Faith Confirmed
Genesis 15: 1 – 21
I. Introduction.
We participated in the ordinance of baptism this morning. Only one person was baptized, but we all participated. We participated as witnesses, as Tayler gave a public profession of her faith in Jesus. We participated as worshippers, as we saw a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We participated as a church body, by committing ourselves to pray for Tayler as her new faith in Jesus grows. We also participated in the form of reminiscence, because Tayler’s baptism reminds us of the day when we were baptized.
There are some very important things Baptist Christians believe about baptism. First, Baptists believe baptism is reserved for believers only. This is why we do not baptize infants. The New Testament examples of baptism demonstrate adult men and women being baptized after they have professed their faith in Jesus.
Second, Baptists practice baptism by immersion. We do not sprinkle or pour water over a person’s head. We insist on placing the new believer completely under water. The reason we practice baptism by immersion is very closely related to my third point…Baptism is symbolic.
We do not fill our baptistery with “Holy Water.” No. We fill the baptistery with Lufkin water. It is plain. It is ordinary. It contains no power to wash away sins. The water of baptism is symbolic and tells a story. On one hand, it is the story of Jesus. Jesus died, was buried, and rose again from the grave. On the other hand, it tells our story. I was once a dead man—dead in my sins. I had no forgiveness and no hope. But, once I gave my life to Jesus in faith…The old man was dead and buried. Then, I experienced the resurrection of Jesus in my own life. My old self was dead and buried. My new self was raised to a new life…A new life that is made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Can you remember your own baptism this morning? Perhaps you were baptized right here in this church. Some of you were baptized in this church, but it wasn’t in this sanctuary. Some of you may have been baptized in a lake or a creek.
Do you remember the pastor who baptized you? For some of you, I was that pastor. Others were baptized by former pastors from this church or even a pastor in another city or state.
What do you remember about the day after your baptism? Was there a giant rainbow in the sky? Did a golden halo appear above your head, so that everyone you met commented about how “saintly” you look? Or, did you have to struggle with living out your new faith in the real world of sin and temptation?
The reality of baptism is that this is not the end of our faith. This is the beginning. And, as the beginning, baptism is also the beginning of a struggle. There are things that we want to do but know those things are wrong and sinful. There are temptations to live like the rest of the world—or to live like we used to live. And, there is the desire to follow Jesus—to live according to his example and to live a life that is pleasing in God’s eyes.
In some ways, our story today from the life of Abram is a lot like the day after our baptism. Genesis 15 is not the beginning of Abram’s faith—it is close to the beginning, but his faith actually began in Genesis 12. And, even at such an early point in his faith journey, Abram is beginning to question God and to wonder about God’s promises. Abram is beginning to think that God is not going to keep his promise. So, God reminds Abram that an important part of faith is waiting on God’s timing.
Read Genesis 15: 1 – 21.
The end of this story is very strange. God told Abram to select 5 animals and to cut them in halves. We sort of expect God to ask Abram to burn these animals as a sacrifice…But, that is not what happened. Instead, Abram placed the animal halves on the ground and separated the halves so there was space between the halves. Then, Abram stayed awake all night long shooing the scavenging birds away from the dead carcasses.
In the darkest part of the night, Abram had a vision. A smoking pot of fire and a torch appeared and moved in between the animal halves. Since smoke and fire are symbols for God, we believe that Abram’s vision is of God’s coming to earth in order to walk between the animal halves.
Perhaps Abram’s vision is a ceremony to seal a covenant between two parties. There is an allusion to such a ceremony in Jeremiah 34: 18, “(God said) The men who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces.”
The person who walks in between the animal halves has committed himself to uphold his covenant promises. If he does not uphold his promise, he will be cut in two just like the animals.
The remarkable thing about Abram’s vision is the fact that God is the one who walked in between the animal halves. On one hand, this is problematic. How can anyone hold God accountable to keep his promises? How can anyone threaten to cut God in two? On the other hand, this is a great relief to Abram. The covenant does not depend on Abram and his faithfulness to God. The covenant promises are God’s promises to bring about. The burden of fulfilling the promises is off Abram’s shoulders. The pressure is off of Abram, and the pressure is on God. God can handle the pressure.
Since this story is not the beginning of Abram’s faith, it is best understood as a confirmation of Abram’s faith. Actually, it is confirmation that the Object of Abram’s faith can and should be trusted. God is faithful to Abram in the present…God will always be faithful to Abram in the future.
II. Remember Your Beginning.
We can find a simple structure in this Scripture. God speaks to Abram. Abram complains to God. God is silent for a moment, so Abram complains a second time. God speaks a second time. Abram complains a third time. Does your prayer life sound like this sometimes?
The words God spoke to Abram in verse one contain two great promises. God promised to be two things in Abram’s life. God would be his shield of protection, and God would be Abram’s great reward. All that worldly wealth would pale in comparison to the great reward God had in mind. Abram would be God’s man. They would have an exclusive relationship in which God would provide for all Abram’s needs and protect him from all evil. God would give him his very presence.
Notice how Abram responds to God’s word… “But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir (Genesis 15: 2 – 3)."
I believe there is a pause in between verses 2 and 3. Abram expected an immediate answer from God and an immediate result to God’s promise. After all, God had promised to give Abram and Sarai a child in their old age. It didn’t happen as quickly as Abram had expected. He wanted an answer. He wanted a child. He wanted God to fulfill God’s own promise sooner rather than later…So, Abram kept talking. He didn’t say anything new. He just repeated himself, as if God had not heard his first complaint.
God’s answer was a reminder of the original promise. Just as Abram didn’t say anything new…God didn’t say anything new. “You will have a heir, a son coming from your own body.”
This should remind us of our own baptism—at least it should remind us of the day when we first became Christians. Do you remember your conversion? Do you remember the day when you first trusted your life into Jesus’ hands? Why did you become a Christian?
For most of us, we placed faith in Jesus, because we realized that we are sinners. We have a sin problem that separates us from God. We have a problem that we cannot solve. Only God can solve our sin problem. God took the initiative. He sent his only Son, Jesus, to live an exemplary life…to die a sacrificial death…and to rise again in victorious resurrection.
