:17.606
In our study of Scripture, we see this with Abraham, where we can look at Abraham like we did over the last several weeks in the situation with Abraham and Lot, the situation with Abraham.

215
00:18:17.638 --> 00:18:24.170
And sodom in these pieces and we can find these men and women of faith like Abraham as we read through Scripture.

216
00:18:24.330 --> 00:18:34.286
And Scripture does a beautiful job of painting a picture for them of what it looks like to walk in holiness to the Lord and calling us to things in.

217
00:18:34.308 --> 00:18:36.926
That how we should respond similarly.

218
00:18:37.038 --> 00:18:49.510
But if we're not careful, these people that we study about can end up being the object of the reason why we read what we read and they become the standard and not the Lord.

219
00:18:50.010 --> 00:19:09.018
And so what God does beautifully in this in the dialogue where we get with Abraham, it's this journey of radical obedience at the very beginning of Genesis chapter twelve to radical disobedience later in Genesis chapter twelve.

220
00:19:09.104 --> 00:19:14.240
And it's back where we find ourselves in Genesis 20.

221
00:19:15.570 --> 00:19:16.990
Genesis 19.

222
00:19:17.970 --> 00:19:22.640
He's the hero in Genesis chapter 20.

223
00:19:23.350 --> 00:19:24.740
Are you kidding me?

224
00:19:25.110 --> 00:19:52.570
And I think what we're going to see here is in Abraham there's this conflict that's in him, that is a conflict within many of us that in one area or in multiple areas of my life I'm locked into being this spiritual stronghold, this spiritual leader, this person of spiritual maturity.

225
00:19:52.990 --> 00:20:03.390
But in other situations I don't show the same strength, the same character, the same integrity, the same obedience, the same love for the Lord.

226
00:20:06.430 --> 00:20:11.722
And what we see in this is how this ripples out in his life.

227
00:20:11.776 --> 00:20:33.970
And so what I want us to look at here is Abraham, where one chapter or two chapters ago, he can be the man that prays for the Lord to not wipe out everyone and pleads for the salvation of people whose wickedness scripture says is great and grave.

228
00:20:35.350 --> 00:20:38.466
And now a man who, for the.

229
00:20:38.488 --> 00:20:46.418
Second time, sells out his wife for his own sake.

230
00:20:46.594 --> 00:20:49.800
And so we see this ripple effect.

231
00:20:50.170 --> 00:20:54.250
Of this behavior and then how it begins to spread.

232
00:20:54.670 --> 00:21:03.050
And so as we think about this in this context, let's look at this and we see first we see this ripple of sin is numbness.

233
00:21:03.470 --> 00:21:07.002
This is what's going to come out from Abraham.

234
00:21:07.066 --> 00:21:10.880
This is the second time that this happens.

235
00:21:14.610 --> 00:21:18.500
Have you ever let me use an example.

236
00:21:19.590 --> 00:21:21.010
Have you ever lied?

237
00:21:23.590 --> 00:21:25.620
And then right when you do it.

238
00:21:26.790 --> 00:21:30.360
You go, why did I just do that?

239
00:21:31.850 --> 00:21:36.840
Maybe it was in the exaggeration of a story.

240
00:21:38.170 --> 00:21:42.860
Maybe it was in taking credit for something that someone else did.

241
00:21:43.710 --> 00:21:55.530
Maybe it was an opportunity where partial truth in your mind was good enough, so why not tell the partial truth instead of telling the whole truth?

242
00:21:55.690 --> 00:22:09.618
Or in a moment where you think to yourself, if I completely tell what's going on, then I'm going to live in a reality of that, only to realize that that's not the case at all?

243
00:22:09.784 --> 00:22:12.322
You're probably absolutely I've done that.

244
00:22:12.376 --> 00:22:15.950
And there's other areas of our life where we commit sin.

245
00:22:16.030 --> 00:22:23.240
And then we look back in the moment oftentimes and we wonder, why did I just do that?

246
00:22:26.250 --> 00:22:31.670
And that can be so much of the danger of sin.

247
00:22:32.670 --> 00:22:51.374
It's not that we're going out from here and robbing a bank, but it's that we're going out from here and in a passive aggressive way, sharing a small piece of gossip, which really isn't that big a deal about the person who sat next to me this morning, to a person that knows them.

