Genesis 18

Transcript

Greetings, my beloved brothers and sisters at Village Chapel and those of us joining together online. It’s an honor to be with you today, and I am stoked to be walking through chapter 18 of Genesis. It is a chapter that has landed on my heart with great timing and incredible hope. So, I want to pray for us right now as we walk through this chapter. And we’re basically going to be titling this conversation, “Abraham: The Heir, Friend and Priest of God.” That will make sense as we walk through this passage. Would you pray?

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit, thank You for the privilege we have today to marinate in Your word, to throw open the curtains of our own hearts to the glory of Jesus, to risk believing that the Gospel is as good, glorious and accessible for us as You say it is. So come and protect us from anything that I would say that is not anchored in this Scripture. Come and give us the freedom to see in this marvelous chapter in Genesis, Your amazing promises, Father, which find their yes in Jesus, and Your most wonderful story that comes to us just like Abraham, that it might run through us. We thank You for this day. We offer our praise. We pray with anticipation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Well, I love this section. And as I’ve mentioned, think of these three words as we walk through Genesis 18 together: Abraham, the heir, the friend and the priest of God. We should put “priest” in quotation marks because his was unique, just beginning to show us, what a priestly style looks like, though Abraham technically was not called to be a priest. Let me start our reading in Chapter 18, verse one, and we’re going to see in this opening section how we’re going to start focusing on this theme of a friendship with God. Now I put the theme of heir in there because that’s where you’ve been in these most recent weeks. If you look at Genesis 12 through 17, it is pregnant with heirship. God makes promises to this pagan moon worshiper that He has called to Himself, promises that He, God, alone can keep. And I think you’ll agree with me.

If you look back over chapters 12 through 17, we see how this unlikely conduit is, this one who will become the father of the nation, Israel, the national womb of the Messiah; it’s somewhat comical. It’s absolutely glorious that God would use an unlikely person like Abraham to show and tell His story of redemption and restoration. These are incredible promises. If we look at Genesis 12 through 17, what do we know? What are the three main promises that Abraham will be an heir of? Land, seed and blessing. God has promised to take Abraham to a land he knows not which will be an inheritance. Abraham will not work for it. It will be gifted to him for stewardship, and it’s a unique piece of land that will be a reminder of Eden, but also a foretaste of the ultimate land of life in the new heaven and new earth. So, when you think of Abraham the heir, think of land, think of seed. God says to Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation.”

So here is a man of pagan origin, an idolater, who now has been called not only to count stars, sand and dust with a vision towards how big God’s family will be, but to know that the story will run through him. The seed of Abraham, an enormous nation, but ultimately, which will be reduced to one seed singular, as Paul writes about the promised seed of which Abraham is an heir and participant, namely the Lord Jesus. But then the theme of blessing. Again, land and blessing. God says to Abraham, “I will make of you a nation and through this one nation, all families, all people groups, all nations on the face of the Earth will be blessed.” So, Abraham is an heir. An amazing inheritance is made of him and will be provided for him and through him. He’s an heir, and the big emphasis is placed on his participation in chapter 17 of Genesis.

Do you remember the picture of God saying to Abram, “Now Abraham, divide the animal pieces”? This is a covenant renewal, a covenant cutting apart of the Hittite culture. And you’ll remember that it’s not Abraham that passed through the divided animals when the blessings and the curses of the covenant are hinted at in that covenant celebration. No, it is God Himself personified by this flaming torch that passes through the animal parts. There’s been death so that inheritance might be given. God said to Abraham that day, as He says to us, “I will cease being God, may I be destroyed, may I be cut up under the covenant curse, if I fail to keep every promise I have made.” So, chapters 12 through 17, these amazing promises God has made to and through Abraham, God saying, “I will do this.” This entire story will be all of grace. We know in chapter 12 through 17, grace is needed because Abraham and Sarah get impatient, like we get impatient, and they sin. God is faithful, however. This is not a contract; this is a covenant.

