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{Slide:Logo-ThePromises}

3-ThePromises TodayisthethirdlessoninourJourneyseries. TheFirstlessonlookedattheProblemthatissinandhowitwasintroducedattheFallandhowitaffectsustothisday. TheSecondlessonlookedatthePeoplethatGodhasbeenpreparingsincetheFallandthatasaChristianwhohasmadeJesusLordwearepartofthatnation. TodaywearegoingtolookatthePromiseandhowattheFall,Godhadalreadybeenatworkonourredemption. Whatisapromise? It’sastatementoffactthatsomethingwillhappeninthefuture. Likewithachild,wemaysaysomethinglike,“ifyoubehaveyourselfatthisevent,wewillgoandgeticecreamafterward”. Asparentsweusuallyfollowthrough,butsometimes,circumstanceschangeandwedon’t. (StoryofphonecallfromMalasia Tothisday,westillhavenotgoneonaholidaywiththekidstomakeupforthattime.) Whatdoesitfeellikewhensomeonedoesnotfollowthrough? Wefeelcheated. Becausetosomeextent,whensomeonepromisessomething,wefeelwehaveaclaimofownership,Icantastetheicecream,thereisapleasureinanticipationandwhenyoudon’tfollowthrough,itfeelslikesomethingphysicalhasbeentakenaway. Evenasifthephysicalobjectofthepromisehasbeentakenaway,eventhoughIneverhadit. Alittlebizarre. Andtherefore,becarefulwhatyoupromise. Godalsomadesomepromises. {Slide:1)God’spromises} 1)God’spromises {Slide:Gen12v1-3}

Gen12v1-3 TheLORDhadsaidtoAbram,“Gofromyourcountry,yourpeopleandyourfather’s

householdtothelandIwillshowyou. 2“Iwillmakeyouintoagreatnation,

andIwillblessyou; Iwillmakeyournamegreat, andyouwillbeablessing.i

3Iwillblessthosewhoblessyou, andwhoevercursesyouIwillcurse;

andallpeoplesonearth

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willbeblessedthroughyou.” AndthenHecontinuesalittlefurtherinGen17 {Slide:Gen17v6-8}

Gen17v6-8 6Iwillmakeyouveryfruitful;Iwillmakenationsofyou,andkingswillcomefromyou.7Iwill

establishmycovenantasaneverlastingcovenantbetweenmeandyouandyourdescendantsafteryouforthegenerationstocome,tobeyourGodandtheGodofyour

descendantsafteryou.8ThewholelandofCanaan,whereyounowresideasaforeigner,Iwillgiveasaneverlastingpossessiontoyouandyourdescendantsafteryou;andIwillbe

theirGod.” Rememberwhereweareinthegenealogy. WehadAdamandEveandafewmoregenerationsandthenGodbroughtonthefloodandGodstartedagainwithNoah. {Slide:NoahtoAbraham}

Gen6-GodtellsNoahtobuildanArk Gen7-Noahandhisfamilyenterthearkandthewaterscome Gen8-Theysurvivetheordealandstepondryland Gen9-GodmakesacovenantwithNoahandtellshimtobefruitful,whichheis. AndafewgenerationslaterwelandatGen12withAbraham. Thisistheverystartofthepeoplejourney,thatwediscussedlastweek. GodmakesAbrahamsevenpromises. {Slide:Thesevenpromises}

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(Sidenote:thedifferencesintheword“curse”,thereisanuancelostintranslation

GodpromisesAbrahamthat“everyonewhocurseshim”ְמַקֶּלְלָך(mekalelcha)willbeinturn“becursed”ָאאֹר(aor).Thestrengthofthispromise,however,islostintranslation.Thefirstwordfor“curses”–ְמַקֶּלְלָך(mekalelcha)comesfromarootthatliterallymeans“tomakelightofsomethingheavy.”

Thesecondwordfor“curse,”ָאאֹר(aor)actuallycomesfromacompletelydifferentrootthatmeanssomethinglike“toutterlydestroy.”TakingtheseinsightsfromHebrewintoconsideration,thetranslationcouldbepresentedasfollows:“Iwillblessthosewhoblessyou,buttheonewhodisrespectsyou,Iwillutterlydestroy.”)

