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 00:00:20.290 --> 00:00:21.440 Well, good morning. 5 00:00:22.130 --> 00:00:29.574 If you have your bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join and me in Genesis, chapter 24 as you turn there. 6 00:00:29.692 --> 00:00:32.642 Today is a Super Bowl Sunday. 7 00:00:32.706 --> 00:00:39.174 I'm a Green Bay packers fan, so I don't really have a heart affection toward either one of the teams that are there. 8 00:00:39.212 --> 00:00:45.450 But I've had several people ask me this morning who I'm pulling for and I'm pulling for San Francisco. 9 00:00:46.270 --> 00:00:49.702 I think Kansas City is going to win, but I'm pulling for San Francisco. 10 00:00:49.766 --> 00:00:52.506 Grayson's a San Francisco fan, so I'm pulling for them. 11 00:00:52.528 --> 00:00:53.690 So here's what I'd like to do. 12 00:00:53.760 --> 00:00:59.354 I'd like to just do a quick survey because these will say a lot about the makeup of our church. 13 00:00:59.402 --> 00:01:05.406 All right, so I'm going to give you four options this morning of who you're pulling for. 14 00:01:05.588 --> 00:01:06.478 All right? 15 00:01:06.644 --> 00:01:07.406 So show a hand. 16 00:01:07.428 --> 00:01:08.578 I'm not going to tell you what they are. 17 00:01:08.664 --> 00:01:09.634 You just got to go through. 18 00:01:09.672 --> 00:01:17.510 All right, number one, raise your hand and leave it up in the air if you are going to pull for the San Francisco 49 ers. 19 00:01:19.050 --> 00:01:19.910 All right. 20 00:01:20.060 --> 00:01:20.710 There we go. 21 00:01:20.780 --> 00:01:21.126 That's good. 22 00:01:21.148 --> 00:01:21.446 That's good. 23 00:01:21.468 --> 00:01:22.520 Put your hands down. 24 00:01:23.450 --> 00:01:27.990 Raise your hand if you're on that bandwagon of Kansas City Chiefs. 25 00:01:30.670 --> 00:01:31.994 Some of you, some of you. 26 00:01:32.032 --> 00:01:32.998 Or legitimately? 27 00:01:33.094 --> 00:01:35.370 Legitimately, Mike Morgan. 28 00:01:39.550 --> 00:01:41.920 Raise your hand if you don't care. 29 00:01:45.410 --> 00:01:46.750 There's a fourth. 30 00:01:47.970 --> 00:01:50.350 Raise your hand if you're pulling for Taylor Swift. 31 00:01:54.790 --> 00:01:55.826 Now, here's what. 32 00:01:55.928 --> 00:01:56.740 All right. 33 00:01:58.470 --> 00:02:02.660 I have the beauty of seeing some things that you can't see. 34 00:02:04.950 --> 00:02:06.290 Two observations. 35 00:02:06.790 --> 00:02:10.774 All right, observation number one, for the most part, for the first three, people. 36 00:02:10.812 --> 00:02:12.214 Kind of raise their hand like this. 37 00:02:12.332 --> 00:02:15.366 But there's a lady in the back row, I'm not going to say her name. 38 00:02:15.548 --> 00:02:18.950 That hand went up like this for Taylor Swift. 39 00:02:20.330 --> 00:02:28.490 There's also a husband to my right who raised his hand for Taylor Swift and got a nudge from his wife at the same time with that. 40 00:02:28.640 --> 00:02:36.878 Whatever you do, I hope you guys have a good time and I hope it doesn't ruin everybody's night for whatever it comes up with. 41 00:02:36.964 --> 00:02:39.006 I'm kind of more there with the I don't care. 42 00:02:39.108 --> 00:02:40.746 I'm just there for the commercials. 43 00:02:40.778 --> 00:02:41.118 Right. 44 00:02:41.204 --> 00:02:48.318 Well, what we got this morning is for those of you who are going to watch whether you've been invited to a party. 45 00:02:48.414 --> 00:03:03.718 So you're just going for the fellowship, or if you're passionate about it today, traditionally in our culture, has been a day of sports, of football, of all the things that culminate into taking place. 46 00:03:03.804 --> 00:03:20.178 I did find it interesting that Travis Kelsey's mom was interviewed this week and asked, she's got a box seat that Travis Kelsey has for her at all Kansas City home games and most Kansas City away games. 47 00:03:20.374 --> 00:03:28.190 And the mom was asked if she was going to have a box seat from her son for the Super bowl. 48 00:03:28.770 --> 00:03:35.522 And in all seriousness, the mom said this, no, I can't afford it, but I think his girlfriend can. 49 00:03:35.576 --> 00:03:36.180 Right? 50 00:03:36.870 --> 00:03:40.194 So mom's holding out for the seat that's there. 51 00:03:40.392 --> 00:03:46.120 But today, maybe some of you, you're intrigued by the love story. 52 00:03:46.490 --> 00:03:51.346 You're intrigued about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey. 53 00:03:51.458 --> 00:03:53.746 And that's your reasoning for watching it tonight. 54 00:03:53.778 --> 00:03:54.226 And here's. 55 00:03:54.258 --> 00:03:55.446 I'm going to say, that's okay. 56 00:03:55.548 --> 00:03:56.440 That's okay. 57 00:03:56.890 --> 00:04:07.974 What I think is neat today, as we're here on a day, I bet there's a lot of pastors that are starting off their message with a reference to the Super bowl. 58 00:04:08.102 --> 00:04:11.840 But in Genesis, chapter 24, we're going to read a love story. 59 00:04:13.410 --> 00:04:14.846 And this is a love story. 60 00:04:14.948 --> 00:04:18.906 Like, when you read through it, this isn't a Nicholas sparks. 61 00:04:18.938 --> 00:04:20.430 This is not a hallmark. 62 00:04:20.770 --> 00:04:28.420 This is not a love story that could be written by anyone else other than God. 63 00:04:29.350 --> 00:04:37.518 This is a love story where we see the hand of God at work and moving, and what we want to do is dive into this and draw from it. 64 00:04:37.704 --> 00:04:40.360 What do you have for us in this? 65 00:04:41.370 --> 00:04:50.220 I think it's reasonable to say that what we want God to do is that we want to know God's story for our life. 66 00:04:50.990 --> 00:04:54.540 We want God to write our story. 67 00:04:55.630 --> 00:04:59.514 But what tends to happen in my life probably tends to happen in your life. 68 00:04:59.632 --> 00:05:04.170 And I know that it happens in the life of those that we see from scripture. 69 00:05:04.330 --> 00:05:08.720 It's this, that knowing that there's a story, we want to choose our own story. 70 00:05:09.490 --> 00:05:11.550 We want to choose our own path. 71 00:05:11.970 --> 00:05:13.970 We want to choose our own narrative. 72 00:05:14.790 --> 00:05:29.670 It's been the battle that we've seen in humanity since Genesis three, as we've studied back through the temptation of sin, the temptation to take things in our own hands, the temptation of playing this out in our own way. 73 00:05:29.820 --> 00:05:38.570 And no one, as we've read through so far in Genesis, knows this, or we've seen this more in the life of Abraham. 74 00:05:39.310 --> 00:05:41.050 This has been his battle. 75 00:05:42.350 --> 00:05:47.946 Great moments of faith, great moments of sin, moments where he trusts in the. 76 00:05:47.968 --> 00:05:50.254 Plan of God moment, where he takes. 77 00:05:50.292 --> 00:05:55.280 Control of his own plans for himself and everywhere in between. 78 00:05:56.610 --> 00:06:04.722 When you look at your life and I look at my life, here's what I'm going to assume and what I hope and honestly what I believe. 79 00:06:04.856 --> 00:06:11.570 For those of us who profess Jesus Christ, who follow him, he is our lord and savior. 80 00:06:12.070 --> 00:06:15.302 I think this is what your life, for the most part looks like. 81 00:06:15.356 --> 00:06:21.270 Mine is that we are on this spiritual trajectory of maturity. 82 00:06:22.090 --> 00:06:23.526 We desire to be. 83 00:06:23.628 --> 00:06:25.238 We're longing to be. 84 00:06:25.404 --> 00:06:28.138 We're working in that process. 85 00:06:28.304 --> 00:06:30.300 God's working in our lives. 86 00:06:30.990 --> 00:06:45.200 And as we grow day in and day out to love and trust him more with our lives, we begin to filter the decisions we make, decisions that deeply affect us. 87 00:06:45.650 --> 00:06:52.960 And I hope we ask ourselves this question, God, what is your will for my life? 88 00:06:54.150 --> 00:06:58.722 I hope that's not a once in a lifetime question you ask yourself. 