WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:04.600 Grace to you and peace from God our Father from our Lord and Savior 2 00:00:04.600 --> 00:00:05.400 Jesus Christ. 3 00:00:08.300 --> 00:00:09.500 Dear Christian friends 4 00:00:09.500 --> 00:00:11.600 that's exactly what I want to bring to you today. 5 00:00:13.200 --> 00:00:15.200 Grace and peace. 6 00:00:16.700 --> 00:00:20.500 Because though we are Christians that doesn't mean we go through this 7 00:00:20.500 --> 00:00:22.900 life and through our service without struggles. 8 00:00:22.900 --> 00:00:26.800 And so today I'm thinking especially of the struggles that come to us 9 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:32.000 the struggles that we have with regard to all of God's good promises. 10 00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:39.800 El Shaddai God Almighty has given us good and great promises that he 11 00:00:39.800 --> 00:00:43.900 is for us that he is working for us and through us 12 00:00:45.700 --> 00:00:46.300 and yet 13 00:00:47.800 --> 00:00:48.900 sometimes we doubt. 14 00:00:51.300 --> 00:00:52.500 Sometimes we fret. 15 00:00:54.300 --> 00:01:00.400 Sometimes we scheme to make these things reality in our own times and 16 00:01:00.400 --> 00:01:01.500 in our own ways. 17 00:01:03.400 --> 00:01:05.200 Has that ever been your experience? 18 00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:08.000 Because I know it's mine. 19 00:01:09.600 --> 00:01:13.100 Take my call here to the Seminary as an example. 20 00:01:13.100 --> 00:01:18.900 I was really quite content in Michigan, probably to content as I look 21 00:01:18.900 --> 00:01:19.000 back. 22 00:01:20.600 --> 00:01:25.600 I loved my call to teach at Concordia in Ann Arbor now, no job is 23 00:01:25.600 --> 00:01:28.000 perfect of course, but I wasn't looking to leave. 24 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:30.000 I really loved what I was doing. 25 00:01:32.100 --> 00:01:36.700 I was living also near my parents and my sister and other relatives after having 26 00:01:36.700 --> 00:01:41.800 been gone from the area for quite a long time. And my wife Gretchen was 27 00:01:41.800 --> 00:01:47.600 near her youngest brother and some of her relatives. We had decent home a 28 00:01:47.600 --> 00:01:51.900 decent town. We had a wonderfully faithful church. 29 00:01:51.900 --> 00:01:52.700 We had good friends. 30 00:01:55.100 --> 00:02:00.400 We were living near our children who are on the verge of becoming 31 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:05.500 adults for themselves and doing their own thing. What a wonderful thing 32 00:02:05.500 --> 00:02:11.600 for a middle-aged parent to be near their children who are trying to 33 00:02:11.600 --> 00:02:11.800 adult. 34 00:02:14.500 --> 00:02:15.900 And covid struck. 35 00:02:17.700 --> 00:02:22.700 Making a mess up so many things in all of our lives but one blessing 36 00:02:22.700 --> 00:02:26.200 for us was that for once for the first time in many years all 37 00:02:26.200 --> 00:02:33.800 six of us were under that one roof weathering the storm together and 38 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:35.300 that was a joy. 39 00:02:37.700 --> 00:02:38.300 And then 40 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:40.700 came the call. 41 00:02:42.900 --> 00:02:47.400 Call to come and serve and teach here. 42 00:02:49.100 --> 00:02:54.900 God what are you thinking? Now twenty years ago if that call had come, what a 43 00:02:54.900 --> 00:02:59.600 joy that would have been. How eager I would have been I might have even 44 00:02:59.600 --> 00:03:04.000 schemed and work to make it all happen in my time in my way. 45 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:04.800 But now 46 00:03:07.100 --> 00:03:07.800 really? 47 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:12.800 Given everything that's how things are going and getting what's going 48 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:14.600 on right now 49 00:03:14.600 --> 00:03:17.200 we should pack up and move. 50 00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:23.500 You should give up this call to Concordia Ann Arbor. 51 00:03:23.500 --> 00:03:28.300 We should give up being with our with our friends our family our 52 00:03:28.300 --> 00:03:28.900 Church. 53 00:03:30.900 --> 00:03:34.100 We should leave our colleagues behind. 54 00:03:37.200 --> 00:03:37.800 Really? 55 00:03:40.500 --> 00:03:46.100 But as my wife and I became more convinced that that this call 56 00:03:46.100 --> 00:03:50.100 was the right thing then the scheming set in. 57 00:03:52.200 --> 00:03:53.400 Covid's happening. 58 00:03:54.900 --> 00:03:56.200 Many of us are online. 59 00:03:58.600 --> 00:04:00.600 Maybe the Seminary will be online. 