WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:03.439 So we're in our second week in the season of Lent. 00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:08.560 So Lent's the 40 days of leading up to Good Friday and to Easter. 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:13.199 So today we're going to take three different passages that are in the lectionary, three different passages. 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:15.839 So it's almost like a contemplation type sermon. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:20.079 So we're going to look at a passage and then we're going to pause mid-sermon. 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:21.120 We've done this before. 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:22.160 It's a little odd. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:25.120 Pause mid-sermon and just quiet ourselves. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:27.120 And we're going to pray, just a short prayer. 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:28.800 And then we're going to go to the next passage. 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:32.240 And then we're going to pause, pray, and go to the next passage. 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:33.679 We don't always do that if you're new. 00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:35.039 Do it a couple times a year. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:38.399 But that's how we're going to go through the passages this morning. 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:45.200 These passages, all of them, bring about a contemplation about where do we find our strength? 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:47.280 Where do we find our belonging? 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:49.759 And where do we find our security? 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:52.159 So we begin in Genesis 15. 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:54.719 God comes to Abram in a vision. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:01:02.719 God's promised Abram, who later becomes named Abraham in Genesis 17, which means father of many nations. 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:08.640 And in the vision, God has promised Abram that he's going to be a father of a great nation. 00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:10.400 There's one big problem. 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:12.159 No kids. 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:14.319 He hadn't had any children. 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:16.799 And he's waiting and he's frustrated. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:19.760 So of course he starts to build out a plan B. 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:28.719 And he figures, well, just some other member of his household, but not his kid, but some other member of this household will be his heir. 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:32.319 But God's promise hasn't changed. 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:35.920 It's just Abram doesn't like God's timetable. 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:36.799 Right? 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:41.120 God's promise hasn't changed, but we just don't like his timetable. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:42.319 Happens all the time. 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:47.040 The Psalms are filled with people who don't like God's timetable, right? 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:48.159 It's just a rants. 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:53.040 Or it's just like emotional outburst of people not liking what's going on. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:55.920 It's good for us to read, good for us to pray. 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:58.079 We're filled with those feelings. 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:03.040 We know what Abram's frustration would feel like because you've been waiting on God for something. 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:03.599 Something. 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:04.640 I don't know what it is. 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:05.359 You know. 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:10.240 Some open door, some healing, some relationship to be restored. 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:15.199 It's off, a little bit of conflict, big conflict, that tension hadn't quite been restored. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:19.039 Waiting on some money, some provision. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:23.360 You're waiting on a guy to ask you out. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:25.759 And he's just really slow. 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:28.000 You're gonna pick up on the hints. 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:30.560 You're waiting on a lady to love you. 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:32.080 You're waiting on respect. 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:35.280 You're you're waiting on some measure of control in your life, right? 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:36.879 And nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:38.319 You're getting nothing. 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:42.080 We've all been in these places where you're just waiting. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:47.840 And so easily we all start to plan a little bit of a plan B. 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:51.520 Genesis 15, verse 4. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:54.639 And behold, so this is the situation Abram's in, right here. 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:55.439 Right there. 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:58.080 He's in that frustration, forming that plan B. 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:05.199 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: This man shall not be your heir, your very own son shall be your heir. 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:07.039 And he brought him outside. 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:15.840 So God takes Abram outside and said, Look toward heaven and number the stars, if you are able to number them. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:19.759 Then he said to him, So shall your offspring be. 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:24.159 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:32.800 So point number one is this God acts in our lives by reminding us of his secure promises. 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:36.639 It's one of the major ways that God acts in our lives, reminding us. 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:42.080 Now we have amnesia so much to what's already been given to us. 00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:43.120 Right? 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:48.080 Promises, blessings, gifts, grace already given to us, secure to us. 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:50.400 We live in amnesia to that so often. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:57.360 We just look toward and get frustrated with the next breakthrough we want, the next gift, the next open door. 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:03.199 And here we have one of the founders of our faith, and I find this incredibly reassuring. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:06.479 One of our founders of our faith, Abram, full of doubt. 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:08.719 That's so reassuring to me. 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:12.879 That God moves toward Abram while he's doubting. 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:17.120 And when he moves toward him, he doesn't hit him with a just leg shirt. 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:19.839 How dare you doubt my plan? 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:21.120 Right? 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:23.680 He doesn't even like give him three tips. 00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:27.439 Like, here are three tips to be more faithful and more certain than your faith. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:28.639 He doesn't do that. 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:31.519 And that's reassuring to me. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:34.240 Because I've had my hand full of doubts. 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:37.600 And I and I will again, it's part of faith. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:40.560 Some of you are full of doubt. 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:41.519 Full of doubt. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:43.600 You have huge questions about God. 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:47.360 Who got, where God is, who God is, if God is. 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:48.959 Massive questions. 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:51.439 You haven't told anybody. 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:54.720 But you're wondering. 00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:58.800 Very often we can be scared of doubt. 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:01.920 But it's part of the spiritual journey. 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:02.879 Because you're a human. 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:04.160 I'm human. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:11.759 And doubt does not threaten the relationship that God began with you. 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:14.399 And that he continues with you. 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:17.120 Because he's the one who began the relationship. 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:20.079 And doubt is part of your spiritual journey. 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:22.240 That we don't use our doubt to move into rebellion. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:24.399 We don't use our doubt to do whatever we want. 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:27.360 But we move through our doubt. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:33.279 We move through our doubt as part of a spiritual life and part of the journey. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:35.439 Now there's simply just going to be those times of doubt. 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:36.480 There's going to be dry seasons. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:37.920 There's going to be dark seasons. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:39.040 We don't love them. 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:40.240 None of us would love them. 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:44.319 I mean, none of us will be like, I want to sign up for the really doubtful seasons. 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:47.040 It's really dark and depressing. 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:48.480 Like that's the part. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:51.439 I want the dark season of the night, so I'll be wiser on the other side. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:52.639 Like nobody does that. 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:58.000 We all know we'll be wiser on the other side, but nobody wants to sign up for that season of life. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:08.560 But in that season, it's where it's so important to be reminded of and remember the promises already given to you that are already secure by God to you. 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:12.000 His covenant to you, his commitment to you. 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:24.000 And in that way, we're resting in, even in our doubt, we're resting in the objective truth of God's love to us while we're waiting on subjective experiences. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:31.439 Now we love the subjective experiences, the retreat highs, where you look forward to going to church. 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:34.560 Worship is meaningful to you and emotional. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:35.680 We love that. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:42.319 But sometimes you're in a dry season and you're just remembering, I know that's true. 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:43.759 He said it to me. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:44.879 It is secure. 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:48.079 I don't feel it right now, but I will feel it again. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:07:03.279 And I love in this passage, one of the founders of our faith, full of doubt, God pursues him, and the way that God helps him is not a lecture, but takes him outside and shows him the stars. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:06.319 Remember, remember the promise. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:08.319 Point number two. 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:15.199 Our relationship with God rests in God's perfect strength to uphold his promises. 00:07:16.160 --> 00:07:18.560 This is why we can move through doubt. 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:23.519 This is why we could live the Christian life without being exhausted or petrified. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:33.120 Is because we rest in his perfect strength to us, not ours to him, and his ability to uphold his promises, not our ability to uphold our promises. 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:38.480 So in the story, God asked Abram to split an animal in two. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:40.160 Seems weird to us. 00:07:40.639 --> 00:08:06.720 In ancient times, a lesser king would make a commitment, a covenant with a greater king by splitting an animal in two, sacrificing that animal, splitting in two, and then the lesser king would walk through the animal as a covenant, that binding relationship with the greater king, and the symbolism was if I don't uphold the promise I'm making to you, may I be like this animal. 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:14.399 Now that's not of our tradition of giving our life to the Lord, just more like walk an aisle, pray a prayer type of thing. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:15.759 They knew this, though. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:18.240 They knew this when they read this. 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:22.319 So when in verse 17 they read this, this means a lot to them. 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:28.639 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, behold, behold, pay attention. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:30.560 Look, look, look at this, look at this. 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:36.320 A smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:40.159 On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:46.559 So Abram falls asleep, but Abram never walks through the two pieces of the animal. 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:50.080 It's God who walks through the pieces of the animal. 00:08:50.480 --> 00:09:02.480 So God is saying, if you break the promise, if you're not strong, you're not loyal, I'm not loyal, I'm not strong, I'm not mighty, right? 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:04.960 Like I'm not the great Christian. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:07.679 But God is that for you. 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:10.080 But God is that for you. 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:13.840 And he says, I'll be like that animal. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:15.600 I will be like that. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:18.799 That's the covenant promise that God sets with Abram. 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:22.559 Now, covenants are throughout the Bible. 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:25.200 We see covenants with Noah, Moses, David. 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:31.039 But this covenant with Abram, this was a central part of the covenant of the Bible. 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:35.840 Because from Abram, we get the people of Israel, from the people of Israel, we get Christ. 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:50.159 And our faith and our faith practices, what we see in that storyline, are never about primarily our love for Him, but about His love, His strength, His security to us. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:56.480 Listen to Galatians 3, 13 and 14, when Paul tries to connect all this for us in the New Testament. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:01.120 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:14.000 For it is written, cursed is everyone who's hanged on a tree, so that in Christ Jesus, the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:20.559 So from Abraham, the people of Israel, Christ to us, the covenant to us. 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:24.639 In Christ, the Christian faith just gives all the goods away. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:26.799 We just give it all away. 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:29.200 Like without obligation to you. 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:31.600 Without payback. 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:38.399 That's not even like, hey, like, Jesus did all this for you, and you're his and you belong to him. 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:41.200 Now here's the list of the ways you need to pay him back. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:42.240 That's not Christian faith. 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:44.720 That's moralism, if you've ever gotten that in church, it's moralism. 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:45.840 It's not Christian faith. 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:48.480 Christian faith is just like in Christ, you get it all. 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:50.000 You just get it all. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:51.519 It's free. 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:52.559 It's absurd. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:53.679 It's so radical. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:56.000 You just get it all. 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:59.200 Listen to these promises that are ours in Christ. 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:01.919 I just went through real quickly this week and made a few. 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:04.799 You probably come up with a much better and longer list. 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:08.720 2 Corinthians 5, 17, the promise of new creation. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:11.679 So for all the parts of you that feel old, amen. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:14.080 Just yeah, you're like, yeah, got that. 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:20.080 Or worn down, beaten up, broken down. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:26.240 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:28.159 The old has passed away. 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:30.480 Behold, the new has come. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:35.919 And that means so much to some of you that have a pat that has a past that you don't ever want to repeat. 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:37.679 You don't want to say it out loud. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:40.720 And for you to know that in Christ you're a new creation. 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:41.679 It's powerful. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:43.759 It's the promise of the new creation given to you. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:44.559 It's given to you. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:50.639 2 Corinthians 5.21, the promise of forever forgiveness and imputed righteousness. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:12:05.039 So for all that guilt and all that weight of the imperfection that we are, that we carry around, for all of that, seems we can't ever quite get it all right. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:15.039 For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him, in him, we might become the righteousness of God. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:21.039 Romans 8, 1 and 2, the promise of no condemnation and freedom from our performancism. 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:31.360 So for that internal battle, that you just no matter how much you perform, you're not getting it right. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:33.519 And you know you're pretending. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:35.519 An imposter. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:38.399 And then you feel condemned by it. 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:42.480 You feel beat up by it, by your mistakes. 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:43.679 And you just hear that. 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:45.519 That's just the tape that plays. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:48.559 You're a screw up, you're a screw up, you'll always be a screw up. 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:54.720 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:57.039 So you may hear condemnation. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:58.399 It's just not from God. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:06.559 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:14.320 2 Corinthians 1, 20 through 22 is the promise of favor, God's spirit, and security. 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:22.080 So if you feel insecure, unstable, like the instability that you don't have control of everything. 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:26.720 For all the promises of God find their yes in him. 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:32.159 That is why it is through him that we utter our amen to God for his glory. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:45.279 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us and who has also put his seal on us and given us his spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:14:04.159 Now, if you just want some good application, some growth in grace application, you can just very quickly Google in Christ verses, in him Bible verses, and you can just start to make a list and just meditate and rest in these types of verses. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:08.320 Let's pray real quickly. 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:11.840 We're gonna just, for just a moment, we're just gonna pause. 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:13.120 We're in quiet our hearts. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:23.120 You're gonna think about your grocery list and where you want to go to lunch, and then randomly you think about your girlfriend from seventh grade and how that breakup didn't go good, and then you're gonna jump to like the job you want when you're 50. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:24.399 Like all kinds of stuff's gonna come up. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:25.440 This is what happens when we pray. 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:26.000 It's okay. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:26.960 That's normal. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:29.120 That's normal, that's how it works. 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:31.519 But in that, you'll you'll hear me praying as well. 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:33.120 So let's pray together. 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:40.480 Heavenly Father, help us to just slow down for a moment here, even in the middle of a discernment. 00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:51.360 Slow our hearts, that we might be like Abram and you might walk us outside to gaze up at the promises you have already, already given us. 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:56.399 Forgive us for trying to find strength in our own commitment to you. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:01.200 Forgive us for pretending to be strong when we're not. 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:09.200 I thank you that you began the covenant with us and you continue the covenant with us. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:16.320 Help us to find greater strength of heart today and your strength, not ours. 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:18.240 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:19.200 Amen. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:23.200 Our second passage, Philippians 3, 18 through 21. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:26.399 So this is about belonging, our home. 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:35.120 Verse 18, for many of whom I have often told you and now tell you, even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of the Christ. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:44.320 Their end is destruction, their God is their belly, and their glory and their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:49.519 But our citizenship is in heaven. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:54.080 And from it we await a Savior. 00:15:54.320 --> 00:16:03.679 The Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:09.600 So point number three is this our heart's true home is in heaven alone. 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:11.440 Maybe you've been on a trip. 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:22.159 Maybe you went on a trip and you went to a mountain cabin or you went to a beach condo, or maybe you went all out and you went to like a Ritz somewhere, or Aunt Betty's house on the lake, and it's such a nice house. 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:26.080 I mean, she has this screened in porch, it overlooks the lake. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:28.000 It's amazing, right? 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:37.679 And you're sitting on that screened in porch overlooking that lake, and you are thinking to yourself, if my back deck was screened in, I would finally be happy. 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:44.879 Like that's one of the thoughts you have, kind of like if you finally get that crown molding in your living room, like the rest of your house, suddenly everything in your life's gonna be solved. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:46.799 The crown molding will solve your happiness. 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:55.840 In this moment, you're on Aunt Betty's Screened in Porch, and you're thinking, you're like, if only, if only I had this, if I just had screen, if I just had a screened in porch, they'll solve everything. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:57.120 I'll be so happy. 00:16:57.279 --> 00:16:59.200 My soul will be content. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:01.919 And you live, you stay there for a while, right? 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.559 Because you stay at Aunt Betty's house for say it's a week, say it's a week long trip. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:06.079 And you stay there for a while. 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:09.119 And the first few days, you're like, this place is amazing. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:16.799 Like, like I look, but by the end of the week, you're kind of like, I mean, no matter how comfortable and good this place is, it's not my home. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:19.119 It's still Aunt Betty's house. 00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:25.759 And the stuff's in different places, it's not where you would put it, it's not your stuff, it's not really a thing you would pick out. 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:28.640 Because it's Aunt Betty's house, it's not your house. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:32.799 No matter how comfortable it is, it's not your home. 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:44.960 It's taken me to get to about age 42 to start to realize so much of my discontentment in this world is not necessarily me needing to get something else, it's just the fact that this place ain't my home. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:46.880 Right? 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:49.839 Paul says, you consume everything in this world. 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:51.200 You can consume it all. 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:51.759 Right? 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:54.480 Your God can be your belly. 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:57.599 And you're gonna know destruction. 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:00.559 But it'll never work. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:03.599 Because it's just not your home. 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:06.319 You weren't created for this world. 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:10.079 Your belonging is somewhere else. 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:11.119 Your belongings to God. 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:12.720 You were created by God and for God. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:17.279 Paul says in verse 21, but our citizenship is in heaven. 