89 00:06:58.856 --> 00:07:03.570 I hope that's not a once a year question you ask yourself. 90 00:07:03.720 --> 00:07:18.726 I do hope it's a continual question that you're asking yourself as you're going through the decisions that you make, the plans for your future, on what you're going to do that you ask God, could you share with me? 91 00:07:18.828 --> 00:07:23.980 Could you communicate with me, what is your will for my life? 92 00:07:24.830 --> 00:07:35.886 I know if I were to give you the top five reasons that people want to talk to me about spiritual things, it is in the desire to know the answer to this question, but. 93 00:07:35.908 --> 00:07:37.760 What is God's will for my life? 94 00:07:38.370 --> 00:07:42.240 How can I know God's will for my life? 95 00:07:42.950 --> 00:07:57.880 And if I were to ask you, is this an easy question to answer most of you legitimately, so would say that's a difficult question to ask. 96 00:07:58.410 --> 00:08:01.640 It's a difficult question to find. 97 00:08:02.250 --> 00:08:17.420 And what we're going to look at is this is see that there's great and powerful simplicity in knowing God's will for your life and me knowing God's will for my life? 98 00:08:18.030 --> 00:08:23.822 I think three misconceptions that we believe when it comes to knowing God's will. 99 00:08:23.956 --> 00:08:25.102 I think one is this. 100 00:08:25.156 --> 00:08:27.162 We can buy into the lie. 101 00:08:27.226 --> 00:08:29.360 Number one, that it's impossible to know. 102 00:08:30.130 --> 00:08:33.954 Can we truly know what God's will is for my life? 103 00:08:33.992 --> 00:08:36.002 It is impossible for me. 104 00:08:36.136 --> 00:08:39.810 In my level of spiritual understanding, it is impossible. 105 00:08:40.710 --> 00:08:43.700 Line number two, I think that we can fall into. 106 00:08:44.390 --> 00:08:54.454 It is only through great difficulty and great searching and great seeking that I can know God's will for my life. 107 00:08:54.492 --> 00:08:55.954 Now, is there searching? 108 00:08:56.002 --> 00:08:56.802 Is there seeking? 109 00:08:56.866 --> 00:08:58.102 Is there wrestling? 110 00:08:58.166 --> 00:08:58.780 Sure. 111 00:09:00.910 --> 00:09:06.940 But I think oftentimes knowing his will can be more difficult than we make it. 112 00:09:07.630 --> 00:09:18.560 I think the lie number three that we buy into is only those who we deem as more spiritually mature than us can know this. 113 00:09:19.250 --> 00:09:23.940 And then they must be the ones who tell us what it is for our life. 114 00:09:25.270 --> 00:09:30.978 We look at a person that we deem that we think has got a. 115 00:09:30.984 --> 00:09:33.250 Closer relationship with God than we do. 116 00:09:33.400 --> 00:09:38.360 They're more spiritually mature and I can't know, but maybe they can. 117 00:09:39.290 --> 00:09:41.800 Maybe they can answer these questions for me. 118 00:09:42.650 --> 00:09:47.560 Or number four, the lie that we fall into is this. 119 00:09:48.430 --> 00:09:50.346 Knowing God's will is going to be. 120 00:09:50.368 --> 00:09:54.490 A continual guessing game moving back and forth. 121 00:09:56.030 --> 00:09:59.900 It's one random step after another. 122 00:10:00.850 --> 00:10:09.120 And there's no way that we can know for certain what God's will is for our life. 123 00:10:10.210 --> 00:10:12.262 And here's before we get into Genesis. 124 00:10:12.426 --> 00:10:16.820 24, which is a story only God can write. 125 00:10:17.510 --> 00:10:19.522 It's events that only God could lay. 126 00:10:19.576 --> 00:10:20.180 Out. 127 00:10:23.190 --> 00:10:25.026 Is this knowing God's will for. 128 00:10:25.048 --> 00:10:31.640 Your life and for my life is not as complicated as you and I have made it out to be. 129 00:10:32.490 --> 00:10:38.780 Knowing God's will for your life and my life is not as complicated as we've made it out to be. 130 00:10:39.950 --> 00:10:40.982 It's not impossible. 131 00:10:41.046 --> 00:10:42.060 It is possible. 132 00:10:43.150 --> 00:10:46.890 It's not random choices after another random choice. 133 00:10:47.870 --> 00:10:51.840 It's not dependent on the spiritual maturity of others. 134 00:10:52.930 --> 00:11:01.920 We can know God's will for our life and we can live in the goodness and the certainty of his will. 135 00:11:03.410 --> 00:11:04.126 So let's look. 136 00:11:04.148 --> 00:11:05.982 Start verse one through nine. 137 00:11:06.036 --> 00:11:08.814 I'm going to tell you, this is a long chapter. 138 00:11:08.862 --> 00:11:11.938 We're going to break it up into four different sections, okay? 139 00:11:12.024 --> 00:11:13.026 Genesis, chapter 24. 140 00:11:13.048 --> 00:11:13.986 We're going to get through all of it. 141 00:11:14.008 --> 00:11:15.860 Now it says this verse one. 142 00:11:16.970 --> 00:11:25.320 Now, Abraham was old, well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 143 00:11:25.930 --> 00:11:52.458 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, put your hand under my thigh, that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell, but will go to my country and to my kindred and take a wife for my son Isaac. 144 00:11:52.634 --> 00:11:59.346 And the servant said to him, perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. 145 00:11:59.528 --> 00:12:04.242 Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came? 146 00:12:04.376 --> 00:12:09.958 And Abraham said to him, see to it that you do not take my son back there. 147 00:12:10.124 --> 00:12:20.002 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred and who spoke to me and swore to me to your offspring. 148 00:12:20.066 --> 00:12:21.658 I will give this land. 149 00:12:21.824 --> 00:12:24.474 He will send his angels before you. 150 00:12:24.592 --> 00:12:27.834 And you shall take a wife for my son from there. 151 00:12:27.952 --> 00:12:33.946 But if the woman is not willing to follow you back, then you will be free from this oath of mine. 152 00:12:34.138 --> 00:12:37.422 Only you must not take my son back there. 153 00:12:37.556 --> 00:12:46.500 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. 154 00:12:47.030 --> 00:12:49.954 See, didn't start off the love story the way that you might have thought. 155 00:12:49.992 --> 00:12:51.060 That it would have. 156 00:12:51.590 --> 00:12:55.166 But here's what we can see in understanding and knowing God's will. 157 00:12:55.208 --> 00:12:56.118 Number one is this. 158 00:12:56.204 --> 00:12:59.990 Knowing God's will is found in obedience to God's commands. 159 00:13:00.730 --> 00:13:04.674 Knowing God's will is found in obedience to God's command. 160 00:13:04.722 --> 00:13:06.040 Look back at verse three. 161 00:13:06.890 --> 00:13:10.614 Abraham prepares to send this servant. 162 00:13:10.742 --> 00:13:19.370 This is the servant that had authority to speak to all of the land, all of the possessions that Abraham had. 163 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:30.990 He's a servant of great authority, specifically for a task, to find a wife for Isaac, his son, the son of Promise. 164 00:13:31.490 --> 00:13:34.450 But he gives him stipulations. 165 00:13:36.550 --> 00:13:41.342 The first stipulation is this, do not take from the Canaanites. 166 00:13:41.486 --> 00:13:45.474 Instead, choose one from my family. 167 00:13:45.672 --> 00:13:47.846 A couple of things about this, all right? 168 00:13:47.948 --> 00:13:53.078 First, marrying someone from your own family was not uncommon during this time. 169 00:13:53.244 --> 00:13:54.806 We see this many times. 170 00:13:54.908 --> 00:13:57.154 Happens all the way back to the garden. 171 00:13:57.202 --> 00:13:59.334 All right, so let's just move past that. 172 00:13:59.452 --> 00:14:01.698 Abraham was married to his half sister. 173 00:14:01.794 --> 00:14:02.214 All right? 174 00:14:02.252 --> 00:14:03.980 Second, this is an important part. 175 00:14:04.670 --> 00:14:09.846 Abraham says, do not choose for my son a canaanite woman. 