248
00:22:51.412 --> 00:22:52.446
I just want to kind of share this.

249
00:22:52.468 --> 00:22:55.280
And by the way, I'm going to do it under the guise, would you pray for them?

250
00:22:57.670 --> 00:23:03.634
And what happens is the more and more we do that, the more and.

251
00:23:03.672 --> 00:23:08.794
More we suppress the spirit in us that's commanding us to be holy.

252
00:23:08.942 --> 00:23:10.278
And the more and more that the.

253
00:23:10.284 --> 00:23:16.470
Sin becomes normal and we just become numb.

254
00:23:17.530 --> 00:23:20.680
So why did Abraham do this?

255
00:23:22.110 --> 00:23:23.340
He did it before.

256
00:23:25.230 --> 00:23:31.100
And in spite of before seeing what God would do, he does it again.

257
00:23:32.270 --> 00:23:36.126
There's the hardness of the heart that we can begin to experience when we.

258
00:23:36.228 --> 00:23:39.454
Allow sin to be more and to.

259
00:23:39.492 --> 00:23:41.566
Be more and to be more and.

260
00:23:41.588 --> 00:23:46.980
To be more of who we are, even as God's people.

261
00:23:47.350 --> 00:23:52.530
And we become numb to it in Abraham's life.

262
00:23:52.600 --> 00:24:00.840
What we see in this passage of Scripture is a ripple effect of sin, is in the devaluation of others.

263
00:24:02.090 --> 00:24:05.782
There's a couple of aspects that I want us to see before this.

264
00:24:05.836 --> 00:24:09.862
But you can see these aspects even.

265
00:24:09.916 --> 00:24:13.146
In what happened before in the very.

266
00:24:13.248 --> 00:24:17.354
First marriage in Genesis, chapter two that.

267
00:24:17.392 --> 00:24:24.154
You see that Abraham has here with his wife Sarah in Genesis, chapter two.

268
00:24:24.272 --> 00:24:32.094
The gift that God gives Adam the gift of Eve, the gift of marriage that they have in this moment.

269
00:24:32.292 --> 00:24:37.630
And in that moment, and what we see here as well with Sarah is the marriage.

270
00:24:37.710 --> 00:24:40.926
The spouse, the bride is devalued.

271
00:24:41.038 --> 00:24:48.178
And in that moment, what she becomes in this moment, as God has dealt with Abraham and Sarah before.

272
00:24:48.264 --> 00:24:48.610
Right.

273
00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:52.402
God's blessing of Sarah is God's blessing of Abraham.

274
00:24:52.466 --> 00:25:02.250
In this and in this moment, in here, what Sarah becomes is not one of value, but she becomes property and not a partner.

275
00:25:03.550 --> 00:25:08.170
In this moment, she becomes a liability and not an asset.

276
00:25:09.150 --> 00:25:14.480
In this moment with Abraham, she becomes an object, not a person.

277
00:25:16.050 --> 00:25:19.310
No, that's not my wife.

278
00:25:19.650 --> 00:25:21.360
Why does he say that?

279
00:25:22.610 --> 00:25:30.622
Because he is who he's most worried about, in my concern.

280
00:25:30.686 --> 00:25:36.514
As we look at this, this dynamic plays out in multiple ways in our life.

281
00:25:36.712 --> 00:25:43.766
But when the ripple effect of sin becomes to be what we devalue others in our life, we take others to.

282
00:25:43.788 --> 00:25:52.410
Places that they were never intended to be in our life, in marriage.

283
00:25:53.150 --> 00:26:17.582
And in the picture that we give from Scripture, the picture is not the husband before and the wife behind the picture of marriage is not the wife ahead and the husband lagging behind the picture of the marriage.

284
00:26:17.646 --> 00:26:25.860
That God ordains his husband and wife, man and woman, side by side.

285
00:26:29.850 --> 00:26:59.520
And Abraham has shown a pattern in his life of devaluing the person who's there to be his partner, who's there to be an asset to who he is, and he's to be an asset to who she is and to be a person made in the image of God.

286
00:27:00.290 --> 00:27:01.840
This is what we see.

287
00:27:02.370 --> 00:27:07.620
But this is where this sin has crept in and created this.

288
00:27:07.990 --> 00:27:08.834
We see him?