Wehavethesevenpromises. InowwanttofilterthebooksoftheBiblealittle. WeareallusedtoseeingtheBibleinaparticularway,GenesistoRevelations. 66books,justlikeGodgaveittous. Let’slookattheBibleinadifferentway. Let’smanipulatethewayweknowandunderstandhistory,justalittle. WecandividetheBibleroughlyintothreebroadcategories History-Withinthosebooks,somecanbeconsideredHistorical,theytellusastory Prophetic-SomecanbeconsideredPropheticoraddressotherthings,theytellusaboutthefutureorgiveusinsightintospecificsituations Doctrine-AndsomecanbeconsideredasDoctrine,theadviseusonspecifictopics. WearegoingtofocusontheHistorybooks,IntheOldTestament,theHistoricalbooks,thosethattellastoryare: {Slide:OTHistoricbooks}

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ThePropheticbookswouldincludeJob,Psa,Pro,Ecc,Sos,Isa,Jer,Lam,Eze,Danandtheminorprophets TherestoftheNewTestamentbooksaddressparticularsituationswithinthestoryandcanbeconsideredDoctrine. IntheNewTestament,thebooksthattellastoryareMat,Mar,Luk,JohandActs. WhenweaddthemtotheOT,thenthelistlookslikethis. {Slide:AllHistoricbooks}

Thatleavesuswith22books. Ifweremovethosewithlessersignificanceorhaverepetition. IfwejustwantthestoryoftheBible. BookslikeChronicleswhichisessentiallyarepeat,EstherandRuthintheOT AndMatthew,Mark,andJohnintheNT, weareleftwith15bookswhichwearegoingtoarrangeinthefollowingfashion: {Slide:Pic6-Historical,whatisneeded}

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IfyouwanttoknowthestoryoftheBible,thesearetheonlybooksyouneedtoread. Rememberlastweek. Wespokeaboutnationdevelopment. Let’saddthattoourbigpictureviewoftheBible. {Slide:Pic7-Historical,nationdevelopment}

Rememberthisgroupingandlet’sgobacktoGodmakingsevenpromisestoAbraham. WehavetheprivilegeofhindsightandsowecanseewhatAbrahamcouldn’t. Hejusthadtobelieve,havefaith. Solet’scontinueourjourneyandseehowthesepromisesplayedout. {Slide:2)Promisesunfolding} 2)Promisesunfolding

Promise1 Iwillblessyou

Whatdoesitmeantobless? Tobestowdivinefavour. Howdoesthatplayout? Dependsonwhatformthefavourtakes.

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InAbraham’stimeitwasseenlikethis. {Slide:Gen24v34-36}

Gen24v34-36 34Sohesaid,“IamAbraham’sservant.35TheLORDhasblessedmymasterabundantly,and

hehasbecomewealthy.Hehasgivenhimsheepandcattle,silverandgold,maleandfemaleservants,andcamelsanddonkeys.36Mymaster’swifeSarahhasbornehimasoninherold

age,andhehasgivenhimeverythingheowns. Abrahamlived175years. {Slide:Logo-ThePromises}

Promise2 IwillblessthosewhoblessyouandwhoevercursesyouIwillcurse

ManypeoplewhowereconnectedtoAbrahamwereblessed. Let’sjustrunthroughsomeofhisclosestconnections. Lot-Abraham’snephew,BenefitedjustbylivinginAbraham’sshadow,chosethegoodland,happenedtobeclosetoSodom,capturedbymaraudingkings,rescuedbyAbraham,settlesinSodom,hisfamilytheonlypeoplesavedwhenSodomwasdestroyed. Sarah-KingAbimelech-HagarandIshmael-theservantwhowenttogetawifeforIsaac-Isaachimself

Promise3 Iwillmakeyournamegreat

AndGoddid. SogreatinfactthatitismoregloballyacceptedandrespectedthanJesushimself. ● Christiansrecognizehimasthefatheroffaith ● Jewsrecognizehimastheirpatriarcheventhoughtheydon’trecognizeJesusasthe

Messiah ● InIslamheisnotonlyconsideredaprophetbutalsothearchetypeoftheperfectMuslim ● EvenintheBahaifaith,heisconsideredthehighestreligiousstation

Promise4 Iwillmakeyouintoagreatnation

Thatiswhatwelookedatlastweek,nationdevelopment. Whatelementsmakeanation? People-Leadership-Money-Independence-Government-Law-Culture-Military-Faith-Land Godpainstakinglybuildsthisnationuppiecebypiecegivingthemeverythingtheyneedtosucceed.