We believed in Jesus, because God promised us two things. Forgiveness for our sins. An eternal life that begins here on earth and continues in Heaven after life on earth is complete.
Any time we have complaints with God, he will remind us of the promises he made to us at the beginning of our life of faith. Salvation and life. God never promised to make us wealthy. God never promised to take away all our suffering an pain. God promised that he would forgive us our sins and give us a new life. This new life is empowered by the abiding presence of God. God’s presence will sustain us through whatever pain and struggles we face.
III. Trust God’s Word.
Abram had to learn to trust God’s word over all other circumstances. For example, Abram’s circumstances told him that he was too old to become a father, and Sarai was too old to become a mother. Abram’s circumstances told him that this land was inhabited by the Canaanites, Hittites, Jebusites and a host of other “ites.”
We don’t know what Abram had planned to do about the people living in the land God promised him. But, the Bible does tell us that Abram had already started making contingency plans for an heir. Abram had selected a slave named Eliezer to be his heir apparent. If God never fulfilled his promise, Abram had a plan. Think about how silly that sounds…If God never fulfilled his promise…
Do you have contingency plans? Contingency plans can be a good thing when it comes to business and retirement plans. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Put systems and people in place in your business life. Diversify your retirement portfolio. But, do not make contingency plans in your spiritual life. A spiritual contingency plan is nothing short of a compromise with the world. God does not want you to compromise with the world. God wants you to place all your faith, hope and love in his word and his promises to you.
But the interesting thing is that you have to hear God’s word before you can trust God’s word.
It seems in verse one and following that Abram had an audible conversation with God. Verses 17 and following describe how God spoke to Abram in a vision, or a dream. Perhaps we should wait for either an audible voice or a vision from God…
But we don’t have to wait for an audible voice. God has given us the Bible as his word. When we open the Bible, God speaks to us. When we leave our Bibles closed, God remains silent…
This is one of the reasons why church is important. Every time we gather in this sanctuary, we will read the Bible and hear God speak to us.
This is why it is important for you and your families to be involved in a Sunday School class. Every time we gather in Sunday School, we read the Bible and hear God speak to us.
This is why it is important to read your Bible daily as a part of your spiritual growth. God speaks through his word. Of course, there are times when we read the Bible and we can’t figure out what God is saying. We should not read the Bible like we read any other book—a novel, a biography, a history book… We should read the Bible prayerfully. A very simple way to do this is to read a short passage of Scripture and pray, “God, what are you saying to me through this Scripture?” Then, Sit…Listen…Wait…Be Still and God will show you.
IV. Righteousness Is a Gift from God.
Verse six is perhaps the most important verse from this biblical story: “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”
I can find two reasons why Abram believed God. First, God reminded Abram of the beginning of his faith. In the beginning, Abram took God at his word. He trusted in the word of God more than the circumstances of his life. Second, God gave Abram a sign—look at the stars in the sky.
This was not a new sign. The stars had always been there. Abram had probably never taken notice of the stars before, but they were always there. The stars didn’t do anything unusual that night. They simply occupied their places in the sky.
This was a sign, because it reminded Abram that God is the creator of everything he can see. God is the creator of things Abram cannot see. God is the creator of things that are too great for Abram to count.
Then, we have a play on words. Abram could not COUNT the stars. But God COUNTED Abram righteous. Abram could not make himself righteous before God. Only God can make a person righteous.
V. Conclusion.
God gave Abram “right standing” before God. It doesn’t mean that Abram was perfect. It doesn’t mean that Abram would never commit sins against God. It means that God changed his status.
If you and I will go back to our original commitment to God, we will discover the same thing. Salvation, Forgiveness of Sins, Eternal Life, the Provision and Protection of God…This is a gift. Trust God’s promises more than your circumstances.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010: Honor Your King
Honor Your King
Genesis 14: 17 – 24.
I. Introduction.
What is most important in life? On one hand, this is a very philosophical question. It is one of the most talked about, most debated subjects in history. On the other hand, we are in church on a Sunday morning…I am a pastor, standing before a congregation with an open Bible…Perhaps, you will not be surprised by my answer to this question.
However, we can change the question entirely by adding only one word. What is most important in YOUR life? Ahh. This is no longer a philosophical question. This is a practical question…Perhaps even an ethical question.
While I do not want to suggest that truth is relative or that truth can be changed to apply differently to different circumstances, I do believe that we will find many different answers to this question among the different people in this room. What is most important in YOUR life?
A popular way to answer this question is to imagine how you would live your life if you knew you were dying. What if you only had 30 days remaining? 30 days to work…30 days to spend time with your children…30 days to reconcile broken relationships…30 days to serve God and minister to others.
I don’t believe this answers the question. No. Imagining how I would spend my last 30 days of life does not tell me what is most important to me. It tells me what I WISH was most important to me. It is fantasy, not reality.
For some reason, we think we would be different if we had only 30 days left to live. We think imminent death would change our priorities and give us more control over life. This is simply not true. You and I make choices every day that determine how we use both time and money.
Reality is found by looking at our check ledger and our calendar! The most important things in life are the things that take up our time and money. This is the real answer to the question. The ways you spend time every day, and the ways you spend your monthly income are the most important things in your life.
Practically speaking, what is most important in your life? I’m not talking about philosophy or fantasy. I’m talking about reality. Where do you spend your time? How do you spend your money?
Practically speaking, the most important thing in your life is what you worship. Either God is most important in your life, or you are worshipping a false god.
A couple of years ago, I ate lunch with a group of guys from Houston. They were in town to sell something to our church. These guys didn’t like to refer to their work as a business. They said they thought of what they do as a ministry…a way to help churches. As we ate, we talked about God, ministry, evangelism, missions… Then, I asked a question about church. I said, “Where do you go to church in Houston?” He answered, “I don’t go to church anywhere. My daughter plays on a select softball team, and we have games every Sunday.”
I wonder how his check ledger and calendar would answer the question. I suppose it would tell him that softball is the most important thing in his life. Softball is his god. (This is probably not the way he would interpret his time and money. He would probably say that he spends his time and his money on his daughter. But, is that any better? Is it better to say you worship your children?)