289
00:27:08.872 --> 00:27:10.222
Devalue Abimelech.

290
00:27:10.286 --> 00:27:16.814
Now, there's some language that is used here within this, but Abimelek is in a dream.

291
00:27:16.862 --> 00:27:35.882
Nothing in Scripture points to in this moment that Abimelech, having placed his faith in the God of Abraham, what's amazing here okay, what's amazing here in the life of Abimelech to me and in the life of Abraham, as he does this is just two chapters ago.

292
00:27:35.936 --> 00:27:51.226
What we just talked about is Abraham moves from being a man who pleads for the salvation of people, and now he takes Abimelech.

293
00:27:51.418 --> 00:28:00.660
And Abimelech is not an object of his prayer, a person of his prayer, but Abimelech is moved to an objectionable person.

294
00:28:01.590 --> 00:28:05.700
And that's what sin can create in our lives.

295
00:28:06.150 --> 00:28:10.660
That's what sin can begin to build in our lives.

296
00:28:11.830 --> 00:28:13.330
So let's keep reading.

297
00:28:13.830 --> 00:28:15.490
So Abimelech had this dream.

298
00:28:15.570 --> 00:28:17.030
What's he going to do with this?

299
00:28:17.180 --> 00:28:24.090
So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all of his servants and told them all of these things, right?

300
00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:25.978
Most awkward staff meeting that they'd had.

301
00:28:25.984 --> 00:28:27.100
In a long time.

302
00:28:27.710 --> 00:28:29.878
And the men were very much afraid.

303
00:28:29.974 --> 00:28:35.660
Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, what have you done to us?

304
00:28:36.110 --> 00:28:42.586
And how have I sinned against you that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin.

305
00:28:42.698 --> 00:28:45.918
You have done to me things that ought not to be done.

306
00:28:46.004 --> 00:28:51.060
And Abimelech said to Abraham, what did you see that you did this thing?

307
00:28:52.230 --> 00:29:03.830
Abraham said, I did it because I thought there is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.

308
00:29:04.650 --> 00:29:08.406
Besides, she is indeed my sister, the.

309
00:29:08.428 --> 00:29:12.046
Daughter of my father, though not the daughter of my mother.

310
00:29:12.098 --> 00:29:13.990
And she became my wife.

311
00:29:14.150 --> 00:29:21.418
And when God calls me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, this is the kindness you must.

312
00:29:21.504 --> 00:29:25.726
Do me at every place to which we come.

313
00:29:25.908 --> 00:29:31.630
Say of me, he is my brother.

314
00:29:32.370 --> 00:29:34.160
Now, look at what.

315
00:29:36.630 --> 00:29:38.020
Abraham says.

316
00:29:39.350 --> 00:29:42.260
There is no fear of God in this place.

317
00:29:44.150 --> 00:29:47.380
How arrogant is that?

318
00:29:48.810 --> 00:29:51.670
No, there's a fear.

319
00:29:52.730 --> 00:29:54.866
There's an understanding.

320
00:29:55.058 --> 00:30:03.238
There might not be a faith that has been placed yet in this moment, but what we see here is Abraham.

321
00:30:03.334 --> 00:30:04.886
Where's your fear?

322
00:30:05.078 --> 00:30:07.466
Where's your right reverence for God?

323
00:30:07.648 --> 00:30:10.074
Where's your understanding of who he is?

324
00:30:10.192 --> 00:30:12.246
Where's your value of marriage?

325
00:30:12.358 --> 00:30:13.290
Where is this?

326
00:30:13.360 --> 00:30:24.670
But this can be what begins to ripple out in a person that is in the lineage of what Christ would come from the father of our faith in very many ways, of what we hold to.

327
00:30:24.740 --> 00:30:39.490
But it's what happens in the danger when these little areas of sin are infiltrating our lives and what we see in this that the more that it ripples out is the ripple effect of sin in Abraham's life.

328
00:30:39.560 --> 00:30:46.600
And in our life is oftentimes we hurt, we damage, we destroy our witness to others.

329
00:30:47.130 --> 00:30:50.358
Look at what Abimelek says to Abraham in verses nine and ten.

330
00:30:50.444 --> 00:30:53.100
What have you done to us?

331
00:30:53.790 --> 00:31:02.726
And how have I sinned against you that you have brought on me and my kingdom?