176 00:14:10.038 --> 00:14:12.400 This would have been the people surrounding them. 177 00:14:12.930 --> 00:14:17.006 This would have been their neighbors, those that they're in contact with. 178 00:14:17.108 --> 00:14:23.774 This would not be sending someone on a long journey, but instead sending someone next door. 179 00:14:23.822 --> 00:14:25.220 Now, why is this important? 180 00:14:26.390 --> 00:14:30.158 Why is this so important to Abraham? 181 00:14:30.254 --> 00:14:31.410 And it is this. 182 00:14:31.560 --> 00:14:32.530 I just said this. 183 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:44.722 Isaac is the son of the promise all the way through, of what God is guarding and protecting and what he has communicated to Abraham and his covenant since the beginning. 184 00:14:44.786 --> 00:15:04.990 In Genesis chapter twelve, Isaac is the son of the promise, of what God is going to reveal, as he calls, as he chooses, as he selects for himself, a people, and the lineage that will come from them, leading all the way to Christ, Isaac will always be connected to the promise. 185 00:15:05.730 --> 00:15:07.214 But if you jump all the way. 186 00:15:07.252 --> 00:15:12.430 Back to Genesis chapter nine with Noah. 187 00:15:12.950 --> 00:15:14.674 And the issue that we find in. 188 00:15:14.712 --> 00:15:28.360 Genesis nine with Noah and his sons and the descendants of Noah, we see that in Genesis chapter nine, we see that the Canaanites are not the promised people. 189 00:15:28.890 --> 00:15:30.806 They're not the chosen people. 190 00:15:30.988 --> 00:15:33.000 They're not the selected people. 191 00:15:33.370 --> 00:15:36.200 Instead, they're the cursed people. 192 00:15:37.470 --> 00:15:54.350 And so what Abraham is saying to his servant is this, as we go forward with all that we do, it may be easier to stray from what we've been called to, but we're going to stick to the promise. 193 00:15:54.770 --> 00:15:56.430 We're going to stick to the promise. 194 00:15:56.850 --> 00:16:07.314 Knowing God's will for your life is always going to be connected to sticking to the promise of who you are in Christ, in who he's called you to be. 195 00:16:07.512 --> 00:16:17.160 The second stipulation he gives him, though, is the servant says, what if I find her and she refuses to come with me? 196 00:16:17.850 --> 00:16:20.002 Which I think is a reasonable response. 197 00:16:20.066 --> 00:16:21.554 Right, ladies? 198 00:16:21.602 --> 00:16:23.990 Just imagine this all unfolding. 199 00:16:24.410 --> 00:16:26.214 Should I then go back and get. 200 00:16:26.252 --> 00:16:28.540 Isaac and take him to her? 201 00:16:29.150 --> 00:16:30.346 And Abraham says, what? 202 00:16:30.368 --> 00:16:32.714 He says, no, don't do that. 203 00:16:32.912 --> 00:16:37.340 Do not take my son back there. 204 00:16:38.270 --> 00:16:42.000 The promise of God is connected with a people and with a place. 205 00:16:43.090 --> 00:17:03.620 And Abraham, just as he was unwilling to go back to bury his wife, what we read last week, he's not willing to allow the margin for the son of the promise to wander away from what God has for him. 206 00:17:03.990 --> 00:17:10.678 You see, here's what Abraham does when it comes to being obedient to God. 207 00:17:10.844 --> 00:17:14.040 Abraham takes the word of God to heart. 208 00:17:14.970 --> 00:17:19.340 Would it be easier to find a lady that's here? 209 00:17:19.950 --> 00:17:20.700 Sure. 210 00:17:21.950 --> 00:17:29.500 Would it be easier if we find one there just to have Isaac be a part of all of this that's there? 211 00:17:29.970 --> 00:17:30.720 Absolutely. 212 00:17:31.810 --> 00:17:44.750 But here's what we learn in God's word about obedience in the life of Abraham here is that obedience to God's commands for Abraham is not up for Abraham's interpretation. 213 00:17:45.670 --> 00:18:02.680 So many times what I find with you and I, when we're trying to decide on what we should do, is we are taking what is black and white in God's word, in his expectations for our lives, and we're sinfully trying to manipulate it to make it great. 214 00:18:04.010 --> 00:18:07.240 To say that this is what I can do. 215 00:18:07.850 --> 00:18:13.962 When we think about Satan's temptation of eve in the garden, his temptation was not. 216 00:18:14.016 --> 00:18:17.754 Here's what God said his temptation was. 217 00:18:17.792 --> 00:18:21.326 Did God really say in taking of. 218 00:18:21.348 --> 00:18:25.886 What'S there and manipulated, know Abraham in. 219 00:18:25.908 --> 00:18:28.654 This could have said, it's too difficult. 220 00:18:28.772 --> 00:18:29.680 Go back. 221 00:18:30.130 --> 00:18:32.110 It's too difficult of a journey. 222 00:18:32.770 --> 00:18:38.306 Instead, I'm going to be partially obedient to what we're going to do, of what God's called us. 223 00:18:38.488 --> 00:18:43.282 Go find one who's friendly for us or send him back and see what we can get. 224 00:18:43.416 --> 00:19:00.220 But what Abraham knows and understands is that God's will for his life, God's will for his son, God's will for his people, is not found in his interpretation of obedience, but in God's commands for him. 225 00:19:01.790 --> 00:19:14.442 And what this creates in you, what we're going to see when we understand, when we trust and we dive into obedience, God, this is what you said. 226 00:19:14.496 --> 00:19:15.790 This is what I'm going to believe. 227 00:19:15.860 --> 00:19:17.278 This is what I'm going to do. 228 00:19:17.364 --> 00:19:23.906 This is what I'm going to trust in the power of your spirit that you're transforming me into what comes from. 229 00:19:23.928 --> 00:19:25.650 This is a holy confidence. 230 00:19:27.190 --> 00:19:32.930 This is not the initial posturing of Abraham. 231 00:19:33.670 --> 00:19:35.640 But look back at verse one. 232 00:19:36.410 --> 00:19:42.440 Now, Abraham was old, well advanced in years. 233 00:19:44.330 --> 00:19:51.420 This is a man in a life of faith that has seen what taking matters into his own hands can give him. 234 00:19:52.110 --> 00:19:54.780 So next we're going to start read in verse ten. 235 00:19:55.710 --> 00:19:57.398 We're going to read for a minute. 236 00:19:57.494 --> 00:20:00.414 All right, start verse ten. 237 00:20:00.452 --> 00:20:11.710 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master. 238 00:20:12.130 --> 00:20:17.250 And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 239 00:20:17.670 --> 00:20:28.120 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 240 00:20:28.810 --> 00:20:41.050 And he said, o lord, God of my master, Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master, Abraham. 241 00:20:41.550 --> 00:20:49.386 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 242 00:20:49.488 --> 00:20:50.762 Let's just pause here. 243 00:20:50.896 --> 00:20:54.940 I feel like we can hear the stress in this guy's life. 244 00:20:55.650 --> 00:20:57.034 Lady after lady. 245 00:20:57.082 --> 00:20:57.630 Don't know. 246 00:20:57.700 --> 00:20:59.086 Don't know, don't know. 247 00:20:59.188 --> 00:21:02.814 God, show me this one that you have. 248 00:21:03.012 --> 00:21:04.210 Verse 14. 249 00:21:04.710 --> 00:21:10.734 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, please let down your jar, that I may drink. 250 00:21:10.862 --> 00:21:15.322 And who shall say, drink, and I will water your camels. 251 00:21:15.486 --> 00:21:20.706 Let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. 252 00:21:20.898 --> 00:21:26.310 By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master. 253 00:21:26.890 --> 00:21:28.506 Before he had finished speaking. 254 00:21:28.608 --> 00:21:32.342 Behold Rebekah, who was born of Bethul. 255 00:21:32.406 --> 00:21:38.762 The son of Milka, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her. 256 00:21:38.816 --> 00:21:40.810 Water jar on her shoulder. 257 00:21:41.230 --> 00:21:43.614 The young woman was very attractive in. 258 00:21:43.652 --> 00:21:47.226 Appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. 