In the story of Abram in Genesis, we find an example of faith. Sometimes, Abram looks like a saint. Sometimes, Abram looks like a sinner. But, throughout the story, Abram is a man who demonstrates for us how faith in God ought to be lived out in the real world. It’s not always easy for us to be faithful…But it wasn’t always easy for Abram either.
Read Genesis 14: 17 – 24.
This is an unusual story for a couple of reasons. First, it is difficult to understand. Second, it seems to stand alone in the context of Abram’s story. There is only one thing in this story connecting it with what comes before and after. It helps us to understand what has happened to Abram’s nephew, Lot.
In Genesis 13, Abram and Lot divided up the land. Lot chose to take the well-watered plains and to live in the city of Sodom. Abram left his future in God’s hands. In the end, Abram’s choice was blessed by God, while Lot’s choice fell under God’s judgment. Abram received the fulfillment of all God promised him. Lot separated from Abram and found himself outside of God’s protection.
In Genesis 14: 1 – 16, we read about an international war. The king of Elam demanded tribute taxes from five other nations. These nations paid their taxes faithfully for 12 years. But, in the thirteenth year, they rebelled.
The king of Elam formed a coalition with three other kings and went to war against the rebels. The four kings defeated the five kings and took some of the people as their slaves. Lot and his family were taken as slaves.
When Abram heard that Lot had been captured, he formed his own army of 318 fighting men. He divided his men into two groups and ambushed the army of the four kings at night. Thus, four kings defeated five kings and Abram alone defeated the four kings.
The story shows us that Abram was an effective political leader, who could rally people around his cause. It also shows us that he was an effective military leader, who could outwit his enemies and win a battle that seemed like a “lost cause.” But, the most important thing it shows us is how Abram handled his victory.
II. Two Kings.
Notice that after the battle was won, two kings came to greet Abram. The first king was Bera, the King of Sodom. The second king was Melchizedek, the King of Salem and priest of God Most High.
Abram was now “playing in the big leagues.” He was no longer a simple shepherd, wandering around the country side. Abram is now an international leader, one who is invited to a state dinner with two kings.
Also notice that these two kings want different things from Abram. This is apparent in the first words they speak to Abram. Bera, the King of Sodom, said, “Give me…(Genesis 14: 21).” Melchizedek, the King of Salem, said, “Blessed be Abram… (Genesis 14: 19).” There is a big difference between “Give me” and “Blessed be.”
It should be no surprise that Abram first gave his attention to Melchizedek. Melchizedek came to Abram offering the blessings of God, Most High. The other king came to Abram trying to recover the money and the people stolen in battle.
I believe this is an indication of what was most important to Abram. He was not seeking political fame. He was not interested in holding onto the accumulated wealth. He was most interested in doing what was pleasing to God. God’s blessing was more important than fame or fortune.
Abram’s choice is one that we also face in the twenty-first century. Will we bow down to God or the world? Sometimes the world takes the form of the political state (or even the political party). Most of the time, the world takes the form of worldly wealth. The person who chooses political favor over God’s blessing worships a false god. The person who chooses wealth over God’s blessing also worships a false god. The way we spend our time and money demonstrates which god we worship.
III. The Tithe.
Abram’s choice was to worship God Most High. He did this by instituting the tithe—giving ten percent of his resources to God.
There are several things about Abram’s tithe that are remarkable. First, this was the first recorded tithe in the Bible. None of the biblical characters before Abram gave a tithe. This is something Abram began.
Second, at this point in biblical history, there was no such thing as the Law. The Law was first given to Moses in the form of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, then it was interpreted and added to in the Old Testament books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. In fact, tithing shows up as a part of the Law in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Leviticus 27: 30 says, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.” The Law required all of God’s people to give a tithe of their income to God. But, this is not why Abram gave a tithe…Remember, there was no such thing as the Law at this point. In fact, the Apostle Paul tells us in the New Testament book of Galatians that Abram lived 430 years before the Law (Galatians 3: 17).
So, why did Abram give one-tenth of his wealth? It was because of his gratitude. We see this in the blessing from Melchizedek in verses 19 and 20, “and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”
We also see Abram’s gratitude in Abram’s words about God. Look at what Abram said when he finally got around to speaking to the king of Sodom, “But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me-- to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share." (Genesis 14: 22 – 24).”
The God Abram worshipped was not a regional God. He was not confined to the land of Canaan. Abram’s God is an international God, who was in control of international affairs. God gave Abram the strength, the wisdom and the ability to defeat the four kings. Therefore, this newfound wealth did not belong to Abram. The wealth belonged to God. Abram was so grateful for what God had done, he first gave a tithe to God before he decided what to do with the loot. (It’s interesting at this point to note that Abram didn’t actually keep any of the loot. He gave the first ten percent to God, then gave the rest of the loot to the king of Sodom. He kept nothing for himself.)
IV. LORD, God Most High, Creator of Heaven and Earth.
In Abram’s speech to the king of Sodom, he picked up on the words Melchizedek used in his blessing. Both Melchizedek and Abram referred to God as the “Creator of heaven and earth.”
It is significant that Abram chose to address God as the Creator. This is more than an affirmation about the origins of the universe. This is the foundation of Abram’s faith and worship.
In terms of Abram’s faith, God is the personal Creator of everything we see. It would be nonsensical for us to talk about the creation without also affirming a personal Creator. Nothing in the universe is self-created. No human being is a “self-made” person. God is our Creator.
In terms of Abram’s worship, God is both the Creator and Sustainer of everything we see. God not only gave us life, God also gave us our livelihood. All financial resources come from God. We would have nothing without God’s provision. Some people trust in the government to provide for their needs. Some people trust in free market enterprise to provide for their needs. God’s people trust in the personal Creator and Sustainer to provide for our needs.
V. Conclusion.
There is a program on the A & E Network called “Hoarders.” Have you ever seen “Hoarders?” (It is one of those shows that just sucks you in after a few minutes.) The show tells the story of people with a compulsive hoarding disorder. They keep everything they have ever owned. They cannot bring themselves to let go of anything. Their houses are filled with things you and I would call “junk.” They can’t even move around in their houses, because of the piles and piles of junk.