So now in chapter 18, with all these promises, all this incredible vision, a blessing and inheritance and heirship in line for a people group as vast as the stars, sand and dust. Now we move into this theme of friendship, and it is so beautiful to see how God shows us through Abraham that he intends to be very close to us, very up in our face, that we might get more grace. Let me start reading the text. Here we see God pursuing Abraham for fellowship. Verse one. “And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes,” Abraham did, “and looked and behold, three men were standing in front of him.” Now pause there for a moment. This is a typical Bedouin scene. Abraham is in the tent in the heat of the day, between lunch and early evening hour when typically, there would be nap time, and you’re coming out of the blazing heat of the sun and Abraham sees three people. Three people.

He doesn’t know immediately who’s fixing to have fellowship with him. But notice how the text continues: “When he saw them,” now he’s getting a greater focus on who is this approaching our tent, “he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, ‘O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree and I will bring a morsel of bread…’” That’s kind of comical. “’I will bring a morsel of bread that you may refresh yourselves. And after that, you may pass on since you have come to your servant.’ So, they said, ‘Do as you have said.’”

So here’s the scene, three men appear. Abraham quickly realizes one of them is the Lord Himself. Old Testament theologians, really theologians of the Bible, referred to this appearance of God in human form as either a Christophany, a pre-incarnation visit of Jesus or a theophany, God simply showing up as God can sovereignly do, revealing Himself, coming close in this fashion. Well, apparently we have two angels and the Lord Himself and Abraham. He knows they’re on mission. He knows they’re passing by. He said, “Come let me give you a morsel of bread.” But notice what Abraham does next.

In verse six: “And Abraham quickly went into the tent to Sarah and said, ‘Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it and make cakes.’ And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man who prepared it quickly. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared and set it before them and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.” Well, the promise wasn’t, “Oh Lord, and your angelic friends, let me go to the cabinet and get you a snack.” Abraham isn’t thinking snack, he’s thinking feast. So, I mean how long would it take to kill a calf and prepare it? Do you get the picture here?

Abraham is now in a relationship with God and has the desire for fellowship. God’s response is, God initiating movement towards Abraham, extending His fatherly welcome, Abraham already now having become a friend of God through the Gospel. In fact, do you remember how James refers to Abraham when Abraham is called a friend of God? I love this and this is an echo of Isaiah chapter 40-41, where Isaiah the prophet refers to Abraham as a friend of God. But I love what James says, James 2:23, “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness and he was called God’s friend.” I love how the New Testament looks at Abraham’s believing the promises of God and Abraham receiving grace through faith, not through grit and work. Abraham was being declared righteous, Abraham was believing God, what God had promised, and it’s through that grace encounter that friendship emerges.

First of all, nowhere in the Bible do you find anybody calling God their friend. It is God who calls us His friend. God befriends us. God adopts us. God’s always pursuing us. And in this very picture of the Lord coming close and the Lord responding, and the Lord being absolutely honored to spend time with Abraham, we really do get a foretaste of what the Lord has for us. Every time we have the Lord’s supper together, this is a taste of what we celebrate. It’s that incredible picture in Revelation 3:20 when Jesus says to a church that got so busy they forgot their connection and intimacy with Jesus, Jesus says to them as He says to us, “Behold, I stand at the door a knock.” and “Hey, open the door and I’ll come and eat with you.” See, we serve a God who wants us, wants to be with us, and through being declared righteous in Christ, we don’t have to be afraid of Him. We don’t just give Him a glass of cool water and a pack of nabs and say, “I hope your trip goes well, God.”

No, there’s a lingering, there is a marinating, there is a friendship that is cultivated between God and those he makes His own. So, we see this beautiful picture of the heir now building friendship with God, God initiating, God responding, God always resourcing. Well, the story goes on from here. Next, we see God reaffirms His promises to Abraham. God pursues Abraham for fellowship. Now God reaffirms His promises to Abraham. Verse 9: “They [the three guests, the Lord and these two angels] said to him, ‘Where is Sarah, your wife?’” Now here’s some humor. If you don’t believe the Bible endorses our belly laughing guffaws, hold on, this is amazing. “They said to him, ‘Where is Sarah, your wife?’ And he said ‘She’s in the tent,’” which means they are there close together. If they are outside sitting in the trees, the tent is right there. Sarah can hear this whole conversation.