332
00:31:02.838 --> 00:31:04.010
Great sin.

333
00:31:04.610 --> 00:31:08.800
You have done to me things that ought not to be done.

334
00:31:09.410 --> 00:31:12.702
And Abimelech said to Abraham, what did.

335
00:31:12.756 --> 00:31:16.080
You see that you did this thing?

336
00:31:18.390 --> 00:31:27.060
The Bible calls us to be a witness, to go from here.

337
00:31:28.470 --> 00:31:32.614
In Ephesians two, the word would be.

338
00:31:32.652 --> 00:31:56.640
Used evidence be the evidence of God amongst a people who do not know him to be a display of the work of the power of God that he can take.

339
00:31:57.970 --> 00:31:59.280
Busted up.

340
00:32:00.210 --> 00:32:23.670
Messed up, foolish decision making sinful people like you and me and do a work in our lives that causes us to be different and to live for his name and his renown.

341
00:32:25.290 --> 00:32:51.150
And when we allow this unchecked sin to creep into our lives, what can begin to happen is the negative effect on the mission of God and our place in it, and it continues to spread in Abraham.

342
00:32:51.810 --> 00:32:58.162
What we continue to see in him in this moment as well is look at what he does.

343
00:32:58.216 --> 00:33:05.570
And a ripple effect of sin is a lack of accountability and the danger that it brings.

344
00:33:07.910 --> 00:33:10.626
Let's look at what Abraham says in response.

345
00:33:10.738 --> 00:33:15.720
First thing, he blames Abimelech, right?

346
00:33:16.810 --> 00:33:19.640
Have you ever been there and something happened?

347
00:33:20.410 --> 00:33:24.120
You didn't know that it happened, but it happened.

348
00:33:24.490 --> 00:33:34.954
And now you're getting blamed for something that you weren't a part of, that you didn't participate in, that you had no knowledge of until this very moment, and now you're sitting there and you're getting blamed.

349
00:33:35.082 --> 00:33:36.510
That's Abimelech.

350
00:33:37.890 --> 00:33:44.910
Abraham said, there is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.

351
00:33:45.650 --> 00:33:56.958
There's such a lack of the connection within here, within Abraham, that in his positioning now, what he does is he been like, you got it all wrong, bud.

352
00:33:57.054 --> 00:33:57.922
You got it all wrong.

353
00:33:57.976 --> 00:33:59.090
It's your fault.

354
00:34:00.010 --> 00:34:01.430
It's your fault.

355
00:34:02.010 --> 00:34:04.760
You're the one that created this.

356
00:34:05.210 --> 00:34:07.222
You're not righteous, you're not good.

357
00:34:07.276 --> 00:34:08.130
You're not holy.

358
00:34:08.210 --> 00:34:09.430
It's your fault.

359
00:34:10.090 --> 00:34:12.230
Then Abraham blames.

360
00:34:13.470 --> 00:34:17.930
Look which this is truth from scripture.

361
00:34:18.590 --> 00:34:25.418
She is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, though not the daughter of my mother.

362
00:34:25.514 --> 00:34:28.190
And she became my wife.

363
00:34:28.530 --> 00:34:31.870
Listen, man, here's how this all played out.

364
00:34:32.020 --> 00:34:33.706
Not really my fault.

365
00:34:33.898 --> 00:34:36.546
These are the circumstances I just.

366
00:34:36.568 --> 00:34:37.554
Didn't tell you all.

367
00:34:37.672 --> 00:34:39.042
I just told you some.

368
00:34:39.176 --> 00:34:42.420
Look, man, I'm just a victim like you in this situation.

369
00:34:45.930 --> 00:34:47.880
And then Abraham blames God.

370
00:34:50.590 --> 00:34:59.260
When God caused me to wander from my Father's house.

371
00:35:03.170 --> 00:35:16.850
God, if you hadn't placed me with her, if you didn't place me here, then I wouldn't have responded in the way that I responded.

372
00:35:17.910 --> 00:35:28.440
And so, God, in this scenario, I'm actually the innocent one and you're the guilty one.

373
00:35:29.450 --> 00:35:37.510
Now, we might not say those words, but we've definitely thought those thoughts.

374
00:35:38.410 --> 00:35:43.640
We've definitely allowed that to play out of God.