Promise5

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Iwillgiveyouthelandthatyouwillpossessforever JoshuatellsthestoryofthehistoryofIsrael,inJoshua24,startingwithTerah,thefatherofAbrahamofhowGodfulfilledthepromise. {Slide:Jos24v13-14}

Jos24v13-14 13SoIgaveyoualandonwhichyoudidnottoilandcitiesyoudidnotbuild;andyoulive

inthemandeatfromvineyardsandolivegrovesthatyoudidnotplant.’ 14“NowfeartheLORDandservehimwithallfaithfulness.ThrowawaythegodsyourancestorsworshipedbeyondtheEuphratesRiverandinEgypt,andservetheLORD.

ThispassagecomesattheendofahistorylessontoremindtheIsraelitesoftheirpast.AndinV13heexplainsthefifthpromise,“Iwillgiveyoutheland…”,byexplainingtothemhowlittlepreparationwasrequiredbythem. AndinV14hesays,“Now”,encouragesthemtodowhattheyneedtodo,“feartheLORDandservehimwithallfaithfulness”. Formethereisagreatlessoninthesewordsbecausetheyringacrossthecenturiesintoourcongregationthismorning.TheIsraeliteshadasawholecomplainedandgrumbledandatthepointofenteringtheland,wereleftwithafewfaithfulmembersoftheoriginalgroup,CalebandJoshua. Godwasgrindingawayatbuildingthenationinspiteofthepeople. ThenIhavetotakeastepbackfromthesewordsandapplythesamelessontomyselfandreadthewordsinmyowncontextandtheyshouldgosomethinglike: {Slide:Myversion1} SoI(theLord)gaveyou(Marc),aplaceofsalvationwithacongregation,abodyofChrist,a

groupoffellowbelievers,whichyoudidnotworkfor, WhatdidIdotodeservetogettothispoint,oranypointinmywalkwithGod? Nothing. GodcalledmeandtaughtmeandsurroundedmewithwhatIneeded. BecausethelittleIcontributeisonlyinanswertothemuchthathasbeengiven {Slide:Myversion2}

Now feartheLORDandservehimwithallfaithfulness

Throwaway,allthosethingsthatslowyoudownandpreventyoufromgivingyourwholehearttome,andservetheLORD,NOTMAN.

WhenIgettothepointwhereIunderstandthat Becauseitmaytakemeawhiletogetthere,ifever. WhenIgettothepointwhereIrealise:

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● Myverypresencehereisaprivilege,NOT,they’reluckytohaveme ● Havingpeoplewillingtogiveinputinmylifeisaprivilege,NOT,I’llcallyouwhenIthinkI

needhelp. ● “God’shandiwork,createdinChristJesustodogoodworks”(Eph2v10),NOT,thechurch

owesmebecause… Andwecangoon,butitdoesn’ttakelongfordivisiveattitudestostartforminginmyownhead,whenIlosesightofhowIgothereinthefirstplace. ImagineGodthought,becauseMarckeepscomplainingI’mjustgoingtolethimlivehislifeout,hereinthisdesert,maybehiskidswillbemorefaithful. WhatworkdidtheIsraelitesorushavetodoatthispoint,otherthanobey? Notathing,weallreceiveditfornothing. ThereasonIthinkthatGoddoesitfornothing,isthatifwedidthesmallestsmidginofworktowardsitwewouldstartthinkingwedeservesomethingforwhatwedid. Godhoweverdoesitalloutoflove. Timetorenewconvictions Makeharddecisions {Slide:Logo-ThePromises}

Promise6 Kingswillcomefromyou

Thispromise,throughthelensofhistory,weknowtobetrue. KingSaulandDavidandSolomonandalltherest. Let’stakesomeadviceformthegreatestofthemall,maybethisiswhyGodconsideredhimamanafterhisownheart. {Slide:Psa105v1-8+V37+V42=V45}

Psa105 1GivepraisetotheLORD,proclaimhisname;

makeknownamongthenationswhathehasdone. 2Singtohim,singpraisetohim; tellofallhiswonderfulacts.

3Gloryinhisholyname; lettheheartsofthosewhoseektheLORDrejoice.