“She’s in the tent,” they say. “The Lord said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year and Sarah, your wife will have a son.’” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. Now remember in Genesis 12, Abraham was 75. Now he is 99, 100-ish right now when this story’s taking place. So basically, a quarter of a century later, the Lord is reminding them that it will be through their physicality, through the pleasures of their sexual union, through the gift of their calling to fill the earth with God’s glory, that God has not changed His mind. But look at how the story plays out.

They’re advanced in years. “The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So, Sarah laughed to herself saying, ‘After I am worn out and my Lord is old, shall I have pleasure?’” Oh, the beauty of the Bible. You see, to respond to the God of the Bible, to respond to every good thing He has promised and gives us in Jesus doesn’t make us less human. It makes us more human. The beauty here of even validating that God intends our pleasure; God is a good God. It is from Him we receive gifts and all gifts are to be freely enjoyed and fully enjoyed and extended to everyone else. Anytime grace comes to us, it is indeed intended to flow through us. Well, here Sarah is hearing. She’s laughing. There are all kinds of laughter that can take place, and I would’ve loved to have heard that laugh. But noticed how this conversation goes on.

Verse 13: “The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, shall I indeed bear a child now that I am old?’” Now look at this. Verse 14, “’Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time,’” that is so key in the biblical storyline, “’At the appointed time, I will return to you about this time next year and Sarah shall have a son.’” Not might, not possibly, not a daughter. It’s going to happen, Abraham. And it’s like saying, “Hey Sarah, I know you can hear me. It’s going to happen.”

Verse 15: “But Sarah denied it,” meaning denied that she laughed, saying, ‘I did not laugh,’ for she was afraid.” He said, ‘No, but you did laugh.’” Now I know we need to be careful about what’s the line between fantasy and imagination. I think imagination is just a fantastic gift the Lord has given us, and my imagination goes to, if I could have seen the face of God when He said that to Sarah. “No, but you did laugh.” Now I’m sure it was an inviting look. There was no scorn, there was no shame. There was just, well, the face of God that we get to know in the face of Jesus, because Jesus is the perfect representation of the entire triune of God, of the glory of our God and all the humor of our God.

In fact, think with me, who really got the last laugh? Well, God Himself. God got the last laugh. Actually, He gave the last laugh because Isaac was born and Isaac’s name means “he laughs.” Beautiful humor of God. God reaffirming. However, “Abraham and Sarah, when I said to you, I’m going to make of you a great nation, it was never going to be through Hagar. It’s going to be through you guys. I’ve got a plan for Ishmael, but I have an Isaac for you, and will you ever laugh?” Oh, the goodness of our God. Well, from reaffirming these incredible promises, that’s really what’s going on here, the heir is remembering he is going to be an heir, not an earner. The gospel blows up every wage-earning notion. It’s all grace from beginning to end.

But now we move into God revealing his plan to Abraham. The Lord was going somewhere when he passed by Abraham’s tent and now with this fellowship meal, he and his two friends begin to resume their movement, and here’s where the story becomes a little bit more familiar for some of us. It’s an incredible picture. Verse 16: “Then the men [the three of them, the two angels and the Lord Himself] set out from there and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. The Lord said…”

And again, I see the beauty here in verse 17 of our being given a gift of God. John Calvin once said to think of the Bible like a father leaning over the crib of his newborn child and talking baby talk. Now the emphasis for Calvin was our God condescends to us and speaks in terms that we can understand. Consider the greatness of a God that would lean over the crib in an endearing way, connect even with a young child. Well, here we see the Lord in verse 17, beginning to speak to Himself in such a fashion that we get to overhear the conversation.

This is a literary device, the actual reality of the event that took place is beautiful. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I’m about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all the nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he promised him.” What’s going on in that paragraph? Well, here we hear the Lord speaking to Himself perhaps still walking with these two angels, but there’s a tenderness here. I have made promises to this family and, hey guys, we’re on mission here. I guess we should include Abraham, since he is going to be the one to whom and through whom these promises that I have made will come to pass. They have implications for what’s going on in the world all the time.

You see this paragraph lets us know why we want to read the whole Bible, and why I’m so thankful that Village Chapel is committed to exposing you to the entire story of God. The Bible interprets itself. The more we stay alive to the whole sweep of the biblical story, and the more we see Jesus as the only hero in the entire Bible, the more we, like Abraham, are befriended of God. We are told what He’s up to in our world. We don’t have to guess. We don’t have to roll dice. There’s just a beautiful picture here of God saying, “I’ve made a global commitment, a history-shaping commitment to Abraham. Let Me let him know what’s with Sodom right now and where we’re going.”