375
00:35:48.030 --> 00:35:50.060
You're the reason why I'm here.

376
00:35:50.910 --> 00:35:54.960
You're the reason why I find myself where I am.

377
00:35:57.730 --> 00:36:02.750
But God does something incredible.

378
00:36:04.290 --> 00:36:06.210
Let's read 14 through 18.

379
00:36:09.590 --> 00:36:23.960
Then Abimelek took sheep and oxen and male servants and female servants and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah, his wife, to him.

380
00:36:24.410 --> 00:36:30.890
And Abimelech said, behold, my land is before you.

381
00:36:31.040 --> 00:36:33.020
Dwell where it pleases you.

382
00:36:33.630 --> 00:36:40.330
To Sarah he said, behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver.

383
00:36:40.670 --> 00:36:48.400
It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you and before everyone.

384
00:36:48.930 --> 00:36:50.590
You are vindicated.

385
00:36:51.730 --> 00:36:55.450
Then Abraham prayed to God, and God.

386
00:36:55.540 --> 00:37:01.294
Healed Abimelech and also healed his wife and female slaves.

387
00:37:01.422 --> 00:37:11.030
So they bore children, for the Lord had closed all of the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

388
00:37:13.530 --> 00:37:14.870
We leave Ripples.

389
00:37:17.130 --> 00:37:18.280
Every day.

390
00:37:20.270 --> 00:37:25.050
We think it's a pebble, but, man, we're dropping boulders in the pond.

391
00:37:26.430 --> 00:37:34.270
And God comes in, in his grace, in his kindness, and he restores.

392
00:37:36.690 --> 00:37:38.320
Abraham thought.

393
00:37:39.890 --> 00:37:45.710
This is what Abimelech will do, so this is how I will respond.

394
00:37:47.190 --> 00:37:53.700
And then God takes a king and speaks to him.

395
00:37:54.390 --> 00:37:55.042
In what?

396
00:37:55.096 --> 00:38:01.320
Abimelech, who has done nothing wrong in this situation.

397
00:38:02.970 --> 00:38:05.910
Abimelech is innocent.

398
00:38:06.970 --> 00:38:10.390
But what does God do through Abimelech?

399
00:38:10.750 --> 00:38:13.930
Is he restores Abraham.

400
00:38:16.350 --> 00:38:25.520
Abimelech did not have to do anything, but he did.

401
00:38:27.410 --> 00:38:36.260
And I think about that with us and Jesus, who's guilty in this story?

402
00:38:37.110 --> 00:38:40.740
Abraham, who's innocent in this story?

403
00:38:41.110 --> 00:38:42.370
Abimelech.

404
00:38:43.030 --> 00:38:45.250
Who's guilty in your life and mine?

405
00:38:45.670 --> 00:38:46.660
We are.

406
00:38:47.110 --> 00:38:48.918
Who's innocent in it?

407
00:38:49.084 --> 00:38:50.200
Jesus is.

408
00:38:50.890 --> 00:38:53.746
Who made the payment for Abraham?

409
00:38:53.938 --> 00:38:55.526
Abimelech did.

410
00:38:55.708 --> 00:38:57.558
Who made the payment for us?

411
00:38:57.724 --> 00:38:58.920
Jesus did.

412
00:39:00.750 --> 00:39:02.970
It's the display of the Gospel.

413
00:39:04.030 --> 00:39:06.970
And that in that, Abraham's restored.

414
00:39:07.470 --> 00:39:12.906
And in Jesus's payment, we're restored and we're made new.

415
00:39:13.088 --> 00:39:16.670
And we now have right standing with the Father.

416
00:39:18.130 --> 00:39:20.526
And then we jump over to chapter 21.

417
00:39:20.708 --> 00:39:21.774
We're just going to read a few.

418
00:39:21.812 --> 00:39:25.230
Verses and point us toward when I get back from India.

419
00:39:30.400 --> 00:39:39.500
The Lord visited Sarah, as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah, as he promised.

420
00:39:40.400 --> 00:39:50.050
And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.

421
00:39:50.740 --> 00:39:58.660
Abraham called the name of his son, who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, isaac.

422
00:39:59.480 --> 00:40:06.470
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

423
00:40:07.020 --> 00:40:12.170
Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

424
00:40:12.780 --> 00:40:17.770
And Sarah said, God has made laughter for me.