These people receive psychological counseling and help from personal organizers to get some control back in their lives.
Apparently, this is a diagnosable condition. So, I don’t want to make fun of people who are struggling with this. Yet, there are many of us who are hoarders in God’s eyes. We accumulate “junk” and organize our lives around things that should not be the most important things in life.
Perhaps we don’t have a psychological disorder…But we do have a theological problem. We hold onto “junk” because we think it is important. We hold onto “junk,” because we think we have earned it through our own abilities.
If someone has a compulsive hoarding disorder, that person needs to get help through psychological counseling. If a person has a theological hoarding disorder, that person needs to develop a faith in God as the Creator and Sustainer.
When God is both your Creator and Sustainer, nothing else can take his place as the most important thing in your life. When God is both Creator and Sustainer, worship becomes the opposite of hoarding…It is letting go of resources which came from God in the first place.
Genesis 14: 17 – 24.
I. Introduction.
What is most important in life? On one hand, this is a very philosophical question. It is one of the most talked about, most debated subjects in history. On the other hand, we are in church on a Sunday morning…I am a pastor, standing before a congregation with an open Bible…Perhaps, you will not be surprised by my answer to this question.
However, we can change the question entirely by adding only one word. What is most important in YOUR life? Ahh. This is no longer a philosophical question. This is a practical question…Perhaps even an ethical question.
While I do not want to suggest that truth is relative or that truth can be changed to apply differently to different circumstances, I do believe that we will find many different answers to this question among the different people in this room. What is most important in YOUR life?
A popular way to answer this question is to imagine how you would live your life if you knew you were dying. What if you only had 30 days remaining? 30 days to work…30 days to spend time with your children…30 days to reconcile broken relationships…30 days to serve God and minister to others.
I don’t believe this answers the question. No. Imagining how I would spend my last 30 days of life does not tell me what is most important to me. It tells me what I WISH was most important to me. It is fantasy, not reality.
For some reason, we think we would be different if we had only 30 days left to live. We think imminent death would change our priorities and give us more control over life. This is simply not true. You and I make choices every day that determine how we use both time and money.
Reality is found by looking at our check ledger and our calendar! The most important things in life are the things that take up our time and money. This is the real answer to the question. The ways you spend time every day, and the ways you spend your monthly income are the most important things in your life.
Practically speaking, what is most important in your life? I’m not talking about philosophy or fantasy. I’m talking about reality. Where do you spend your time? How do you spend your money?
Practically speaking, the most important thing in your life is what you worship. Either God is most important in your life, or you are worshipping a false god.
A couple of years ago, I ate lunch with a group of guys from Houston. They were in town to sell something to our church. These guys didn’t like to refer to their work as a business. They said they thought of what they do as a ministry…a way to help churches. As we ate, we talked about God, ministry, evangelism, missions… Then, I asked a question about church. I said, “Where do you go to church in Houston?” He answered, “I don’t go to church anywhere. My daughter plays on a select softball team, and we have games every Sunday.”
I wonder how his check ledger and calendar would answer the question. I suppose it would tell him that softball is the most important thing in his life. Softball is his god. (This is probably not the way he would interpret his time and money. He would probably say that he spends his time and his money on his daughter. But, is that any better? Is it better to say you worship your children?)
In the story of Abram in Genesis, we find an example of faith. Sometimes, Abram looks like a saint. Sometimes, Abram looks like a sinner. But, throughout the story, Abram is a man who demonstrates for us how faith in God ought to be lived out in the real world. It’s not always easy for us to be faithful…But it wasn’t always easy for Abram either.
Read Genesis 14: 17 – 24.
This is an unusual story for a couple of reasons. First, it is difficult to understand. Second, it seems to stand alone in the context of Abram’s story. There is only one thing in this story connecting it with what comes before and after. It helps us to understand what has happened to Abram’s nephew, Lot.
In Genesis 13, Abram and Lot divided up the land. Lot chose to take the well-watered plains and to live in the city of Sodom. Abram left his future in God’s hands. In the end, Abram’s choice was blessed by God, while Lot’s choice fell under God’s judgment. Abram received the fulfillment of all God promised him. Lot separated from Abram and found himself outside of God’s protection.
In Genesis 14: 1 – 16, we read about an international war. The king of Elam demanded tribute taxes from five other nations. These nations paid their taxes faithfully for 12 years. But, in the thirteenth year, they rebelled.
The king of Elam formed a coalition with three other kings and went to war against the rebels. The four kings defeated the five kings and took some of the people as their slaves. Lot and his family were taken as slaves.
When Abram heard that Lot had been captured, he formed his own army of 318 fighting men. He divided his men into two groups and ambushed the army of the four kings at night. Thus, four kings defeated five kings and Abram alone defeated the four kings.
The story shows us that Abram was an effective political leader, who could rally people around his cause. It also shows us that he was an effective military leader, who could outwit his enemies and win a battle that seemed like a “lost cause.” But, the most important thing it shows us is how Abram handled his victory.
II. Two Kings.
Notice that after the battle was won, two kings came to greet Abram. The first king was Bera, the King of Sodom. The second king was Melchizedek, the King of Salem and priest of God Most High.
Abram was now “playing in the big leagues.” He was no longer a simple shepherd, wandering around the country side. Abram is now an international leader, one who is invited to a state dinner with two kings.
Also notice that these two kings want different things from Abram. This is apparent in the first words they speak to Abram. Bera, the King of Sodom, said, “Give me…(Genesis 14: 21).” Melchizedek, the King of Salem, said, “Blessed be Abram… (Genesis 14: 19).” There is a big difference between “Give me” and “Blessed be.”
It should be no surprise that Abram first gave his attention to Melchizedek. Melchizedek came to Abram offering the blessings of God, Most High. The other king came to Abram trying to recover the money and the people stolen in battle.
I believe this is an indication of what was most important to Abram. He was not seeking political fame. He was not interested in holding onto the accumulated wealth. He was most interested in doing what was pleasing to God. God’s blessing was more important than fame or fortune.