259 00:21:47.418 --> 00:21:51.150 She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 260 00:21:51.300 --> 00:21:57.358 And then the servant ran to meet her and said, please give me a little water to drink from your jar. 261 00:21:57.534 --> 00:21:59.166 She said, drink, my lord. 262 00:21:59.198 --> 00:22:03.330 And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 263 00:22:03.830 --> 00:22:11.458 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, I will draw water for your camels also until they had finished drinking. 264 00:22:11.634 --> 00:22:16.982 So she quickly emptied her jar to the trough and ran again to the well to draw water. 265 00:22:17.036 --> 00:22:19.610 And she drew for all of his camels. 266 00:22:20.110 --> 00:22:25.174 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the lord had prospered. 267 00:22:25.222 --> 00:22:27.100 His journey or not. 268 00:22:27.550 --> 00:22:28.394 Verse 22. 269 00:22:28.432 --> 00:22:29.494 Then the camels. 270 00:22:29.542 --> 00:22:34.890 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing half a shekel. 271 00:22:35.050 --> 00:22:39.066 And two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels. 272 00:22:39.178 --> 00:22:41.662 And said, please tell me whose daughter you are. 273 00:22:41.716 --> 00:22:45.294 Like, I feel like there's some fingers crossed behind his back, you know. 274 00:22:45.492 --> 00:22:49.010 Is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night? 275 00:22:49.160 --> 00:22:54.990 And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethul, the son of Milka, who was born to Nahor. 276 00:22:55.150 --> 00:23:00.710 And she added, we have plenty, both straw and fodder and room to spend the night. 277 00:23:00.860 --> 00:23:13.190 The man bowed his head and worshiped the lord and said, bless be the lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. 278 00:23:13.350 --> 00:23:19.302 As for me, the lord has led me in the way to the house of my master's kinsman. 279 00:23:19.446 --> 00:23:24.446 Then the young woman ran and told her mother's household about these things. 280 00:23:24.628 --> 00:23:27.562 Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban. 281 00:23:27.626 --> 00:23:30.538 And Laban ran out toward the man to the spring. 282 00:23:30.634 --> 00:23:34.298 And as soon as he saw the ring and bracelets on his sister's arms. 283 00:23:34.394 --> 00:23:36.766 And heard the words of Rebecca, his sister. 284 00:23:36.878 --> 00:23:38.626 Thus the man spoke to me. 285 00:23:38.728 --> 00:23:43.678 He went to the man, and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 286 00:23:43.854 --> 00:23:45.410 He said, come in. 287 00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:48.790 O blessed of the Lord, why do you stand outside? 288 00:23:48.940 --> 00:23:52.658 For I have prepared the house and place for the camels. 289 00:23:52.754 --> 00:23:55.874 So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels. 290 00:23:55.922 --> 00:23:58.322 And gave a straw and fodder to the camels. 291 00:23:58.386 --> 00:24:02.826 And there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 292 00:24:02.928 --> 00:24:05.146 Then food was set before him to eat. 293 00:24:05.248 --> 00:24:09.466 But he said, I will not eat until I've said what I have to say. 294 00:24:09.568 --> 00:24:11.520 And he said, speak on. 295 00:24:11.970 --> 00:24:14.826 So he said, I am Abraham's servant. 296 00:24:14.938 --> 00:24:19.214 The lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. 297 00:24:19.332 --> 00:24:27.810 He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. 298 00:24:28.150 --> 00:24:33.794 And Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. 299 00:24:33.912 --> 00:24:36.898 And to him he has given all that he has. 300 00:24:37.064 --> 00:24:45.298 My master made me swear, saying, you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell. 301 00:24:45.394 --> 00:24:50.274 But you shall go to my father's house and to my clan and take a wife for my son. 302 00:24:50.412 --> 00:24:54.458 And I said to my master, perhaps the woman will not follow me. 303 00:24:54.544 --> 00:25:02.234 But he said to me, the lord before whom I have walked will send his angel with you and will prosper your way. 304 00:25:02.352 --> 00:25:07.470 You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father's house. 305 00:25:07.620 --> 00:25:11.946 Then you will be free from my oath when you come to my clan. 306 00:25:12.058 --> 00:25:16.478 And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath. 307 00:25:16.654 --> 00:25:22.334 I came today to the spring and said, o lord, the God of my master, Abraham. 308 00:25:22.462 --> 00:25:25.986 If now you are prospering the way that I go. 309 00:25:26.088 --> 00:25:28.950 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. 310 00:25:29.100 --> 00:25:37.250 Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, please give me a little water from your jar to drink. 311 00:25:37.330 --> 00:25:41.414 And to who will say to me, drink, and I will drink for your camel. 312 00:25:41.462 --> 00:25:43.290 Draw for your camels also. 313 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:47.786 But let the woman whom the lord has appointed for my master's son. 314 00:25:47.888 --> 00:25:48.890 Verse 45. 315 00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:49.802 We're getting close. 316 00:25:49.856 --> 00:25:50.694 I promise. 317 00:25:50.822 --> 00:25:57.658 Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebecca came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 318 00:25:57.754 --> 00:26:00.702 And she went down to the spring and drew water. 319 00:26:00.836 --> 00:26:03.066 I said to her, please let me drink. 320 00:26:03.178 --> 00:26:09.570 She quickly drew from her water from her shoulder and said, drink, and I will give your camels drink also. 321 00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:12.980 So I drank, and she gave the camel's drink also. 322 00:26:13.350 --> 00:26:16.946 Then I asked her, whose daughter are you? 323 00:26:17.048 --> 00:26:21.750 And she said, the daughter of Bethul Nahor's son, whom milk born to him. 324 00:26:21.820 --> 00:26:25.906 So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arm. 325 00:26:26.018 --> 00:26:28.818 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the lord. 326 00:26:28.914 --> 00:26:32.726 And blessed the lord, the God of my master, Abraham. 327 00:26:32.838 --> 00:26:39.242 Who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son. 328 00:26:39.376 --> 00:26:40.926 Now then, if you are going to. 329 00:26:40.948 --> 00:26:45.214 Show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me. 330 00:26:45.332 --> 00:26:50.320 And if not, tell me that I may return to the right hand or to the left. 331 00:26:53.270 --> 00:26:54.130 Bless you. 332 00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:57.170 All right, here we go. 333 00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:57.714 Number two. 334 00:26:57.752 --> 00:26:59.220 In knowing God's will. 335 00:26:59.990 --> 00:27:02.820 Knowing God's will is trusting in God's plan. 336 00:27:04.070 --> 00:27:06.600 Knowing God's will is trusting in God's plan. 337 00:27:08.010 --> 00:27:09.638 There's part of it for us. 338 00:27:09.724 --> 00:27:15.270 When we look at obedience, we think that obedience is to the rules. 339 00:27:16.170 --> 00:27:23.100 And that as I walk in obedience, then what I can then go and do is then do what I want to do? 340 00:27:23.870 --> 00:27:27.850 Operate in the gray, live in the area of uncertainty. 341 00:27:28.350 --> 00:27:40.154 But what we find when we look at scripture is that we see that knowing God's will is not just obedience to what God has called us to, but it's trusting in God's plans. 342 00:27:40.282 --> 00:27:45.970 God's plans are covered in both his promises and his providence. 