425
00:40:18.720 --> 00:40:22.350
Everyone who hears will laugh over me.

426
00:40:23.120 --> 00:40:27.592
And she said, who would have said to Abraham?

427
00:40:27.736 --> 00:40:30.510
And Sarah would nurse children?

428
00:40:31.380 --> 00:40:35.250
Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.

429
00:40:36.900 --> 00:40:53.510
And God being the God that made his promise to Abraham, god the God who walked through the covenant signing it for him.

430
00:40:53.960 --> 00:41:02.840
And Abraham as Abraham went and made ripples, god remembered.

431
00:41:04.300 --> 00:41:14.300
And as Abraham went from the Mountaintop of Faithfulness to the Valley of Unfaithfulness, god remembered.

432
00:41:15.200 --> 00:41:22.690
And then God did exactly what God said he would do.

433
00:41:23.700 --> 00:41:57.400
And I'm so thankful that in my life, as I walk through and drop boulder after boulder into the ponds that surround me, that God comes and calms the storms that I create, that God comes and remembers the promise of what was made to me through Christ, and that I am his and he is mine.

434
00:41:59.280 --> 00:42:05.230
Abraham and Sarah were not given Isaac because they were good.

435
00:42:06.960 --> 00:42:12.210
Abraham and Sarah were given Isaac because God is good.

436
00:42:13.380 --> 00:42:15.490
And that's the hope that we have.

437
00:42:16.420 --> 00:42:17.890
Would you pray with me?

438
00:42:29.590 --> 00:42:32.100
God, I thank you for your repetition of word.

439
00:42:33.670 --> 00:42:37.966
I thank you for the truth of Your scripture, Lord.

440
00:42:37.998 --> 00:42:43.160
I thank you that so many times.

441
00:42:47.770 --> 00:42:55.800
Lord, we walk out of a service where we sing praises to you.

442
00:42:58.650 --> 00:43:02.102
Our words are filled with life and.

443
00:43:02.156 --> 00:43:12.294
Hope and meaning and promise and truth and joy, Lord.

444
00:43:12.342 --> 00:43:14.060
And we walk out of here.

445
00:43:16.430 --> 00:43:16.806
And.

446
00:43:16.848 --> 00:43:24.270
We drop boulder after boulder after boulder of sin.

447
00:43:26.370 --> 00:43:30.318
And we see, Lord, oftentimes we don't.

448
00:43:30.334 --> 00:43:31.534
See I'm sorry, Lord.

449
00:43:31.662 --> 00:43:34.020
We don't see what we create.

450
00:43:35.030 --> 00:43:37.380
We don't see the damage that is there.

451
00:43:40.070 --> 00:43:42.360
And God forgive us of that.

452
00:43:43.450 --> 00:43:50.120
God, forgive me where I sing praises to you and words of destruction to others.

453
00:43:52.010 --> 00:43:59.020
Lord, forgive me where I speak the truth of Your word, but speak deception to others.

454
00:44:01.310 --> 00:44:08.350
Lord, forgive me where I set my heart on you and in other moments set my heart on idols.

455
00:44:14.550 --> 00:44:27.190
And God, I pray that that would be the desire that who we are at the mountaintop would be who we are in the valley.

456
00:44:28.170 --> 00:44:32.390
There's no doubt, Lord, that Abraham's fear.

457
00:44:33.690 --> 00:44:41.450
Consumed him and he reverted back to a man of little faith.

458
00:44:42.510 --> 00:44:49.710
Lord, may we be men and women of faith, the power of the Gospel.

459
00:44:50.530 --> 00:45:02.980
God, we thank you that in Your son Jesus Christ, in his innocence, he paid the price.

460
00:45:04.550 --> 00:45:08.340
In his innocence he restored us.

461
00:45:09.430 --> 00:45:19.880
God, we thank you that you remember, you fulfill Your promise of Your Word.

462
00:45:20.490 --> 00:45:22.470
And it's in Jesus name we pray.

463
00:45:27.530 --> 00:45:32.034
Thanks again for listening and be sure to check back next week for another episode.

464
00:45:32.162 --> 00:45:39.850
In the meantime, you can visit us@willowridgechurch.org or by searching for Willow Ridge Church on Facebook, book, Instagram and Twitter.