60 00:04:02.100 --> 00:04:07.100 Maybe I can teach there from here in Michigan at least for awhile. 61 00:04:08.600 --> 00:04:10.400 I thought that was my plan. 62 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:13.700 But we're not online. 63 00:04:15.900 --> 00:04:16.600 So here I am. 64 00:04:18.300 --> 00:04:22.100 And I'm enjoying my new colleagues and I love entering into the 65 00:04:22.100 --> 00:04:24.100 scriptures with you my students. 66 00:04:25.700 --> 00:04:27.100 I still have days, 67 00:04:28.900 --> 00:04:32.000 when I asked God, what are you doing with me here? 68 00:04:34.200 --> 00:04:35.400 What do you have in mind? 69 00:04:37.500 --> 00:04:41.500 That's me, because that in anyway resonate with you, does it sound 70 00:04:41.500 --> 00:04:46.900 familiar in things that you've gone through in your lives? You 71 00:04:46.900 --> 00:04:49.000 students are from all over the place. 72 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:54.600 You come from all kinds of situations all kinds of backgrounds and you 73 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:58.300 come here and you've entered into this rigorous course of studies. 74 00:04:59.400 --> 00:05:01.700 Maybe two years in your wondering. 75 00:05:04.100 --> 00:05:06.200 What is God doing with me here? 76 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.200 Maybe it was two weeks or two days 77 00:05:10.200 --> 00:05:12.900 or maybe it was 2 hours into summer Greek. 78 00:05:12.900 --> 00:05:13.700 God 79 00:05:13.700 --> 00:05:15.400 is this really your plan for me? 80 00:05:19.100 --> 00:05:24.400 I remember when when my wife and I were here especially hearing from 81 00:05:24.400 --> 00:05:26.400 some of the Seminary wives. 82 00:05:27.300 --> 00:05:28.500 Yeah, they were here 83 00:05:28.500 --> 00:05:31.900 they came because well, this is where your husband had to go if he was 84 00:05:31.900 --> 00:05:36.600 going to be trained to be a pastor, but those women had fully planned 85 00:05:36.600 --> 00:05:41.200 out the rest of their Pastor husband's career, 86 00:05:41.200 --> 00:05:45.800 if you will. They were going back home or somewhere near home. 87 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:50.900 This is how it was going to work out and they had happily ever after 88 00:05:50.900 --> 00:05:55.700 planned in their minds. It would go according to their plan. 89 00:05:58.200 --> 00:06:06.500 Sometimes we the very people of God have trouble trusting in God. Even 90 00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:10.600 though he's made these good and great promises to us that he's working 91 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:13.700 for us and even through us. 92 00:06:14.900 --> 00:06:19.300 You know, we're not alone doesn't take too much effort to find in the 93 00:06:19.300 --> 00:06:26.000 scriptures people in the scriptures who were very much like us in this 94 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:26.700 regard. 95 00:06:26.700 --> 00:06:30.700 And today we think of Abraham and Sarah. 96 00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:36.800 I'm going to ask you to imagine with me imagine a heavenly 97 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:43.900 conversation taking place sometime recently between God and Abraham as 98 00:06:43.900 --> 00:06:47.300 Abraham and you and I and all wait the consummation. 99 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:49.300 Remember 100 00:06:50.400 --> 00:06:54.900 we're imagining here. Imagining to make a point. 101 00:06:54.900 --> 00:07:01.800 I'm going to portray God as a rather relational and even jovial God. A 102 00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:03.000 God who likes to laugh. 103 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:08.400 And yes, I know in the Old Testament if you want to find God laughing. 104 00:07:09.200 --> 00:07:11.800 Yeah, you looked at the Psalms and this is not a good thing. 105 00:07:11.800 --> 00:07:15.100 I'll let you look that up for yourself later start in Psalm 2. 106 00:07:17.200 --> 00:07:19.900 But that's is not the only picture we have of God. 107 00:07:21.200 --> 00:07:29.000 And that's the same Hebrew word is used in Proverbs 8 when Divine 108 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:34.200 wisdom laughs or rejoices over the inhabited world 109 00:07:34.200 --> 00:07:37.300 and so I have some textual basis for my God, 110 00:07:37.300 --> 00:07:38.000 who is relational 111 00:07:38.500 --> 00:07:40.700 and laughs. So I'm asking you to 112 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:45.800 imagine with me this conversation between yes to God who we see in his 113 00:07:45.800 --> 00:07:46.400 splendor and glory as portrayed in Revelation but who is also relational and conversational as we see in the 114 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:55.900 Garden in Genesis and as we see in Proverbs 8 and elsewhere, so 115 00:07:55.900 --> 00:07:56.700 keep that in mind. 116 00:07:58.300 --> 00:08:01.600 And then I think it's not too much of a stretch to imagine this 117 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:02.600 conversation. 