Abram’s choice is one that we also face in the twenty-first century. Will we bow down to God or the world? Sometimes the world takes the form of the political state (or even the political party). Most of the time, the world takes the form of worldly wealth. The person who chooses political favor over God’s blessing worships a false god. The person who chooses wealth over God’s blessing also worships a false god. The way we spend our time and money demonstrates which god we worship.
III. The Tithe.
Abram’s choice was to worship God Most High. He did this by instituting the tithe—giving ten percent of his resources to God.
There are several things about Abram’s tithe that are remarkable. First, this was the first recorded tithe in the Bible. None of the biblical characters before Abram gave a tithe. This is something Abram began.
Second, at this point in biblical history, there was no such thing as the Law. The Law was first given to Moses in the form of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, then it was interpreted and added to in the Old Testament books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. In fact, tithing shows up as a part of the Law in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Leviticus 27: 30 says, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.” The Law required all of God’s people to give a tithe of their income to God. But, this is not why Abram gave a tithe…Remember, there was no such thing as the Law at this point. In fact, the Apostle Paul tells us in the New Testament book of Galatians that Abram lived 430 years before the Law (Galatians 3: 17).
So, why did Abram give one-tenth of his wealth? It was because of his gratitude. We see this in the blessing from Melchizedek in verses 19 and 20, “and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”
We also see Abram’s gratitude in Abram’s words about God. Look at what Abram said when he finally got around to speaking to the king of Sodom, “But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me-- to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share." (Genesis 14: 22 – 24).”
The God Abram worshipped was not a regional God. He was not confined to the land of Canaan. Abram’s God is an international God, who was in control of international affairs. God gave Abram the strength, the wisdom and the ability to defeat the four kings. Therefore, this newfound wealth did not belong to Abram. The wealth belonged to God. Abram was so grateful for what God had done, he first gave a tithe to God before he decided what to do with the loot. (It’s interesting at this point to note that Abram didn’t actually keep any of the loot. He gave the first ten percent to God, then gave the rest of the loot to the king of Sodom. He kept nothing for himself.)
IV. LORD, God Most High, Creator of Heaven and Earth.
In Abram’s speech to the king of Sodom, he picked up on the words Melchizedek used in his blessing. Both Melchizedek and Abram referred to God as the “Creator of heaven and earth.”
It is significant that Abram chose to address God as the Creator. This is more than an affirmation about the origins of the universe. This is the foundation of Abram’s faith and worship.
In terms of Abram’s faith, God is the personal Creator of everything we see. It would be nonsensical for us to talk about the creation without also affirming a personal Creator. Nothing in the universe is self-created. No human being is a “self-made” person. God is our Creator.
In terms of Abram’s worship, God is both the Creator and Sustainer of everything we see. God not only gave us life, God also gave us our livelihood. All financial resources come from God. We would have nothing without God’s provision. Some people trust in the government to provide for their needs. Some people trust in free market enterprise to provide for their needs. God’s people trust in the personal Creator and Sustainer to provide for our needs.
V. Conclusion.
There is a program on the A & E Network called “Hoarders.” Have you ever seen “Hoarders?” (It is one of those shows that just sucks you in after a few minutes.) The show tells the story of people with a compulsive hoarding disorder. They keep everything they have ever owned. They cannot bring themselves to let go of anything. Their houses are filled with things you and I would call “junk.” They can’t even move around in their houses, because of the piles and piles of junk.
These people receive psychological counseling and help from personal organizers to get some control back in their lives.
Apparently, this is a diagnosable condition. So, I don’t want to make fun of people who are struggling with this. Yet, there are many of us who are hoarders in God’s eyes. We accumulate “junk” and organize our lives around things that should not be the most important things in life.
Perhaps we don’t have a psychological disorder…But we do have a theological problem. We hold onto “junk” because we think it is important. We hold onto “junk,” because we think we have earned it through our own abilities.
If someone has a compulsive hoarding disorder, that person needs to get help through psychological counseling. If a person has a theological hoarding disorder, that person needs to develop a faith in God as the Creator and Sustainer.
When God is both your Creator and Sustainer, nothing else can take his place as the most important thing in your life. When God is both Creator and Sustainer, worship becomes the opposite of hoarding…It is letting go of resources which came from God in the first place.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010: Walking by Faith, Not by Sight
Walking by Faith, Not by Sight
Genesis 13: 1 – 18.
I. Introduction.
Last year, I read three biographies of Texas Baptist pastors: B.H. Carroll, J. Frank Norris and George W. Truett. B.H. Carroll is credited with founding Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Baptist General Convention of Texas. J. Frank Norris was the fundamentalist pastor of First Baptist Church, Fort Worth and a thorn in the flesh of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He was accused of arson twice and murder once, but never went to trial. There was not enough evidence. George W. Truett was pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas. He had a college degree, but never went to seminary. He was credited with “saving Baylor University” before he ever entered Baylor as a student. George Truett and B.H. Carroll traveled all over Texas raising money to retire Baylor’s debt.
Truett’s biography was different from Carroll’s and Norris’. According to Truett’s biography, he never made a mistake. He was always godly, always faithful and his motives were never questionable. There are three problems with this view of Truett. First, no human is perfect. Second, the biography was written while Truett was still alive. Third, the biography was written by Truett’s own son-in-law. He probably didn’t want his wife to read anything negative about her father.
This is not the same picture we have of Abraham in the Bible. Abraham was fully human. He is the model for faithfulness, but he made his share of mistakes. Last week’s sermon is a good example. Abram was forced to leave the land of Canaan because of a famine. He went into Egypt for food but was afraid of the Pharaoh. So, Abram told a lie. He told Pharaoh that Sarai was not his wife. She was his sister. And Abram sold Sarai to Pharaoh to become one of Pharaoh’s wives.
Abram’s faithlessness put all of God’s promises in jeopardy. He saved his own life, but he made life difficult for the others around him. However, God intervened and saved Abram from himself. When Abram lost faith in God, God continued to be faithful. When Abram gave up on God, God never gave up on Abram.
This is one of the ways we know the Bible can be trusted. The Bible does not tell us only the good things about our heroes. Sometimes, our heroes look and act like heroes. Most of the time, our heroes don’t look and act very heroic.