4LooktotheLORDandhisstrength; seekhisfacealways.

5Rememberthewondershehasdone, hismiracles,andthejudgmentshepronounced, 6youhisservants,thedescendantsofAbraham,

hischosenones,thechildrenofJacob. 7HeistheLORDourGod;

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hisjudgmentsareinalltheearth. 8Heremembershiscovenantforever,

thepromisehemade,forathousandgenerations,

37HebroughtoutIsrael,ladenwithsilverandgold, andfromamongtheirtribesnoonefaltered.

42Forherememberedhisholypromise giventohisservantAbraham.

43Hebroughtouthispeoplewithrejoicing, hischosenoneswithshoutsofjoy;

44hegavethemthelandsofthenations, andtheyfellheirtowhatothershadtoiledfor—

45thattheymightkeephisprecepts andobservehislaws.

PraisetheLORD.n Davidclearlyunderstoodhispast,hishistory,wherehispeoplecamefrom. GodremembersHispromisesandHedeliversonthem. Fornothinginreturn PurelyoutofloveforHispeople. {Slide:Logo-ThePromises} Maybethestrengthofourconvictionsislinkedtohowwellwerememberourpast. Wherewecamefrom Whathasbeendoneforus,forfree,fornothing Andconversely,thelessweremember Thelessgratefulwebecome,becausewestartthinkingwegotwhereweareunderourownsteam. Theweakerourcurrentconviction. Davidquotesthepromiseasreminderofconviction,whytohavefaith Givesusalistofthingswearetodo. Sing-Tell-Rejoice-LooktotheLord-Seek-Remember Why? Becauseweforget. Whenweforgetwhathashappenedinthepast,westarttoquestionGod. WestartwonderingcurrentlyifHehasourbestinterestsatheart, becauseweliveinthemoment justlikethepeopledidontheirjourneytothepromisedland(I’mhungrynow) justlikeAdamandEvedidwhenconfrontedbythechoice(Iwantitnow),fruitandtheknowledgeofgoodandevilornofruitandtrustGod’scommandnottoeat. Wehavetorememberourstory.

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Wehavemorethingstorememberthananypeopleever. Torememberwehavetoknowwhatthatstoryis. Becauseinthatstorywefindout: whythereisaProblem, whyGodbuiltanation,aPeopleand whywecanrelyonGod’sPromises. Hundredsofyearslater,Nehemiahrepeatedthesamelesson {Slide:Neh9v7-8}

Neh9v7-8+v15-17

7“YouaretheLORDGod,whochoseAbramandbroughthimoutofUroftheChaldeansandnamedhimAbraham.8Youfoundhisheartfaithfultoyou,andyoumade

acovenantwithhimtogivetohisdescendantsthelandoftheCanaanites,Hittites,Amorites,Perizzites,JebusitesandGirgashites.Youhavekeptyourpromisebecauseyou

arerighteous.

15Intheirhungeryougavethembreadfromheavenandintheirthirstyoubroughtthemwaterfromtherock;youtoldthemtogoinandtakepossessionofthelandyou

hadswornwithupliftedhandtogivethem. 16“Butthey,ourancestors,becamearrogantandstiff-necked,andtheydidnotobeyyourcommands.17Theyrefusedtolistenandfailedtorememberthemiraclesyou

performedamongthem. Areyoustartingtopickupthepatternhere. Godcamethroughforthepeople,HeplayedHispart. Hekeptlookingafterthem. Inspiteofallofthat,ourancestorsbecamearrogantanddisobeyed,andwhy Theyfailedtorememberthestorytheywerepartof, ThemiraclesHehadperformed, ThePromisesHehadmade AndwhatGodhaddoneforthem. ThefactthatGodhadkeptHispromisesbecauseHEwasrighteous. Theysuccumbedtotheirhumannature. WhydoweneedtheOT? TorememberGod’sfaithfulness. TereadthestoriesandrealisethatGodhasalwayscomethrough,notnecessarilyonourtime. AndsowecometotheNewTestament. Onepromiseisstilloutstanding. {Slide:3)Promisesfulfilled}