118 00:08:03.700 --> 00:08:07.100 Which as I've recorded it turns mostly into a monologue. 119 00:08:09.300 --> 00:08:11.000 And so God says to Abraham. 120 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:18.100 Who's laughing now Abraham/ Do you remember when you laughed at me? 121 00:08:19.500 --> 00:08:23.100 I had just made such great and good promises to you. 122 00:08:23.100 --> 00:08:28.100 I appeared to you I announced myself you as a El Shaddai and I that name 123 00:08:28.100 --> 00:08:33.200 that I always used when I was promising children and descendants. 124 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:36.500 And I made my Covenant with you. 125 00:08:36.500 --> 00:08:41.299 I assured you that my Covenant was with you and that you would be the 126 00:08:41.299 --> 00:08:42.400 father of many nations. 127 00:08:42.400 --> 00:08:48.900 In fact, Abraham, I took your name Abram, mighty father, and I changed it to 128 00:08:48.900 --> 00:08:53.700 Abraham, father of many nations, so that every time someone spoke to 129 00:08:54.100 --> 00:08:58.300 you and called you by name you remember this Covenant. 130 00:08:59.800 --> 00:09:03.300 And I repeated myself numerous times telling you how fruitful you would be. 131 00:09:05.900 --> 00:09:12.600 How do I established my Covenant with you and with your offspring an 132 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:13.900 Everlasting Covenant. 133 00:09:15.500 --> 00:09:19.400 I mentioned your offspring repeatedly that day. 134 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:26.400 And even though those Lutherans who follow the LSB lectionary ignore 135 00:09:26.400 --> 00:09:30.100 this fact as I gave this Covenant to you 136 00:09:30.100 --> 00:09:34.900 I also gave you a sign of the Covenant circumcision so that you 137 00:09:34.900 --> 00:09:39.200 could not possibly go through much of a day without being reminded of 138 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:42.200 this Covenant into which I had drawn you. 139 00:09:43.900 --> 00:09:48.700 I reinforced what I was saying by making the same promises when I 140 00:09:48.700 --> 00:09:54.500 talked about your wife Sarai whose name I change to Sarah the princess 141 00:09:54.500 --> 00:09:59.300 through who would cause nations and even kings. 142 00:10:02.300 --> 00:10:04.000 What did you do Abraham? 143 00:10:05.300 --> 00:10:07.000 You laughed at me. 144 00:10:09.100 --> 00:10:11.400 Who's Laughing now Abraham? 145 00:10:12.900 --> 00:10:15.100 And Sarah laughed do do you remember that? 146 00:10:15.100 --> 00:10:21.100 I told you exactly what was going to happen within the year a son to 147 00:10:21.100 --> 00:10:22.200 come from 148 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:24.700 your wife Sarah. 149 00:10:25.700 --> 00:10:27.600 Sarah the old and dry. 150 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:29.600 Yes, she would give birth to your son. 151 00:10:31.700 --> 00:10:33.300 I even told you to name him Isaac. 152 00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:37.100 Laughter. 153 00:10:38.800 --> 00:10:43.200 And when I reiterated this promise The Oaks of Mamre, do you remember 154 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:44.500 she overheard me? 155 00:10:44.500 --> 00:10:46.200 And what did she do? 156 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:48.600 She's a lot like you Abraham she laughed 157 00:10:49.100 --> 00:10:49.800 at me. 158 00:10:51.300 --> 00:10:52.800 Father Abraham 159 00:10:52.800 --> 00:10:54.300 who's laughing now? 160 00:10:56.400 --> 00:11:01.100 I took you from Ur. I took you to Harran. I made great promises to 161 00:11:01.100 --> 00:11:03.300 you. Promises that I would make your name 162 00:11:03.300 --> 00:11:03.400 great. 163 00:11:03.400 --> 00:11:06.200 I told you I would make you into a great nation. 164 00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:14.100 And and I told you that through you all the families of the Earth would be blessed. 165 00:11:14.100 --> 00:11:16.000 I promise to be at work 166 00:11:17.300 --> 00:11:19.900 for you and through you. 167 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:23.700 And what did you do? 168 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:26.400 Yeah, you doubted me. 169 00:11:27.700 --> 00:11:32.000 You doubted my words. You thought I was untrue. 170 00:11:33.900 --> 00:11:34.800 You are impatient. 