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:21.680 That word but is the word gar in Greek. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.960 My Greek professor used to say, look for the gars. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:28.640 And I think he said it that way because he didn't want to say look for the butts. 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:32.400 Because then you're thinking about 1992, you serve mix a lot. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:34.880 You already know. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:36.799 It is a good Bible study tip. 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:38.160 Look for the butts. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:44.400 Because pretty much any time you see a butt in scripture, in the scripture. 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:46.640 Scripture. 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:48.960 It's a good Bible study tip. 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:50.240 You'll remember the rest of your life. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:51.599 Look for the butts. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:54.640 There's something going on in that verse. 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:56.240 There just is. 00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:09.519 There's something really interesting going on, probably something incredibly life-empowering going on because something's headed one way, but like something, some promise, some life-empowering things there. 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:11.359 Let's pause and pray. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:12.480 Let's pray together real quick. 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:22.559 Heavenly Father, we confess we are finding, all of us are finding over and over again that there's just nothing in this world that completely satisfies us. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:31.519 And we just need to say to you, you created us, and we were created for you. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:35.680 Help us to know our belonging in you. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:41.839 Help us to define ourselves radically and only as your children. 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:42.960 Amen. 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:44.240 Third reading, very quickly. 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:46.880 Luke 13, 31 through 35. 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:52.480 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you. 00:19:52.640 --> 00:20:03.279 And he said to them, Go and tell that fox, which is kind of like an insult, go and tell that fox, behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:10.640 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem. 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:16.720 Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:25.599 How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:32.799 Behold, your house is forsaken, and I tell you, you will not see me until you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:41.119 Point number four is this Jesus promises to be a loving, protective force for your heart. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:44.480 We could take a whole lot out of that passage. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:48.160 I just want to point out, and I love verse 34. 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:50.960 Jesus' compassion here. 00:20:51.759 --> 00:21:03.279 He says in verse 34, How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing. 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:13.680 Jesus says here that he's like a mama chicken, and you're my little chic, and you belong to me. 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:19.680 It's an interesting metaphor for Jesus to give out. 00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:22.319 It's not very intimidating, like a hen. 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:23.680 Not really intimidating. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:29.519 Hens are approachable, they're caring to their little chicks, they're protective. 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:34.720 And Jesus is saying that he secures his promises to you. 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:38.000 But he does it by making himself vulnerable. 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:41.440 See, this is how this connects all the way back to Genesis 15. 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:51.519 It's probably why the lectionary put all this together for us that Jesus walks through the split animal to begin and uphold the covenant. 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:53.599 He fulfills the covenant. 00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:56.000 He's the vulnerable. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:59.359 He protects us by being vulnerable. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:07.359 And our security and our safety is not by our fight and our work, but by the mama hen's love for us. 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:13.599 I hope this morning, because I think so many of us are waiting on something. 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:14.559 Right? 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:19.359 Waiting on that breakthrough and that open door, waiting on respect or waiting on love. 00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:22.400 You're waiting on some peace or security. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:24.400 We're like Abram. 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:25.519 He was waiting. 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:27.440 He was incredibly frustrated. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.799 But I also hope that we'll be like Abram. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:38.319 And let God just slow us down enough that we can see the stars in the sky. 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:41.599 That we can see the promises that were already given. 00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:44.000 Already secure. 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:48.240 Remember the promises God has for you. 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:49.759 Let's pray together. 00:22:50.079 --> 00:23:04.079 Heavenly Father, forgive us for trying to secure in this world, to bring ourselves security by what we look like or who we know or how good we are or what we achieve. 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:11.759 Forgive us for trying to be secure without you, or to be secure by what we do. 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:19.200 Help us to know the freedom of the security of Christ's finished work for us. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:26.400 That you are the one that began the covenant, and you are the one that secures the covenant in Jesus. 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:35.599 You are the one that walked through the split animals, you are the one that hangs on the cross, and that you have perfect strength for us. 00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:39.920 Would you help our hearts to remember the great promises you have for us? 00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:41.279 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:42.160 Amen.