343 00:27:47.110 --> 00:27:58.914 All the way back 30 minutes ago in verse twelve, right, the servant says, if he's going to be successful, this is seemingly an impossible task. 344 00:27:58.962 --> 00:27:59.560 Right? 345 00:28:00.170 --> 00:28:01.960 I mean, just think about this. 346 00:28:02.890 --> 00:28:10.250 Go to a place that far away to a people who you're unsure of. 347 00:28:10.320 --> 00:28:12.314 He didn't have anything to go by. 348 00:28:12.432 --> 00:28:13.100 Nothing. 349 00:28:14.750 --> 00:28:21.680 And bring back a lady from my son who's willing to come. 350 00:28:23.570 --> 00:28:34.820 The only way in verse twelve that this plan is going to be successful is if God grants it success. 351 00:28:36.230 --> 00:28:37.860 God grants it success. 352 00:28:40.070 --> 00:28:50.230 What if we prayed as we took steps in faith, that God, if this is your will for my life, may it succeed. 353 00:28:50.810 --> 00:28:54.150 And God, if this is not your will for my life, may it fail. 354 00:28:55.530 --> 00:28:56.790 That's faith. 355 00:28:58.030 --> 00:29:06.460 Faith is willing to endure failure if where we are is where God doesn't have us to be. 356 00:29:07.870 --> 00:29:09.434 Because all failure is. 357 00:29:09.472 --> 00:29:13.680 Is just understanding in that point that I need to redirect what I've been doing. 358 00:29:15.410 --> 00:29:19.070 This servant says, God, for this to be successful. 359 00:29:20.050 --> 00:29:24.690 It's not about me simply finding a woman who's willing. 360 00:29:25.670 --> 00:29:39.640 But it's if, Lord, you granted success, entrusting God's plan for you in your life is also trusting in God's standard for success. 361 00:29:40.650 --> 00:29:48.300 God, what do you have for us in understanding the providence of God? 362 00:29:48.990 --> 00:29:58.700 God, that all of these things that happen and exist are still in your hand, Lord, and you're in control. 363 00:30:00.370 --> 00:30:19.700 And as you make the tough decision, as you seek what God may have, as you look to take that step, God, it's all in your hand, God, may it be success if it's from you and Lord, and may it fail if it's not. 364 00:30:20.870 --> 00:30:33.350 Trusting in God's plans is about trusting in the commandments, in the commands, and trusting in the outcome, but also trusting in the details. 365 00:30:35.370 --> 00:30:41.500 I think we look at step one and we look at conclusion ten. 366 00:30:42.350 --> 00:30:47.980 And somewhere in the journey in between there of the details, we think that we're going to work those out. 367 00:30:49.150 --> 00:30:57.470 But romans eight tells us, right, that God works all things for the good, for those who are in Christ Jesus. 368 00:30:57.890 --> 00:31:02.294 That God is the God of the details. 369 00:31:02.442 --> 00:31:09.374 That God is working and moving while we sleep, while we're awake, while we speak and while we're quiet. 370 00:31:09.422 --> 00:31:22.920 That God is working in those that God oftentimes in our willingness and in our unwillingness, is working and moving in all outcomes and situations and the details that lie there in between. 371 00:31:24.410 --> 00:31:26.200 And it's trusting in that. 372 00:31:26.970 --> 00:31:39.610 I mean, what took this passage of scripture so long is because this servant is saying, this is how the Lord led. 373 00:31:41.090 --> 00:31:42.560 This is what happened. 374 00:31:43.410 --> 00:31:47.150 This is how what's confirmed that the Lord has led. 375 00:31:47.730 --> 00:31:57.780 And in fact, in verse 15, that's what he says, the Lord has led me. 376 00:32:00.070 --> 00:32:07.800 When Jesus called his disciples to become disciples, what did he say? 377 00:32:08.890 --> 00:32:14.120 Follow me, follow me, follow me. 378 00:32:14.890 --> 00:32:18.520 Jesus gives us the plan. 379 00:32:19.130 --> 00:32:20.220 Follow me. 380 00:32:20.670 --> 00:32:29.814 What amazes me when I hear stories from others and when I look at stories of my own life where it was very clear and evident of God's. 381 00:32:29.862 --> 00:32:34.030 Plan and God's purpose for my life, there's a phrase that comes out often. 382 00:32:34.100 --> 00:32:35.038 And it is this. 383 00:32:35.124 --> 00:32:38.254 It was very clear that this is. 384 00:32:38.292 --> 00:32:40.350 Where God was leading. 385 00:32:41.570 --> 00:32:47.394 A few weeks ago I was talking to a couple of guys about my call ten and a half years ago. 386 00:32:47.432 --> 00:32:49.694 To come here and be the senior pastor. 387 00:32:49.742 --> 00:32:55.006 And I said it wasn't the first church that I had spoken with about becoming the senior pastor. 388 00:32:55.038 --> 00:32:58.210 But in the other churches there were just things that were unclear. 389 00:32:58.290 --> 00:33:00.050 There was things that were uncertain. 390 00:33:00.130 --> 00:33:32.590 But as I walk through and pray, God, would you make clear, and would you make evident as we walk through this in unity with my wife, of walking through in unity in discussion with the search team and the elders that were a part of it, what I can tell you is, having never been a senior pastor before, of not fully knowing what to expect as we walk through this journey, what was happening throughout all this is God made clear that this is where God was leading. 391 00:33:33.910 --> 00:33:39.954 And we trust that there's confidence for. 392 00:33:39.992 --> 00:33:43.426 This servant to stand all day at. 393 00:33:43.448 --> 00:33:50.150 A spring and say, no, God, this is where you're leading. 394 00:33:50.490 --> 00:33:52.230 This is where you're leading. 395 00:33:52.570 --> 00:33:57.430 And then when Rebecca came, he said, this is where you've led. 396 00:33:58.430 --> 00:34:00.250 This is where you've led. 397 00:34:02.190 --> 00:34:14.910 I think oftentimes we try to take the matters into our own hands, but here's what I'll say to you in your plans. 398 00:34:15.410 --> 00:34:20.720 Stop trying to lead God and start letting God lead you. 399 00:34:23.350 --> 00:34:29.220 Stop trying to lead God and start letting God lead you. 400 00:34:30.070 --> 00:34:31.300 What does that mean? 401 00:34:32.310 --> 00:34:33.714 What does that mean? 402 00:34:33.912 --> 00:34:36.054 Well, you know what it means. 403 00:34:36.092 --> 00:34:37.400 You may have to wait. 404 00:34:38.570 --> 00:34:40.200 We don't like to wait. 405 00:34:41.130 --> 00:34:47.160 One of the commands over and over Old Testament and New Testament is God calling his people to wait. 406 00:34:47.930 --> 00:34:48.680 Wait. 407 00:34:49.290 --> 00:34:56.886 Sometimes in order to have the great confidence in where God is leading, what you and I have to do is practice something that is enabled and empowered. 408 00:34:56.918 --> 00:34:58.326 Through the power of the Holy Spirit. 409 00:34:58.358 --> 00:35:03.120 Within us to be patient and to wait. 410 00:35:04.130 --> 00:35:10.590 What it may mean is that it may mean that you need to turn in a different direction. 411 00:35:11.330 --> 00:35:16.260 You may have to head down a different path than the one that you've gone down. 412 00:35:16.710 --> 00:35:22.146 You've maybe head down a path that you've cleared out, that you've laid a foundation for. 413 00:35:22.248 --> 00:35:24.258 You've gotten all the bumps out of the road. 414 00:35:24.344 --> 00:35:35.830 You've poured time and energy and effort into this path that you've determined, and then all of a sudden, you realize, whoa, there's a lot of great things on this path, but God's not on this path. 415 00:35:38.690 --> 00:35:42.290 And you may have to head into a different direction. 416 00:35:44.870 --> 00:35:48.660 Or three, you may have to go. 417 00:35:49.830 --> 00:35:53.606 You may have to know Jesus when. 418 00:35:53.628 --> 00:35:56.646 He calls those first disciples that had. 419 00:35:56.668 --> 00:36:03.800 Just got done fishing with all that was there, Jesus says, come and follow me. 420 00:36:04.590 --> 00:36:06.140 And then he went. 421 00:36:07.630 --> 00:36:13.900 And sometimes to follow Jesus, what it means is when he goes, guess what? 422 00:36:14.350 --> 00:36:15.740 We got to go, too. 423 00:36:16.450 --> 00:36:17.840 We got to go, too. 424 00:36:19.250 --> 00:36:29.540 The question I have for you, are you trying to take God, or is God trying to take you? 425 00:36:30.470 --> 00:36:31.220 Right. 