The Bible does not present us with all the good and none of the bad. The Bible tells us the truth—warts and all.
Fortunately for us, Abram got back on track. Faithlessness was not the end of Abram’s story. He returned to the land God promised him. He returned to a life of trusting in God.
Read Genesis 13: 1 – 18.
Last week we witnessed Abram’s faith as it stumbled. Today we return to the common idea that Abram is the model of perfect faith.
In the story of Abram, the land of Egypt represents a place where he sinned against God. The land of Canaan, on the other hand, represents the place where Abram heard God and worshipped God. We witness this as the Bible retraces Abram’s steps for us. He doesn’t just go back to Canaan. He goes back to all the places where God has spoken to him in the past. It seems that Abram realizes that he messed up in Egypt and now wants to get things right with God. When Abram returns to Canaan, he also reconnects with God.
After returning to Canaan, Abram discovers for the second time that the land cannot support him. The first time was a famine. This time, it is because Abram and his nephew, Lot, have become so wealthy. Abram and Lot both had sheep, cattle, donkeys and camels. Their animals needed grass and water. The land was good enough to support one of them, but not both.
This seems to be a common occurrence for Abram. Every time God speaks to him, he experiences a spiritual high point followed by a spiritual low point. God called Abram and promised to bless him. Immediately, a famine struck. Abram reconnected with God at Bethel. Immediately, a quarrel breaks out between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen.
Abram realizes how important it is for him to live peaceably with his relatives. After all, they are surrounded by foreigners in a foreign land. We should learn from Abram’s example, because this is the same situation we find ourselves in as Christians.
Inside the church, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Outside the church, the rest of the world is against us. This land is not our true home. The people who inhabit this land are not our true brothers and sisters. Therefore, it is important for us to find peaceful ways to get along…peaceful solutions to our disagreements with our true brothers and sisters.
Abram takes a radical step to create a peaceful solution. He offers to divide up the land with Lot. There are two things worth noting about Abram’s offer.
First, the land he was offering to Lot was already inhabited by the Canaanites and Perizzites. They may be living in the land now, but God had promised the land to Abram and his descendants. This simple—but ironic—act of dividing up the land is a statement of faith. Abram believed God’s promise more than he believed his own eyes. If Abram trusted only what he could see, he would not have taken possession of the land. He would have abandoned the land and probably returned to his homeland in Haran.
Second, Abram let Lot choose first. Abram was Lot’s uncle. Therefore, Abram had the right to take whatever he wanted and to assign the rest to Lot. Abram was the one whom God had promised the land. Therefore, Abram had every right to tell Lot to find his own land. This land was Abram’s promise. Lot had no legitimate claim on the land.
When Lot made his choice of land, he did what any of us would have done. He inspected the land to find out which choice would provide best for his needs. After all, Lot had a family to provide for. He had male and female servants. He had flocks of cattle, sheep, donkeys and camels.
Verse 10 tells us that Lot chose the land that was on the plain and was well watered. The land Abram received by default was dry and rugged. Lot made his choice based on what would be best for his crops, his animals and ultimately his family.
This is another one of those stories that has been a struggle for me. I remember hearing this in Sunday School as a child. The teachers told us that we should always let the other person choose before us. And, when someone lets us choose first, we should never take the best for ourselves. I never understood why people should not choose the best for themselves.
This is not a story about making a humble choice and allowing another person to have better things than you. Instead, this is a comparison and contrast between Abram and Lot. It is a contrast between spiritual blessings and material blessings.
II. Abram Acted in Faith.
Abram’s behavior shows us what faith—and spiritual blessings—looks like. By allowing Lot to make the first choice, Abram placed his future in God’s hands. In the end, Lot had only himself to blame. In the end, Abram could only give thanks to God.
How many times have you tried to take credit for good things in your own life? For example, we are often tempted to claim wisdom in making good decisions; strong work ethic when we succeed; or even personal thriftiness when we avoid financial ruin. Abram could not claim any of these. He ended up in the land of Canaan as a result of Lot’s decision, not his own.
By giving Lot the first choice, Abram was allowing God to bless him in spite of the circumstances. This is the way God often works. God’s people discover God’s faithfulness best when things are not perfect. When things are perfect, we think we are responsible. When things are not perfect, we have to let God do his work on our behalf.
III. Lot Was Seduced into Sin.
The biggest difference between Abram and Lot was the way they looked at the land. Lot looked only with his eyes. Abram looked through God’s eyes.
The author of Genesis wants us to think of the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when we read this story. We see this in verse 10… “Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)”
Remember what happened in Genesis 3. The serpent tempted Eve by showing her the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve saw the fruit. It was pleasing to the eye. But, what happened when Eve ate the fruit and gave the fruit to Adam to eat? Sin and death entered into God’s creation.
There is a parallel between these two stories. Both Eve and Lot were seduced by evil. It was beautiful. For Eve, this beauty was in the form of forbidden fruit. For Lot, this beauty was in the form of well watered land. The fruit Eve ate led to death and destruction. The land Lot chose was destroyed in God’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah.
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah represent two things in the Bible: the epitome of evil and the suddenness of God’s judgment. Lot was so enamored by the beauty of the land that he failed to recognize the wickedness he was getting himself into. Lot eventually moved into the city of Sodom and was living there when it was destroyed by God’s judgment.
IV. God’s Promise to Abram.
Abram didn’t look at the beauty of the land. Instead, he looked toward the promises of God.
Abram did not concern himself with how he could meet his own needs. Instead, he tried to live according to God’s plan for his life.
Imagine what Abram could have done in Canaan. He had every right to expel Lot and all Lot’s property. After all, this was Abram’s land. God had promised it to him. Or, Abram could have selected the good land for himself. After all, God had promised to bless Abram and his descendants. Abram could have viewed the good land as a blessing from God and necessary for all those promised descendants.
Yet, that is not what Abram did. He trusted God’s promises more than his own eyes. Abram trusted God to provide for all his needs in the present and in the future. He knew that if God made the promise, God would be the one to fulfill it. God never makes a promise and expects us to achieve them for ourselves.