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3)Promisesfulfilled

Promise7 Thewholeearthwillbeblessed

Dopeoplestillrememberthepromises,seeingasthousandsofyearshavepassedsincetheywereoriginallymade. CueActs3,Peterhealsamanlamedfrombirth,thepeopleareastonishandcomerushingacrosstowhereheandJohnwerestanding. Peterusestheoccasionandgivesthemahistorylesson,hisownpeople,fellowJews,getahistoryfromPeter,fellowJew. Whyyouhavetoask,didtheynothavethesamehistory? Ofcoursetheydid,theyjustneededtobereminded. {Slide:Act3v24-26}

Act3v24-26 24“Indeed,beginningwithSamuel,alltheprophetswhohavespokenhaveforetoldthesedays.25AndyouareheirsoftheprophetsandofthecovenantGodmadewithyourfathers.HesaidtoAbraham,‘Throughyouroffspringallpeoplesonearthwillbeblessed.’v26WhenGodraiseduphisservant,hesenthimfirsttoyoutoblessyoubyturningeachofyoufrom

yourwickedways.” Ohyes,thathistory,nowtheyremember. AndthenpersecutionbreaksoutinActs8andtheBiblesays,“Thosewhohadbeenscatteredpreachedthewordwherevertheywent”. Andtherestoftheworldstartsbeingblessedaswell. Andyes,thatsamehistory,theonewemustrememberbecausewearethechildren,therecipientsofthatpromise,partofthe,“allpeoplesonearth”. Paulhelpsusunderstandstheexpansionoftheblessing. {Slide:Act13v26}

Act13v26 26“FellowchildrenofAbrahamandyouGod-fearingGentiles,itistousthatthismessageof

salvationhasbeensent.

NotjusttheIsraelites. Literallymeaningallnations. RememberhowwelistedtheHistoricalbooks,thosethattellastory. Thisiswhatthatlistlookslikewhenweaddthepromises. {Slide:Pic8-Historicalpromisesapproach}

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ThesesevenpromisesunfoldandarefulfilledthroughoutthewholeBible. Wecanactuallynamethebooksandtimeperiodsassociatedwitheachpromise. 1)Iwillblessyou-Genesis 2)IwillblessthosewhoblessyouandwhoevercursesyouIwillcurse-Genesis 3)Iwillmakeyournamegreat-startsinGenesis 4)Iwillmakeyouintoagreatnation-Exodus,Leviticus,Numbers,Deuteronomy 5)Iwillgiveyouthelandthatyouwillpossessforever-Joshua,Judges,Ezra,Nehemiah 6)Kingswillcomefromyou-Samuel,Kings 7)Thewholeearthwillbeblessed-Luke,Acts Whensomeonepromisessomethingandtheyfulfilltheirpromiseitbuildsourfaithinthem. Inthesameway,thecontinuityofthesepromisesthatGodgaveAbraham,buildsourfaith. Don’tyoufeellikeleapingoutofyourchairsandrushingoutandtellingpeopleaboutwhatGodhasbeendoingandpromisingandfulfillingsincethedawnofBiblicalman. GodmakesapromisetoAbraham. ThatpromiseplaysoutinthebooksoftheOldTestament. GreatleaderslikeDavidandNehemiahheldontothosepromises. Peterrememberedthosepromises. Paul’smissionwasthefulfillmentofthefinalpromise,theonethataffectsyouandme. {Slide:Act13v32}

Act13v32 32“Wetellyouthegoodnews:WhatGodpromisedourancestors33hehasfulfilledforus,

theirchildren,byraisingupJesus.AsitiswritteninthesecondPsalm: “‘Youaremyson;

todayIhavebecomeyourfather.’o Whatpointisbeingmadehere? Lookatthesequence-God’spromises-arefulfilled-inJesus.

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Andthatishowourfaithisbuiltup. ThroughaGodwhoisconsistent,persistent,neverwaveringinHismissionofcallingusbacktoHim,througharelationshipwithHim,whopromisesandfulfillsthosepromises. {Slide:Logo-ThePromises} WestartedwiththeProblemofsinandit’seffectsonustoday. WelookedathowGodstartedansweringtheProblembybuildingaPeople,anationandhowwearetheculminationofthatPromisetoday. TodaywelookedatthePromisesthatGodhasbeenfulfillingsincethebeginningandhowtheyreachthroughtheOTtofindfulfillmentinustoday. Andsetsusupforourlastandfinaljourneynextweek,thejourneyofPerfection.