426 00:36:31.750 --> 00:36:36.498 Some examples that we see in our lives where we hear this. 427 00:36:36.584 --> 00:36:39.378 There's two that I hear, right. 428 00:36:39.544 --> 00:36:43.950 One that I hear from people who are married. 429 00:36:44.030 --> 00:36:47.254 It's probably the most common one that I get about God's will for their. 430 00:36:47.292 --> 00:36:50.182 Life, and then the second from single people. 431 00:36:50.236 --> 00:36:51.238 So you can probably guess where the. 432 00:36:51.244 --> 00:36:52.520 Second one's going, right? 433 00:36:53.290 --> 00:36:56.360 Number one, how about a new job? 434 00:36:56.810 --> 00:36:58.682 Is this God's will for my life? 435 00:36:58.816 --> 00:37:03.418 Here's what I found that we do when we look down and we see the benefits. 436 00:37:03.504 --> 00:37:05.302 It's more money, it's more retirement. 437 00:37:05.366 --> 00:37:06.690 It's better advancement. 438 00:37:06.790 --> 00:37:08.560 God must be in that, right? 439 00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:15.630 There's disconnect from family. 440 00:37:16.320 --> 00:37:18.060 There's disconnect from church. 441 00:37:18.640 --> 00:37:20.108 So maybe God isn't leading in that. 442 00:37:20.114 --> 00:37:25.040 Direction with some of our single individuals. 443 00:37:25.540 --> 00:37:28.770 The beauty of the significant other, right. 444 00:37:29.540 --> 00:37:30.924 We got the boxes. 445 00:37:31.052 --> 00:37:32.976 We're attracted to them. 446 00:37:33.158 --> 00:37:34.192 That's number one. 447 00:37:34.246 --> 00:37:35.040 Let's be honest. 448 00:37:35.110 --> 00:37:35.824 Right. 449 00:37:36.022 --> 00:37:38.236 Number two, our personalities align. 450 00:37:38.348 --> 00:37:40.088 We've got similar hobbies. 451 00:37:40.204 --> 00:37:41.504 They're successful. 452 00:37:41.632 --> 00:37:42.944 They're driven. 453 00:37:43.072 --> 00:37:44.452 They make us happy. 454 00:37:44.586 --> 00:37:46.900 They check all the boxes. 455 00:37:47.340 --> 00:37:49.128 We're good when we're together. 456 00:37:49.294 --> 00:37:52.868 We fit, we get all the feelings. 457 00:37:52.964 --> 00:37:53.610 Right. 458 00:37:54.780 --> 00:38:00.920 But their relationship with God is lacking or nonexistent. 459 00:38:01.820 --> 00:38:05.256 Then I'd probably say that you may. 460 00:38:05.278 --> 00:38:06.684 Be really attracted to them. 461 00:38:06.722 --> 00:38:08.344 They may have a lot of money in the bank. 462 00:38:08.392 --> 00:38:10.152 There may be a lot of compatibility. 463 00:38:10.296 --> 00:38:11.004 That's there. 464 00:38:11.042 --> 00:38:14.240 But I would be willing to bet that God isn't leading in that direction. 465 00:38:15.300 --> 00:38:21.090 And for us, maybe we need to stop trying to take God where God hasn't been and where God won't go. 466 00:38:21.940 --> 00:38:29.136 So the servant explains why he's here at the very first in the encounter, he explains. 467 00:38:29.168 --> 00:38:31.670 He says he sells the idea. 468 00:38:32.440 --> 00:38:34.836 He shares the call and shares the idea. 469 00:38:34.938 --> 00:38:42.170 God has greatly blessed Abraham, and then he's blessed Isaac, blessed with money, with influence, with power. 470 00:38:42.540 --> 00:38:46.900 He's a man of God who desires to obey. 471 00:38:47.060 --> 00:38:48.616 He has led me here. 472 00:38:48.718 --> 00:38:54.024 He has heard my prayer, and God has answered it with Rebecca. 473 00:38:54.152 --> 00:38:58.636 And then over and over and over again, he proves how. 474 00:38:58.818 --> 00:39:01.580 But that's only part of the equation. 475 00:39:02.800 --> 00:39:04.850 She's got to be willing to go. 476 00:39:05.620 --> 00:39:14.016 And probably more importantly, if you're sitting here sitting beside your daughter this morning, like, we got to see if we're going to let her go. 477 00:39:14.198 --> 00:39:15.250 Verse 50. 478 00:39:17.000 --> 00:39:22.980 Then Laban and Bethul answered and said, the thing has come from the Lord. 479 00:39:23.560 --> 00:39:25.910 We cannot speak to you, bad or good. 480 00:39:26.760 --> 00:39:29.450 Behold, Rebecca is before you. 481 00:39:29.820 --> 00:39:35.208 Take her and go and let her be the wife of your master's son. 482 00:39:35.374 --> 00:39:37.080 As the Lord had spoken. 483 00:39:38.060 --> 00:39:43.400 When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord. 484 00:39:43.560 --> 00:39:49.900 And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold and garments and gave them to Rebecca. 485 00:39:50.320 --> 00:39:54.620 He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. 486 00:39:55.040 --> 00:40:00.128 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. 487 00:40:00.294 --> 00:40:05.368 When they arose in the morning, he said, send me away to my master. 488 00:40:05.564 --> 00:40:14.870 Her brother and mother said, let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days. 489 00:40:15.720 --> 00:40:18.120 After that, she may go. 490 00:40:18.270 --> 00:40:19.960 Let's pause here for a minute. 491 00:40:20.540 --> 00:40:22.890 My dad heart gets that, you know. 492 00:40:24.940 --> 00:40:26.168 She can go. 493 00:40:26.334 --> 00:40:27.930 Just give us some time. 494 00:40:28.540 --> 00:40:29.850 Verse 56. 495 00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:37.964 But he said to them, do not delay me since the Lord has prospered my way. 496 00:40:38.162 --> 00:40:41.580 Send me away, that I may go to my master. 497 00:40:42.740 --> 00:40:48.050 And they said, let us call the young woman and ask her. 498 00:40:49.460 --> 00:40:54.450 And they called Rebecca and said to her, will you go with this man? 499 00:40:55.880 --> 00:40:57.590 She said, I will go. 500 00:40:58.760 --> 00:41:07.110 So they sent away Rebecca, their sister and her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. 501 00:41:07.580 --> 00:41:23.050 And they blessed Rebecca and said to her, our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gates of those who hate him. 502 00:41:23.900 --> 00:41:24.504 Number three. 503 00:41:24.542 --> 00:41:25.770 No one, God's will. 504 00:41:26.460 --> 00:41:29.150 No one, God's will is being prepared to say yes. 505 00:41:30.160 --> 00:41:30.716 No one. 506 00:41:30.738 --> 00:41:33.424 God's will is being prepared to say yes. 507 00:41:33.542 --> 00:41:35.010 Let me ask you this question. 508 00:41:36.660 --> 00:41:41.584 Are you preparing yourself today to say yes to God? 509 00:41:41.622 --> 00:41:42.400 Tomorrow. 510 00:41:43.780 --> 00:41:49.060 Are you preparing yourself today to see yes to God tomorrow? 511 00:41:49.880 --> 00:41:55.990 Rebecca was going to get water, a task that she would have done every day. 512 00:41:56.920 --> 00:41:59.050 There's nothing special about it. 513 00:41:59.660 --> 00:42:02.010 There was nothing different about that day. 514 00:42:02.700 --> 00:42:06.170 She was just going to do what she always would do. 515 00:42:07.180 --> 00:42:14.030 And then she meets a man and her whole world is turned upside down. 516 00:42:15.280 --> 00:42:23.340 Her family, when they see this, they acknowledge God is in this. 517 00:42:23.490 --> 00:42:26.784 But could you give her ten days for us? 518 00:42:26.902 --> 00:42:27.136 Now? 519 00:42:27.158 --> 00:42:27.728 What reason? 520 00:42:27.814 --> 00:42:28.850 We don't know. 521 00:42:29.220 --> 00:42:30.128 We don't know. 522 00:42:30.214 --> 00:42:32.172 Maybe they wanted to throw her a party. 523 00:42:32.316 --> 00:42:34.588 Maybe they wanted to spend some time together. 524 00:42:34.774 --> 00:42:39.830 Maybe they just wanted some time to process all that had taken place. 