Lot thought he could achieve blessings on his own…by choosing the beautiful, well-watered land.
What was God’s promise to Abram? God promised to bless Abram and to use Abram as a blessing to all peoples of the earth.
God had a plan for Abram’s life that was bigger than Abram himself. If God’s plan was simply to bless Abram, then any land would suffice. Abram could live on the well watered plain. He could raise crops and herds of all kinds. He could get wealthier and wealthier. He could live a rich and comfortable and blessed life. But, God’s plan was bigger than Abram. God wanted Abram to be a blessing to others.
The contrast between Abram and Lot is fairly easily applied to our own lives. Nearly every decision we make in life, we have to choose between serving our own needs or serving God’s plan for our lives.
Sometimes we act like Lot. We can be seduced by the deceptive beauty of worldly things. They look attractive. They promise fun times. They tell us that we can take care of our own physical needs and our emotional and relational needs. But, worldly beauty leads to death and destruction.
Sometimes we act more like Abram. God has a plan for your life that is bigger than you. God’s plan for your life includes meeting your physical, emotional and relational needs. But it goes beyond that. When God is the source of your life and the blessings in your life, you no longer feel the need to hang on to worldly things. You can use God’s blessings to bless others.
It comes down to the answer to one question: To whom does my life belong? If my life belongs to me, then I must do everything I can to survive on my own and to meet my own needs. If my life belongs to me, then the greatest blessing in all of life is to make myself happy. If my life belongs to God, then God is responsible for my survival and for meeting my needs. If my life belongs to God, then the greatest blessing in all of life is to make God happy.
V. Conclusion.
I think we can say the same thing about our church. What is God’s promise to Lufkin’s First Baptist? Has God promised us that we will live a rich and comfortable and blessed church life? Or does God have something bigger in mind for us?
I think God has something bigger for this church. We are blessed in order that we might bless others.
Think of it this way…To whom does this church belong? If this church belongs to the pastor, then make the pastor happy. If this church belongs to the deacons, then make the deacons happy. If the church belongs to the members, then make the members happy.
But, what if this church really belongs to God? Then, God will be responsible for our physical, emotional and relational needs. God is the one we should please.
Genesis 13: 1 – 18.
I. Introduction.
Last year, I read three biographies of Texas Baptist pastors: B.H. Carroll, J. Frank Norris and George W. Truett. B.H. Carroll is credited with founding Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Baptist General Convention of Texas. J. Frank Norris was the fundamentalist pastor of First Baptist Church, Fort Worth and a thorn in the flesh of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He was accused of arson twice and murder once, but never went to trial. There was not enough evidence. George W. Truett was pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas. He had a college degree, but never went to seminary. He was credited with “saving Baylor University” before he ever entered Baylor as a student. George Truett and B.H. Carroll traveled all over Texas raising money to retire Baylor’s debt.
Truett’s biography was different from Carroll’s and Norris’. According to Truett’s biography, he never made a mistake. He was always godly, always faithful and his motives were never questionable. There are three problems with this view of Truett. First, no human is perfect. Second, the biography was written while Truett was still alive. Third, the biography was written by Truett’s own son-in-law. He probably didn’t want his wife to read anything negative about her father.
This is not the same picture we have of Abraham in the Bible. Abraham was fully human. He is the model for faithfulness, but he made his share of mistakes. Last week’s sermon is a good example. Abram was forced to leave the land of Canaan because of a famine. He went into Egypt for food but was afraid of the Pharaoh. So, Abram told a lie. He told Pharaoh that Sarai was not his wife. She was his sister. And Abram sold Sarai to Pharaoh to become one of Pharaoh’s wives.
Abram’s faithlessness put all of God’s promises in jeopardy. He saved his own life, but he made life difficult for the others around him. However, God intervened and saved Abram from himself. When Abram lost faith in God, God continued to be faithful. When Abram gave up on God, God never gave up on Abram.
This is one of the ways we know the Bible can be trusted. The Bible does not tell us only the good things about our heroes. Sometimes, our heroes look and act like heroes. Most of the time, our heroes don’t look and act very heroic.
The Bible does not present us with all the good and none of the bad. The Bible tells us the truth—warts and all.
Fortunately for us, Abram got back on track. Faithlessness was not the end of Abram’s story. He returned to the land God promised him. He returned to a life of trusting in God.
Read Genesis 13: 1 – 18.
Last week we witnessed Abram’s faith as it stumbled. Today we return to the common idea that Abram is the model of perfect faith.
In the story of Abram, the land of Egypt represents a place where he sinned against God. The land of Canaan, on the other hand, represents the place where Abram heard God and worshipped God. We witness this as the Bible retraces Abram’s steps for us. He doesn’t just go back to Canaan. He goes back to all the places where God has spoken to him in the past. It seems that Abram realizes that he messed up in Egypt and now wants to get things right with God. When Abram returns to Canaan, he also reconnects with God.
After returning to Canaan, Abram discovers for the second time that the land cannot support him. The first time was a famine. This time, it is because Abram and his nephew, Lot, have become so wealthy. Abram and Lot both had sheep, cattle, donkeys and camels. Their animals needed grass and water. The land was good enough to support one of them, but not both.
This seems to be a common occurrence for Abram. Every time God speaks to him, he experiences a spiritual high point followed by a spiritual low point. God called Abram and promised to bless him. Immediately, a famine struck. Abram reconnected with God at Bethel. Immediately, a quarrel breaks out between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen.
Abram realizes how important it is for him to live peaceably with his relatives. After all, they are surrounded by foreigners in a foreign land. We should learn from Abram’s example, because this is the same situation we find ourselves in as Christians.
Inside the church, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Outside the church, the rest of the world is against us. This land is not our true home. The people who inhabit this land are not our true brothers and sisters. Therefore, it is important for us to find peaceful ways to get along…peaceful solutions to our disagreements with our true brothers and sisters.
Abram takes a radical step to create a peaceful solution. He offers to divide up the land with Lot. There are two things worth noting about Abram’s offer.