171 00:11:36.200 --> 00:11:39.500 You thought you were going to have to follow that general custom of 172 00:11:39.500 --> 00:11:43.700 appointing your servant as your heir so you thought it was going to be 173 00:11:43.700 --> 00:11:49.000 Eliezer because I hadn't provided your son yet. 174 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:55.100 And so Abram did I do like in that night's Covenant ceremony, I made it 175 00:11:55.100 --> 00:11:55.500 perfectly clear 176 00:11:56.600 --> 00:11:57.000 to you 177 00:11:58.700 --> 00:12:02.800 this would be a covenant with your own son. 178 00:12:02.800 --> 00:12:04.900 Not a servant. 179 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:10.400 Do you remember what I said look at the stars and count them is if you 180 00:12:10.400 --> 00:12:14.200 are able to do that such will be your descendants your 181 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:21.600 offspring. And I promised the land to that offspring and in this 182 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:23.100 instance you believed me. 183 00:12:25.700 --> 00:12:27.600 What did you do? 184 00:12:29.500 --> 00:12:33.600 Abram you and Sarah continue to doubt me. 185 00:12:35.100 --> 00:12:38.100 You thought you had to do it in your own time and in your own way. 186 00:12:40.700 --> 00:12:46.800 So instead of a servant as your heir Sarah gave you her servant that 187 00:12:46.800 --> 00:12:50.200 you could bring forth a child from through her and you did and you have Ishmael. But Ishmael is not the child who I 188 00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:55.800 have a child I have promised to you. 189 00:12:57.100 --> 00:13:03.000 And so I came to you as El Shaddai God Almighty making more promises 190 00:13:03.000 --> 00:13:08.000 to you clear and precise promises and I gave you the sign of 191 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:09.100 circumcision. 192 00:13:10.500 --> 00:13:12.200 What did you do? 193 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:15.100 You laughed at me? 194 00:13:16.700 --> 00:13:18.400 And you asked me to do things 195 00:13:19.900 --> 00:13:20.700 you are way. 196 00:13:22.400 --> 00:13:24.800 You wanted me to continue through Ishmael. 197 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:29.000 Oh Abraham who's laughing now? 198 00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:31.600 In all of this 199 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:37.300 I was at work for you and through you even though while believing yet you 200 00:13:38.300 --> 00:13:38.900 doubted 201 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:41.700 because you just couldn't see it. 202 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:49.200 All along Abraham I was faithful I was I was laughing when Isaac was 203 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:54.600 born. When Isaac came forth from Sarah's womb and and she rejoiced in 204 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:59.000 laughter too. Laughter that I had given to both of you. 205 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:00.700 You see Abraham 206 00:14:02.500 --> 00:14:05.600 I told you this would all happen, look who's laughing now? 207 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:09.400 And from Isaac 208 00:14:09.400 --> 00:14:15.000 I gave you Jacob and with Jakob 12 more sons and I made them into a 209 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:24.600 great and a numerous nation of great people. And I worked through Joseph to rescue this people from famine. And I worked through Levi's 210 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:30.400 line through Aaron and Moses to rescue this great and mighty people from Egypt. 211 00:14:30.400 --> 00:14:32.800 And from Judah I brought forth 212 00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:34.500 David a king. 213 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:40.500 From Abraham 214 00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:42.600 and Sarah 215 00:14:43.700 --> 00:14:44.800 a nation 216 00:14:45.900 --> 00:14:46.800 the king 217 00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:53.800 and more King Solomon all that you did Judahite Kings after him. Who's 218 00:14:53.800 --> 00:14:56.000 laughing now, Abraham? 219 00:14:59.700 --> 00:15:02.300 And when the kingship seemed to have come to an end 220 00:15:02.300 --> 00:15:04.400 I brought forth the king 221 00:15:06.900 --> 00:15:09.700 your son David Son 222 00:15:10.900 --> 00:15:11.900 my son. 223 00:15:13.100 --> 00:15:14.400 Just as I said, I would. 224 00:15:15.900 --> 00:15:18.900 I didn't seem like much of a king and for the most part he wasn't 225 00:15:18.900 --> 00:15:23.700 recognized or treated as a king, but he came with my kingdom. 