525 00:42:40.200 --> 00:42:44.950 Maybe they just were like, maybe we can rethink know. 526 00:42:45.720 --> 00:42:46.950 We don't know. 527 00:42:47.660 --> 00:42:50.010 But look at what Rebecca says. 528 00:42:50.940 --> 00:42:52.650 She says, no. 529 00:42:54.060 --> 00:42:57.610 If this is of God, then we go. 530 00:42:58.540 --> 00:43:01.950 If this is of God, then we go. 531 00:43:02.800 --> 00:43:07.212 How do you prepare yourself today to. 532 00:43:07.266 --> 00:43:09.180 Say yes to God tomorrow? 533 00:43:10.560 --> 00:43:12.510 By saying yes to God today. 534 00:43:13.300 --> 00:43:15.250 By saying yes to God today. 535 00:43:15.860 --> 00:43:23.840 Knowing and desiring God's will for your life is not centered around the big major milestones that we circle on a calendar. 536 00:43:24.740 --> 00:43:38.730 Knowing and living in God's will for your life is knowing and trusting God's will for your life in the mundane things like drawing water down by a spring and saying, yes to God. 537 00:43:39.340 --> 00:43:41.050 Yes to God. 538 00:43:41.580 --> 00:43:46.840 What stands out to me about Rebecca here is her maturity. 539 00:43:48.380 --> 00:43:49.770 There's no way. 540 00:43:51.120 --> 00:44:00.110 There's no way that this encounter with Abraham's servant was the first time she had said yes and trusted God. 541 00:44:00.640 --> 00:44:09.200 There's no way, because you don't leave all of that behind to make the decisions to go. 542 00:44:09.350 --> 00:44:12.880 If your life hasn't been marked by faithful yeses. 543 00:44:14.020 --> 00:44:19.700 Backstory of Jesus with the disciples as they ministered with him, what did Jesus do? 544 00:44:19.850 --> 00:44:27.510 He gave them smaller capacities to serve and then entrusted them with more and more and more. 545 00:44:29.080 --> 00:44:30.490 Talking to somebody this morning. 546 00:44:31.260 --> 00:44:36.056 Over the last year, we've gone through a big change in the Bradbury house. 547 00:44:36.238 --> 00:44:38.360 I've talked about it a lot on the stage. 548 00:44:38.940 --> 00:44:43.690 It's the change of the Bradbury kids driving, right? 549 00:44:44.060 --> 00:44:47.480 Here's what I parents who have teenagers. 550 00:44:47.560 --> 00:44:49.852 That drive, you know this. 551 00:44:49.986 --> 00:44:51.656 Those of you who don't have teenagers. 552 00:44:51.688 --> 00:44:53.024 To drive, you don't know this. 553 00:44:53.062 --> 00:44:54.784 So let me share it with you. 554 00:44:54.902 --> 00:44:57.516 In order for them to drive, you're. 555 00:44:57.548 --> 00:44:58.850 Going to give up something. 556 00:44:59.620 --> 00:45:01.250 You know what you're going to give up? 557 00:45:02.340 --> 00:45:03.090 Money. 558 00:45:04.260 --> 00:45:05.010 Money. 559 00:45:05.640 --> 00:45:07.524 It's expensive, man. 560 00:45:07.642 --> 00:45:09.892 It's expensive for them to drive. 561 00:45:10.026 --> 00:45:11.680 Cars are expensive. 562 00:45:11.840 --> 00:45:13.440 Gas is expensive. 563 00:45:13.600 --> 00:45:15.056 Tires are expensive. 564 00:45:15.168 --> 00:45:30.172 My speakers don't work right or expensive like it's expensive for kids to drive, and no one told me how expensive car insurance was, right? 565 00:45:30.226 --> 00:45:32.252 Forget about free medical insurance. 566 00:45:32.386 --> 00:45:35.564 I want free car insurance is what I'm talking. 567 00:45:35.682 --> 00:45:37.900 Know that's expensive. 568 00:45:39.280 --> 00:45:43.010 But here's what, you get time. 569 00:45:44.100 --> 00:45:45.520 You get time. 570 00:45:45.670 --> 00:45:48.336 Saturday morning, Aaron and I woke up. 571 00:45:48.358 --> 00:45:51.100 We woke up early that morning, and Emma's got dance. 572 00:45:51.260 --> 00:46:00.156 And our Saturday morning rotation is typically, do we take to dance for the carpool or do we take Emma to carpool? 573 00:46:00.268 --> 00:46:01.400 And I looked at Aaron. 574 00:46:01.420 --> 00:46:03.540 She's like, well, which one of us is going to go this morning? 575 00:46:03.610 --> 00:46:05.060 And I said, neither. 576 00:46:06.760 --> 00:46:09.110 She can drive herself, right? 577 00:46:09.880 --> 00:46:11.140 We got this. 578 00:46:11.290 --> 00:46:12.308 She's got this. 579 00:46:12.394 --> 00:46:13.956 We're paying for it. 580 00:46:14.138 --> 00:46:14.964 Go. 581 00:46:15.162 --> 00:46:15.812 Go. 582 00:46:15.946 --> 00:46:18.228 Insurance is going to cost what it cost. 583 00:46:18.394 --> 00:46:18.820 Go. 584 00:46:18.890 --> 00:46:19.884 But here's the deal. 585 00:46:19.962 --> 00:46:25.100 Before my kids drove a car, before they drove a car, they had a tricycle. 586 00:46:26.080 --> 00:46:28.380 After they had a tricycle, they had a scooter. 587 00:46:28.800 --> 00:46:30.940 After they had a scooter, they had a bike. 588 00:46:31.680 --> 00:46:38.784 Eventually, because we're kind of rednecked from the south, they rode on John Deere lawn mowers and golf carts and four wheelers, right? 589 00:46:38.982 --> 00:46:40.770 They did all of those things. 590 00:46:42.260 --> 00:46:48.580 And when they were able to drive illegally and legally, we drove in parking lots. 591 00:46:50.040 --> 00:46:59.000 And then once they got that license, we took them down side roads, and then we moved them from side roads to main roads, and then we got them to interstates. 592 00:47:00.140 --> 00:47:08.776 We kept moving on and moving on and entrusting them with more and more within this. 593 00:47:08.878 --> 00:47:09.748 Here's the deal. 594 00:47:09.854 --> 00:47:19.390 Spiritually speaking, you and I want God to entrust us, figuratively speaking, with the interstate level of his will. 595 00:47:19.760 --> 00:47:21.816 But you and I have not been faithful. 596 00:47:21.848 --> 00:47:33.328 With the tricycle he first gave us in the steps for us, we see Rebecca make this monumental decision in her life. 597 00:47:33.414 --> 00:47:34.364 No, I'm not waiting. 598 00:47:34.412 --> 00:47:35.148 I'm going. 599 00:47:35.254 --> 00:47:37.460 How did she make that decision? 600 00:47:39.400 --> 00:47:46.740 Because it was step by step by step of faithfulness. 601 00:47:49.640 --> 00:48:22.056 A group of disciples who ran, who ran when Jesus got arrested, and most of who died the death of a martyr because of steps and steps of faithfulness, of knowing God's will and saying, yes, her confidence was not in the servant, was not in Abraham, was not in Isaac. 602 00:48:22.248 --> 00:48:24.270 Her confidence was in God. 603 00:48:25.040 --> 00:48:30.210 And in a life of serving him, she had built her faithfulness on him. 604 00:48:31.220 --> 00:48:35.200 So how does this love story conclude? 605 00:48:35.860 --> 00:48:37.250 Verse 61. 606 00:48:38.760 --> 00:48:47.030 Then Rebecca and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. 607 00:48:47.640 --> 00:48:51.430 Thus the servant took Rebecca and went his way. 608 00:48:52.220 --> 00:48:53.610 Verse 62. 609 00:48:54.700 --> 00:49:02.200 Now Isaac had returned from Birlah and was dwelling in the negeb. 610 00:49:02.620 --> 00:49:07.020 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. 611 00:49:07.600 --> 00:49:10.990 And he lifted his eyes and saw. 612 00:49:11.680 --> 00:49:13.950 And behold, there were camels coming. 613 00:49:14.800 --> 00:49:17.090 And Rebecca lifted her eyes. 614 00:49:17.780 --> 00:49:27.890 And when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel and said to the servant, who is that man walking in the field to meet us? 615 00:49:28.420 --> 00:49:30.660 The servant said, it is my master. 616 00:49:31.400 --> 00:49:34.260 So she took her veil and covered herself. 617 00:49:34.840 --> 00:49:39.190 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 618 00:49:39.800 --> 00:49:46.200 And then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah, his mother, and took Rebecca. 619 00:49:46.540 --> 00:49:50.250 And she became his wife, and he loved her. 620 00:49:51.100 --> 00:49:55.660 So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. 621 00:49:56.880 --> 00:49:57.612 Number four. 622 00:49:57.666 --> 00:49:58.910 Knowing God's will. 623 00:50:01.980 --> 00:50:02.708 Knowing. 