First, the land he was offering to Lot was already inhabited by the Canaanites and Perizzites. They may be living in the land now, but God had promised the land to Abram and his descendants. This simple—but ironic—act of dividing up the land is a statement of faith. Abram believed God’s promise more than he believed his own eyes. If Abram trusted only what he could see, he would not have taken possession of the land. He would have abandoned the land and probably returned to his homeland in Haran.
Second, Abram let Lot choose first. Abram was Lot’s uncle. Therefore, Abram had the right to take whatever he wanted and to assign the rest to Lot. Abram was the one whom God had promised the land. Therefore, Abram had every right to tell Lot to find his own land. This land was Abram’s promise. Lot had no legitimate claim on the land.
When Lot made his choice of land, he did what any of us would have done. He inspected the land to find out which choice would provide best for his needs. After all, Lot had a family to provide for. He had male and female servants. He had flocks of cattle, sheep, donkeys and camels.
Verse 10 tells us that Lot chose the land that was on the plain and was well watered. The land Abram received by default was dry and rugged. Lot made his choice based on what would be best for his crops, his animals and ultimately his family.
This is another one of those stories that has been a struggle for me. I remember hearing this in Sunday School as a child. The teachers told us that we should always let the other person choose before us. And, when someone lets us choose first, we should never take the best for ourselves. I never understood why people should not choose the best for themselves.
This is not a story about making a humble choice and allowing another person to have better things than you. Instead, this is a comparison and contrast between Abram and Lot. It is a contrast between spiritual blessings and material blessings.
II. Abram Acted in Faith.
Abram’s behavior shows us what faith—and spiritual blessings—looks like. By allowing Lot to make the first choice, Abram placed his future in God’s hands. In the end, Lot had only himself to blame. In the end, Abram could only give thanks to God.
How many times have you tried to take credit for good things in your own life? For example, we are often tempted to claim wisdom in making good decisions; strong work ethic when we succeed; or even personal thriftiness when we avoid financial ruin. Abram could not claim any of these. He ended up in the land of Canaan as a result of Lot’s decision, not his own.
By giving Lot the first choice, Abram was allowing God to bless him in spite of the circumstances. This is the way God often works. God’s people discover God’s faithfulness best when things are not perfect. When things are perfect, we think we are responsible. When things are not perfect, we have to let God do his work on our behalf.
III. Lot Was Seduced into Sin.
The biggest difference between Abram and Lot was the way they looked at the land. Lot looked only with his eyes. Abram looked through God’s eyes.
The author of Genesis wants us to think of the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when we read this story. We see this in verse 10… “Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)”
Remember what happened in Genesis 3. The serpent tempted Eve by showing her the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve saw the fruit. It was pleasing to the eye. But, what happened when Eve ate the fruit and gave the fruit to Adam to eat? Sin and death entered into God’s creation.
There is a parallel between these two stories. Both Eve and Lot were seduced by evil. It was beautiful. For Eve, this beauty was in the form of forbidden fruit. For Lot, this beauty was in the form of well watered land. The fruit Eve ate led to death and destruction. The land Lot chose was destroyed in God’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah.
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah represent two things in the Bible: the epitome of evil and the suddenness of God’s judgment. Lot was so enamored by the beauty of the land that he failed to recognize the wickedness he was getting himself into. Lot eventually moved into the city of Sodom and was living there when it was destroyed by God’s judgment.
IV. God’s Promise to Abram.
Abram didn’t look at the beauty of the land. Instead, he looked toward the promises of God.
Abram did not concern himself with how he could meet his own needs. Instead, he tried to live according to God’s plan for his life.
Imagine what Abram could have done in Canaan. He had every right to expel Lot and all Lot’s property. After all, this was Abram’s land. God had promised it to him. Or, Abram could have selected the good land for himself. After all, God had promised to bless Abram and his descendants. Abram could have viewed the good land as a blessing from God and necessary for all those promised descendants.
Yet, that is not what Abram did. He trusted God’s promises more than his own eyes. Abram trusted God to provide for all his needs in the present and in the future. He knew that if God made the promise, God would be the one to fulfill it. God never makes a promise and expects us to achieve them for ourselves.
Lot thought he could achieve blessings on his own…by choosing the beautiful, well-watered land.
What was God’s promise to Abram? God promised to bless Abram and to use Abram as a blessing to all peoples of the earth.
God had a plan for Abram’s life that was bigger than Abram himself. If God’s plan was simply to bless Abram, then any land would suffice. Abram could live on the well watered plain. He could raise crops and herds of all kinds. He could get wealthier and wealthier. He could live a rich and comfortable and blessed life. But, God’s plan was bigger than Abram. God wanted Abram to be a blessing to others.
The contrast between Abram and Lot is fairly easily applied to our own lives. Nearly every decision we make in life, we have to choose between serving our own needs or serving God’s plan for our lives.
Sometimes we act like Lot. We can be seduced by the deceptive beauty of worldly things. They look attractive. They promise fun times. They tell us that we can take care of our own physical needs and our emotional and relational needs. But, worldly beauty leads to death and destruction.
Sometimes we act more like Abram. God has a plan for your life that is bigger than you. God’s plan for your life includes meeting your physical, emotional and relational needs. But it goes beyond that. When God is the source of your life and the blessings in your life, you no longer feel the need to hang on to worldly things. You can use God’s blessings to bless others.
It comes down to the answer to one question: To whom does my life belong? If my life belongs to me, then I must do everything I can to survive on my own and to meet my own needs. If my life belongs to me, then the greatest blessing in all of life is to make myself happy. If my life belongs to God, then God is responsible for my survival and for meeting my needs. If my life belongs to God, then the greatest blessing in all of life is to make God happy.
V. Conclusion.
I think we can say the same thing about our church. What is God’s promise to Lufkin’s First Baptist? Has God promised us that we will live a rich and comfortable and blessed church life? Or does God have something bigger in mind for us?
I think God has something bigger for this church. We are blessed in order that we might bless others.
Think of it this way…To whom does this church belong? If this church belongs to the pastor, then make the pastor happy. If this church belongs to the deacons, then make the deacons happy. If the church belongs to the members, then make the members happy.
But, what if this church really belongs to God? Then, God will be responsible for our physical, emotional and relational needs. God is the one we should please.
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