So, the Lord indeed brings Abraham into the conversation, and we see this at verse 20. “Then the Lord said, ‘Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.’” Now once again, a beautiful device, sometimes it’s called anthropomorphism, showing how the Lord is the perfect, full, eternally glorious God speaking in language and categories that connect us to the whole of earth, to the whole of who He is and the whole of what it means to live on this Earth to His glory. Abraham knew what this meant. So, God is going to Sodom and Gomorrah because there’s been an outcry against them, which means there are people within these two cities that have been crying out, “Oh, God, have mercy. Oh, God, advocate for us.”

See, the outcry isn’t by outsiders looking in. It’s by, as we’ll see in a moment, the weak and the broken crying out in their oppression. Now how do we know that? Well, in Ezekiel chapter 16 verse 49, here’s Ezekiel the prophet looking back on the outcry from Sodom Gomorrah. He explains why God was committed to bring judgment in the face of injustice. Listen to these words. This is Ezekiel 16:49. “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom. She and her daughters had pride, excessive food and prosperous ease and did not aid the poor and needy.” Isn’t that amazing? If we ask the Bible, “God, why did you bring judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah?” He’s going to answer. We don’t have to presuppose in terms of certain aspects of that culture that it was only X, Y, or Z. In other words, it’s saying the outcry was from the marginalized, from those who were oppressed, from those who were broken, from the poor and the needy while the rich got richer and the exploitation.

We just see in this incredible word from the prophet Ezekiel. God intends to be a God who does not just prepare people to die and go to heaven. God is a God who is caring about all of life and that the life of Eden was not an exaggeration. Diversity and equality were to fill the Earth. And Abraham’s calling, of course, was a vital part of not only reclaiming Eden, but showing what Eden was pregnant with a far larger, grander story that is about a God of justice and tremendous mercy.

Well, Abraham knows what’s up, but remember with me, Abraham has family; Lot, and his family are in Sodom. So, here Abraham has a compassion. That man is wondering what’s going to happen to Lot and his family? Now we see Abraham beginning to emerge as the character of that third phrase I used for the beginning of this word; Abraham, the heir of God, Abraham, the friend of God, Abraham, the “priest” of God. Verse 22, Abraham intercedes for Sodom. “The men turned from there and went towards Sodom, but Abraham stood still before the Lord.” In the Hebrew, that’s kind of a legal category of mediation. You’re standing and there’s going to begin to be now a dialogue between Abraham and the Lord. It is going to show us what it means to have a priestly calling. See, the Latin word for priest is “pontifex.” It means bridge-builder. Abraham has loved ones in the city, but he doesn’t care only about his family, as we’ll see in a moment. This is an in beautiful picture.

Abraham is before the Lord, and he’s going to show up as an advocate. He’s going to show up in the world of injustice as a man of mercy. “Then Abraham drew near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are 50 righteous within the city, will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the 50 righteous who are in it?’” You know where this goes? This is amazing. He continues. “‘Far be it from you! Far be it from you to do such a thing to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fair as the wicked! Far be it from you!’” See, Abraham is appealing to God on the basis of his knowledge of God. This is a glorious God. This is a gracious God. Abraham knows God is merciful and gracious because of his own story, but also the fact that God is committed to be a great generous redeemer in the world.

Abraham is arguing on the basis of God’s self-revelation. God, surely if You at least find 50 people, will You not spare the whole place? Now hold on to that thought. Abraham’s not just asking that God would take care of the righteous ones that would be found, but we find here in a holy mystery what the heartbeat of the Gospel is. Oh, God, if there is sufficient righteousness in a group, Lord, would You not be merciful to the whole? Well, 50 people is a lot. So, Abraham begins to move forward in the conversation.