624 00:50:02.804 --> 00:50:03.704 And I added this. 625 00:50:03.742 --> 00:50:04.404 I apologize. 626 00:50:04.452 --> 00:50:05.610 It's not on the screen. 627 00:50:06.220 --> 00:50:11.710 Knowing and doing God's will is experiencing the peace of God. 628 00:50:15.280 --> 00:50:17.070 It could have gone bad, right? 629 00:50:18.000 --> 00:50:19.180 It didn't. 630 00:50:19.860 --> 00:50:20.960 It didn't. 631 00:50:22.020 --> 00:50:29.410 And we see this beautiful picture of these two strangers who have come together. 632 00:50:31.060 --> 00:50:41.332 Another question to get asked often is, but I want to live in and experience the peace of God in my life. 633 00:50:41.386 --> 00:50:52.890 As a believer, what I've come to know, when to see is this, that the peace of God is the most strongly experienced and lived in at the center of his will. 634 00:50:54.060 --> 00:51:01.470 The closer I am to the center of his will, the greater the peace is in my life. 635 00:51:02.080 --> 00:51:03.070 They met. 636 00:51:04.320 --> 00:51:05.660 It's magical. 637 00:51:06.560 --> 00:51:07.980 They get married. 638 00:51:08.640 --> 00:51:10.190 Everything's great, right? 639 00:51:10.960 --> 00:51:12.784 Well, here's the thing about Genesis 24. 640 00:51:12.822 --> 00:51:16.160 If you're here with us, last week we talked about Sarah's death. 641 00:51:16.980 --> 00:51:19.328 So you would think that Genesis 24. 642 00:51:19.414 --> 00:51:24.816 Since it's after 23, happens after Sarah has died. 643 00:51:25.008 --> 00:51:28.230 But that's not necessarily the case. 644 00:51:28.760 --> 00:51:41.160 Genesis chapter 24 may have actually happened after Sarah's death or the events of this unfolded during her death. 645 00:51:41.980 --> 00:52:09.104 But what we do see, what I think that we can draw from here, what I think is great and powerful, is that if you've experienced that, as we've talked about, that losing someone close to us, that the means of comfort that God would give Isaac was not found in his meditations, in his wealth, in his servants, or even in his father Abraham, but in the grace of God. 646 00:52:09.222 --> 00:52:13.348 Where Isaac would find comfort was in. 647 00:52:13.354 --> 00:52:21.270 His wife, was from her, what she would give him in the person of who she is. 648 00:52:23.320 --> 00:52:27.850 See, in Christ, you and I have peace with God. 649 00:52:28.540 --> 00:52:32.408 The Bible tells us that we're the enemies of God. 650 00:52:32.494 --> 00:52:48.492 Before relationship with Christ and peace with God is twofold, that Christ in his death on the cross restores that relationship, and we're no longer considered enemies, but we're considered family, and that peace is brought there. 651 00:52:48.626 --> 00:52:51.164 But also there's not only the peace with God. 652 00:52:51.202 --> 00:52:57.648 But there's the peace of God that in Christ what we have is the peace of God. 653 00:52:57.734 --> 00:53:06.676 Colossians 315 says, and let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. 654 00:53:06.778 --> 00:53:07.888 And be thankful. 655 00:53:07.984 --> 00:53:11.956 Philippians four, six through seven do not. 656 00:53:11.978 --> 00:53:20.856 Be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. 657 00:53:20.958 --> 00:53:31.710 Let's pause so when the chaos and the craziness of life happens, when you don't know where to turn and what to do, the command do not be anxious about anything. 658 00:53:32.400 --> 00:53:33.468 Verse seven. 659 00:53:33.634 --> 00:53:44.700 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 660 00:53:44.860 --> 00:53:45.824 This is it. 661 00:53:45.942 --> 00:53:47.440 My mom's dead. 662 00:53:47.780 --> 00:53:51.968 My world's turned apart, but I have the peace of God. 663 00:53:52.054 --> 00:53:55.316 In these moments I'm uncertain of what to do. 664 00:53:55.418 --> 00:53:57.076 I'm uncertain of where to turn. 665 00:53:57.178 --> 00:54:03.748 But the peace of God that is found, and it is found the closest at the center of his will. 666 00:54:03.834 --> 00:54:11.210 The peace of God is found in trusting the promises, the nature and the character of God. 667 00:54:12.380 --> 00:54:20.590 You see, we think the peace of God is found in the removal of stress and difficulty of life. 668 00:54:21.760 --> 00:54:45.030 But the peace of God is this, that in the midst of the stress and the difficulty of life, knowing that God will never leave you nor forsake you, knowing that he is in control and knowing that he works all things for the good of those who love him, that's where peace is found. 669 00:54:46.120 --> 00:54:49.190 That's the peace of God. 670 00:54:50.920 --> 00:54:53.124 My hope and prayer for all of us is this. 671 00:54:53.242 --> 00:54:58.410 Number one, before you can know the peace of God, you have to have peace with God. 672 00:54:59.020 --> 00:55:24.240 And that today if you do not have peace with God, that today you'll admit that you're a sinner, that you'll believe in the Jesus of the Bible, of who the Bible says he is, that he died for your sins on a cross, that he was buried, that he rose three days later from the grave, and that he ascended to heaven, and then that is where he is, and he will turn and take back all that is his for himself. 673 00:55:25.540 --> 00:55:30.880 And that you will confess today that Jesus is Lord and savior. 674 00:55:31.860 --> 00:55:39.284 But I hope for all of us, those that have the peace with God, that today. 675 00:55:39.402 --> 00:55:39.828 Yes? 676 00:55:39.914 --> 00:55:43.430 Do I want your difficulty to go away? 677 00:55:43.800 --> 00:55:44.550 Absolutely. 678 00:55:45.320 --> 00:55:54.920 But more importantly than that, I want you to know that the peace of God is found in the person of God and he's with you. 679 00:55:55.070 --> 00:55:56.490 Would you pray with me? 680 00:55:59.920 --> 00:56:01.804 God, we thank you for today. 681 00:56:02.002 --> 00:56:03.790 We thank you for this morning. 682 00:56:04.240 --> 00:56:07.016 Lord, we thank you for this passage of scripture. 683 00:56:07.208 --> 00:56:15.264 We're not an easy, not a short, not a brief passage of scripture, but, Lord, a powerful passage that points us. 684 00:56:15.302 --> 00:56:20.240 To remind us of your promises and your providence. 685 00:56:23.400 --> 00:56:24.740 Lord, I pray. 686 00:56:27.480 --> 00:56:29.670 That we would seek to trust you. 687 00:56:31.800 --> 00:56:34.100 Trust to follow your commands. 688 00:56:35.660 --> 00:56:37.690 Trust to know that you're in control. 689 00:56:39.100 --> 00:56:45.850 And, Lord, trust that you'll determine the success that we long for. 690 00:56:46.620 --> 00:56:48.092 Lord, I know that there are so. 691 00:56:48.146 --> 00:56:52.376 Many in here who wrestle with that, Lord. 692 00:56:52.408 --> 00:56:54.908 They think they're unqualified to know. 693 00:56:54.994 --> 00:56:58.510 Unqualified, Lord, to do. 694 00:56:59.360 --> 00:57:18.640 And Lord, that we would see that we have all that we have in Christ to obey you, to follow you, to know your will for our life, and to live confidently in that God as we prepare to respond to you in worship. 695 00:57:18.800 --> 00:57:20.324 Lord, I pray if there's anyone here. 696 00:57:20.362 --> 00:57:25.808 Who does not know you as their lord and savior, that today would be the day of their salvation. 697 00:57:25.984 --> 00:57:38.910 God, I pray if there's anyone here, Lord, who has been unwilling or desiring to take a step of faith and trust you in a specific area in your life, God, that today would be that day. 698 00:57:44.880 --> 00:57:50.830 Lord, may our heart's desire be simply to say yes to you. 699 00:57:51.520 --> 00:57:53.304 It's in Jesus'name we pray. 700 00:57:53.432 --> 00:57:54.220 Amen. 701 00:57:58.560 --> 00:58:03.024 Thanks again for listening, and be sure to check back next week for another episode. 702 00:58:03.152 --> 00:58:10.800 In the meantime, you can visit us@willowridgechurch.org or by searching for Willowridge Church on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.