226 00:15:23.700 --> 00:15:30.000 He came calling out repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and so 227 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:33.900 it was in and through him. Your son, 228 00:15:33.900 --> 00:15:35.300 David's son, 229 00:15:35.300 --> 00:15:36.400 my son. 230 00:15:36.400 --> 00:15:42.900 He is the one in whom all the families of the world are blessed. 231 00:15:43.300 --> 00:15:44.300 You see Abraham 232 00:15:44.300 --> 00:15:47.500 I kept my promises. 233 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:51.900 I fulfilled my Covenants. 234 00:15:53.300 --> 00:15:54.600 Through all of this 235 00:15:54.600 --> 00:15:59.700 I was at work for you and through you to bring about what I promised. 236 00:16:02.100 --> 00:16:04.900 This kingly son allowed himself to be 237 00:16:06.700 --> 00:16:07.400 torn, 238 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:10.300 raised on a cross, 239 00:16:11.900 --> 00:16:13.100 lowered into a tomb. 240 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:19.400 Carrying the sins of the peoples of the world with him. 241 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:26.500 Your sin too Abraham into the grave and by his blood you have been 242 00:16:26.500 --> 00:16:27.100 healed. 243 00:16:27.900 --> 00:16:28.800 You have been forgiven. 244 00:16:30.300 --> 00:16:36.600 And this same Son rose victoriously as king and now reigns just as I said 245 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:40.300 and this son he's going to return at the right time and make all 246 00:16:40.300 --> 00:16:40.900 things new. 247 00:16:40.900 --> 00:16:48.000 But in the meantime this son of yours and mine, he's still at work carrying out these great and wonderful promises 248 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:52.500 as he works through his church. Calling the nation's to himself 249 00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:57.000 blessing them in the forgiveness of their sins giving to them life and 250 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:57.300 salvation. 251 00:16:57.300 --> 00:17:03.900 Yes, Abraham your seed your offspring of the promises that I made like the 252 00:17:03.900 --> 00:17:04.900 sand of the sea 253 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:11.000 and the stars of the heavens and still growing as I continue to fulfill 254 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:15.900 my promises through our son and through his church. 255 00:17:18.099 --> 00:17:20.200 Isn't that amazing Abraham? 256 00:17:22.700 --> 00:17:24.000 But you just couldn't see it. 257 00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:27.099 And so you laughed at me. 258 00:17:29.100 --> 00:17:29.900 You doubted. 259 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:32.600 You schemed. 260 00:17:33.800 --> 00:17:34.700 But that is forgiven 261 00:17:36.700 --> 00:17:40.700 and now you can see how I had a hand in it all the way through what I 262 00:17:40.700 --> 00:17:44.600 was doing as I was faithful to you and through you and the promises 263 00:17:44.600 --> 00:17:49.600 that I made working out this great salvation and there's still more to 264 00:17:49.600 --> 00:17:49.800 come. 265 00:17:49.800 --> 00:17:52.300 Yes Abraham, 266 00:17:52.300 --> 00:17:58.200 I'm laughing but not at you and not in a bad way. Abraham 267 00:17:58.200 --> 00:18:00.500 I am rejoicing in laughter. 268 00:18:00.500 --> 00:18:07.200 I'm glad that we can look back and rejoice and laugh together and 269 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:08.900 delight in what is yet to come. 270 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:16.500 Let's fight the conversation of Heaven. 271 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:26.000 You see El Shaddai God Almighty was truly faithful to and through Abraham 272 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:32.100 and Sarah even in their doubts. Even in spite of all the worldly ways 273 00:18:32.100 --> 00:18:35.300 that they tried to work out things for themselves and their own 274 00:18:35.300 --> 00:18:36.000 timeline. 275 00:18:38.300 --> 00:18:42.700 How should I God almighty is also faithful to you 276 00:18:43.800 --> 00:18:44.600 and to me. 277 00:18:45.700 --> 00:18:49.200 And yes through you and through me. 278 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:53.200 No to be sure it's not exactly the same 279 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:56.300 God has not promised all the exact same things to you. 280 00:18:56.300 --> 00:19:01.500 He's not promise to make your name great or to promise you certain 281 00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:05.500 offspring at a certain time or that you'll have descendants like the 282 00:19:05.500 --> 00:19:09.700 sand or the stars. No these promises were made to Abraham as God 283 00:19:09.700 --> 00:19:15.300 worked to for and through Abraham to bring about yet an even earlier promise. 