Listen to these words. “Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is just?” See, Abraham is appealing to God. He is a man growing in friendship and knowledge and worship of God. He’s bold and he’s humble. It’s a beautiful picture here. You see, those who know God the Father the best, through the work of Jesus, are humble and so beautifully bold. He continues, “And Lord said, ‘If I find at Sodom 50 righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.’” Now, here’s God saying, “I hear your argument. I hear you standing before me. I’m a reasonable God.” Once again, God condescending; God knows what He’s going to do now and in hundreds of years when the promised seed would come. “Oh indeed, Abraham, if I find 50 for the sake of the whole place, the whole place of Sodom, even Gomorrah, I will be a God who relents.”

Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I’ve undertaken to speak to the Lord. I am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the 50 righteous are lacking.” Oh, the beauty of this picture, Abraham is bold, he’s humble. “Oh Lord, what if you don’t find 50? What if there’s only 45? Will you destroy the whole city for a lack of five?” And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find 45 there.” Again, Abraham spoke to the Lord and said, “Suppose 40 are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of 40, I will not do it.” Abraham is thinking more and more… are there really 50, 45, 40 righteous people? He continues. Verse 30. “Then he said, ‘Oh, let not the Lord be angry and I will speak. Suppose 30 are found there.’” He answered, ‘I will not do it if I find 30. I will not bring judgment. I, the Lord, will spare the whole place if I find 30 righteous people there.’”

Verse 31, he said, “’Behold I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, suppose 20 are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of 20, I will not destroy it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh, let not the Lord be angry and I will speak again but this once. Suppose 10 are found there.’ He answered, and the Lord said, ‘For the sake of 10, I will not destroy it.’ And the Lord went his way when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.” Now, part of us assumes Abraham’s going to keep negotiating, right? But this is where this part of the story ends, because there were not 10 truly righteous people. In fact, there was not even one righteous person, sufficiently righteous, in Sodom whose perfection would be the basis upon which God could be so generous.

But though there was not one found that day in Sodom or Gomorrah, God, because He is a merciful God, spared Lot’s life; not because Lot and his family were deserving, but because God is a generous God. But though one could not be found in that day, one had already been promised who would offer a perfect righteousness, who not primarily as a model for us to follow, but as a substitute to trust would show up in this story. Now we know Him, do we not, those of us already in the family of God? But for those of you just beginning to explore what is Christianity? What is this Gospel? What is this church? What manner of people are these called The Village Chapel? Please hear this if you have been confused by everything I’ve said up to this point. At least take a moment and hear this. This story is pointing towards the fact that God is a God who generously takes the work of another to bless the many.

In fact, this is Jesus coming into the story, because Jesus is the greater Abraham. Jesus is the greater one promised to Abraham in time to come. And the Bible tells the story of the Lord Jesus, that it is by His life of perfect obedience fulfilling the law for us, that we find ourselves. We are given His completed record of perfection as we trust Him by faith. We trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. As we see Jesus as the righteous one, for whose sake God is committed to redeem a family so big that its mathematics should be thought of in terms of stars, sand and dust from every single people group that have ever sucked oxygen. God has committed to redeem a gigantic family. Christianity is not “God bless us four and no more.” It is one of the most welcoming, inclusive faith stories in all of the world religions. It’s not a possibility. It’s a probability.

God promised Abraham an incredible inheritance. God made Abraham an heir and God fulfilled His promises when, in the fullness of time, Jesus came. Jesus lived that life of perfect obedience as our substitute, fulfilling righteousness. Jesus died upon the cross taking the judgment that, not just Sodom and Gomorrah, but I deserve. You see, one day when we see our God in perfection, one day when we see the creator of the universe in perfection, we will all be silenced. There’s a part of all of us now that does not like a God who would be so just and holy as to bring judgment. But we want a God who would be incredibly generous and merciful, right? And that’s what’s going on in Sodom and Gomorrah. You see, they as a national people are numbered among the nations when God said to Abraham, “All people, all family groups on the face of the Earth would be blessed in you.” We will have brothers and sisters from Sodom and Gomorrah from every nation in the world because God is generous, because God knew He would send the greater Abraham, Jesus, to be the substitute, the righteous one.

And based upon His glorious work, His life, death and resurrection, that story would begin to expand throughout all of history. In fact, all of history from a biblical perspective is shaped by two of God’s commitments. Commitment to redeem this every nation, and family; and the commitment eventually to put all things right, to make all things new through Christ. You see, wanting a merciful God should put us in a position to say, “God, thank You that You heard the outcry of Sodom. Lord, thank You that You didn’t turn your back on the cry of the weak and the vulnerable.” Now it has implications for us, does it not? As we enter our final moments. Just take a few moments to think about where this Gospel takes us. As I finish with this, Jim, in the coming weeks, and Kim will just kind of continue to snowball the glorious reality of this Gospel.

We’ve already seen Abraham, the heir, friend and “priest” of God. We see Jesus as the Greater Abraham. Now let’s think about us in our final three minutes. Us, the heirs, friends and “priests” of Jesus. Us, the heirs, friends and “priests” of Jesus. You see, to know this Jesus makes us heirs. The Bible says, “If you are in Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:29, We receive the promises. We are an expression of the promise God made to Abraham. If we know Jesus, we’re a part of fulfillment of the big yes that Jesus is. That’s from Galatians 3:29.

In Romans chapter 8, verses 16 and 17, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” This is how grand this Gospel is. This is who Jesus is. We are heirs. We are heirs of God, heirs with Jesus of the new heaven and new earth; not just the fertile crescent, the land wrapped around Jerusalem, but the entire earth one day will be filled with God’s glory. And we are heirs of this incredible calling. Along with heirs, we are friends. Jesus says to those who know Him, “No longer do I call you servants for the servant does not know what his master’s doing. But I call you friends for all that I’ve heard from my father, I’ve made known to you.” This isn’t just a word to the disciples in the upper room. Everyone that knows Jesus has been made the friend of God through the work of Jesus. Staggering. Astonishing. We are those who are not called slaves but friends.

The Lord continues to make known His plan like He did for Abraham, through Abraham. So, for us, the entire revelation of the Bible is to encourage us about what God is doing in this world. And I finish with this lastly, and what a beautiful place to stop. Not only are we heirs and friends, but along with Abraham who just was an early expression of what a priestly lifestyle would look like, we in Christ had been made a kingdom of priests. Listen to this, Revelation 1: 5 and 6. “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to serve His God and Father. To Him, the glory dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

My brothers and sisters in The Village Chapel, and our friends and those who join us, we have through the finished work of Jesus by his sacrifice, now our wonderful merciful high priest, we in union with the Lord Jesus are to be a priestly people. We’re called to hear the outcry of injustice and the brokenness in Nashville. We want to be a church family as The Village Chapel to say, “How, oh Lord, will you help us enter the brokenness? How are we called not just to love grace and be done with our legalism, but to enter into your commitment to eliminate the word “orphan” from the human vocabulary, to bring about justice and mercy for all, to show us that through the defeat of Satan at the cross, one day, all evil will be eradicated?” And it’s why we show up in stories like human trafficking. It’s why we care about the forest. It’s why we care about housing. It’s why we care about global mission.

Brothers and sisters in The Village Chapel, your inheritance is immeasurable. Your friendship with God is unfathomable, but it’s true and real and it’s yours. Our calling we share together to be a priestly people means we enter into what God’s doing in greater Nashville. One day Nashville, Tennessee, even Smyrna, is going to be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the Earth. I wish I had 10 more minutes. I have about 30 seconds to pray with thanksgiving for what the Lord is doing for us, in us and through us. Would you join me?

Father, thank You for Genesis 18. Thank You for this marvelous story of how You made Abraham an heir, Your friend and gave him a priestly lifestyle of being an advocate in his world, not just advocating for his own blood relations, but even for those whose rebellion deserved judgment. Lord, so this is our story, and thank You that, for us, Jesus is not just the Greater Abraham. Jesus is Your son. Jesus, oh Father, is the Creator of the universe. Jesus has made us in Him righteous, acceptable. The delight of You, our Father, His bride, His wife forever. Hallelujah, what a salvation! Hallelujah, what a calling! Lord Jesus, You’re not now calling us to do anything for You, but to go into our city to offer our tears, our presence, redemptively with hope. To be those that preach grace, living grace. To be those who have received mercy, extending mercy. And until the day You come back to finish making all things new, and in Your name we say, hallelujah, what a savior! Hallelujah, what a salvation! In Jesus’ name, amen. God bless you, friends. Love you. Hugs and kisses.

(Edited for Reading)