284 00:19:15.300 --> 00:19:20.300 A promise he made to restore his rebellious creation to himself. 285 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:23.600 And these things he has done 286 00:19:25.600 --> 00:19:33.400 for Abraham and through Abraham and his son Jesus the Christ. And You and I we are 287 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:38.700 the recipients of all of the benefits and blessings of God carrying 288 00:19:38.700 --> 00:19:40.300 through on these promises. 289 00:19:42.300 --> 00:19:47.800 You and I are part of all the families of the earth blessed through 290 00:19:47.800 --> 00:19:49.400 Abraham and his offspring. 291 00:19:50.300 --> 00:19:51.400 By faith 292 00:19:51.400 --> 00:19:57.200 we are sons of Abraham. Abraham's offspring and heirs according to the 293 00:19:57.200 --> 00:19:57.300 promise. 294 00:19:58.800 --> 00:20:03.800 So now it's not exactly the same for us as it was for Abraham. 295 00:20:06.100 --> 00:20:10.200 But God has indeed called you in your baptism. 296 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:14.600 He's given you a new name. 297 00:20:16.100 --> 00:20:17.000 His name. 298 00:20:18.800 --> 00:20:19.900 He's claimed you. 299 00:20:21.500 --> 00:20:23.300 He's given you the gift of faith. 300 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:27.000 He's forgiven your sins 301 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:30.900 even these sins of doubt and scheming. 302 00:20:33.100 --> 00:20:34.600 And he sent you on a mission, 303 00:20:36.800 --> 00:20:40.200 his mission the mission of his son the mission of his church. 304 00:20:42.800 --> 00:20:47.700 As a Christian as Pastor Thompson remind us on Wednesday 305 00:20:49.400 --> 00:20:50.300 you are a witness. 306 00:20:52.500 --> 00:20:53.800 Every Christian 307 00:20:55.100 --> 00:20:58.600 a witness to the death and resurrection of Christ. 308 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:04.900 You see God is at work for you and God is at work through you. 309 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:10.600 And beyond that some of us have been called into public Ministry and 310 00:21:10.600 --> 00:21:11.800 some of you are training, 311 00:21:11.800 --> 00:21:15.600 most of you are training for that very call, a Ministry of 312 00:21:15.600 --> 00:21:19.300 proclaiming the great and good promises of God. 313 00:21:21.900 --> 00:21:28.500 As we live this life of Christian witness as we prepare for this life of 314 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:33.900 public Ministry even as we life the office of the public Ministry 315 00:21:33.900 --> 00:21:34.300 well, 316 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:37.700 sometimes we doubt. 317 00:21:39.300 --> 00:21:45.800 Sometimes we fight and we scheme to have it our way at our own times, but through it 318 00:21:45.800 --> 00:21:49.600 all God is at work in Christ 319 00:21:49.600 --> 00:21:55.300 Jesus keeping his promises to you and through you. 320 00:21:58.200 --> 00:22:00.300 It's hard to see it while you're living it but it's true. 321 00:22:04.300 --> 00:22:09.000 And we can see it so clearly and take comfort as we look back and see 322 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:12.100 how God has done this for Abraham 323 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:16.800 and Sarah and countless others before us. 324 00:22:18.800 --> 00:22:20.600 Yeah, sometimes we struggle. 325 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:25.500 Do we find Grace and peace 326 00:22:26.800 --> 00:22:33.700 as we see our faithful God in action faithful to Abraham, faithful to 327 00:22:33.700 --> 00:22:38.500 Sarah, faithful to so many others faithful in Christ Jesus to us 328 00:22:39.600 --> 00:22:47.900 and yes, even through us. And so we trust that this faithful God who has displayed his 329 00:22:47.900 --> 00:22:48.800 faithfulness will 330 00:22:49.300 --> 00:22:50.300 continue 331 00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:53.600 be faithful to us and through us. 332 00:22:56.300 --> 00:22:59.300 In that I find Grace and peace. 333 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:02.500 I trust that you can too. 334 00:23:04.600 --> 00:23:08.200 Now may the grace and peace of God, which passes all understanding 335 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:11.100 guard your hearts and your minds in Christ 336 00:23:11.100 --> 00:23:13.600 Jesus to life everlasting. Amen. 337 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:17.900 We rise.