Sermon Rant

Genesis 16, The Beginning of Hope in the Promises of God: A Life of Abraham, Preached by Michael Gunn @ Harambee Church on February 24th, 2008

“Sexuality is designed by God as a way to know God in Christ more fully…and that knowing God more fully is designed as a way of guarding and guiding our sexuality.”
John Piper

Intro
In the past few weeks we have seen the sublime nature of Abram as he has been walking with God, and listening to Him, and growing in his faith. He humbly allowed Lot to choose where he wanted to live, he courageously fought to get Lot back from warlords, and he paid homage to Melchizedek, the king of Salem (Peace), who no doubt is at least a type of Christ. Just like any one of us, we can be walking in faith, and still have the real ability to fail God miserably. As we saw last week, we can have faith that saves us, properly placing our identity in Christ, and really desire to follow Him, but we still struggle with the power of sin in our lives (See Romans 6-7). Since we are still in this world, we will still struggle with sins lure, which presents a conflict of interest as to what ultimately brings joy in our lives. This is where we are this week in Abram’s walk of faith with his Lord.

From the Head…
Last week Abram’s main concern was the barrenness of his wife, which as we stated would have been a horrendous shame to their family in their culture. Fertility rites, and the need to produce many children in order to protect and work the fields dominated their culture. Not having children was akin to being poor with no hope to be protected against killers and marauders. Women were seen as a means to guaranteeing posterity and protection. There is no doubt that this reflected some broken values in their culture, but no less than our own culture that tells women they have to be skinny to be loved, accepted and significant.

Last week we saw that Isaiah 54 reminded us that in God’s timing the barren women would sing (Verse 1), because their maker would be their husband (Verse 5). This is significant, because no longer would their worth need to be placed in being fertile; it could be placed in being married to their maker. Unfortunately though, we often struggle with our identity, and place our worth and significance into the hands of people and things. Most of our sins are subtle sins of the heart that desires to be loved and accepted so much we will make decisions that will affect that change, rather than make godly decisions that feed off the love and acceptance we have in Christ.

This is where Abram is. He and Sarai so badly want a family, so that their dishonor could dissipate. They are struggling with the promise of grace. God has promised them children, and maybe in their mind the promise relied on their pragmatic ability to make it work on their own terms? Maybe God needs me to accomplish His will? This is the problem with pragmatics. It makes sense at the time, and it usually works great! The problem is we aren’t often asking if it is God’s will and the right thing to do. After all, the Lord is “Preventing” Sarai from having children, so “He must want me to exercise a cultural custom to make it work?” Or maybe, “This marriage is horrible, and God wants me to be happy, maybe He’s telling me it is time to leave?” How about, “God hasn’t really provided the job I need, so I’m just not going to give anything right now!” It is easy to justify our actions based on desires that aren’t met. When our desires for things outweigh our desire for God, we will act in ways that are ungodly in order to achieve the level of desire we are aiming at.

In our story, Abram listens “To the voice of Sarai.” She hasn’t been a major player in this story so far, but she enters with a vengeance now. Her desire has become intolerable, and her frustration level is high. It is possible that she made this offer thinking Abram wouldn’t take her up on it, or that she made it to prove that she isn’t the barren one. Whatever her reasons are she made the request in a vehement way. “Go in to my maid” is in the imperative. This is not a suggestion; it’s a command. I don’t want to read into their marriage relationship, but it appears that Abram’s leadership falls apart completely. The trust he has built up over the past few years seems to be thrown away at the request of his wife, who is misleading the agenda. Her desires have seemingly eradicated logic and prayerful reasoning in this situation.

As usual with pragmatic theology, which looks to the moment to solve the problem versus looking at principles that are true in all situations, the problems only multiply. What appears to be the right thing to do becomes the disastrous thing to do (Proverbs 14:12). While our passage isn’t just about a sexual sin (This sin is the result of a desire that isn’t placed properly in the will of God), there is a reason why God wants Abram to have this child with Sarai, his covenanted wife. I would like to take a moment to look at the sexuality in this instance, since our desires gone wild, often result in sexual sins.

It seems clear throughout scripture that one man and one woman make up a married relationship, which is reflective of two things about God. First, He is a covenant God who makes covenants with His people, and that covenant is always seen between Him and His bride (Singular). As a matter of fact anything more than that is seen as spiritual adultery. Secondly, God Himself lives in a triune community that reflects both unity and diversity. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit live in perfect love and harmony, and unity, yet they are distinct persons from one another. Subsequently marriage is a reflection of this unity and diversity. Men and women are distinct, yet one in marriage, reflective of the God that created them. Therefore pastor John Piper writes, “Sexuality is designed by God as a way to know God in Christ more fully…and that knowing God more fully is designed as a way of guarding and guiding our sexuality.” Let’s unpack this a bit.

First, that our sexuality is designed as a way to know God more fully. God has given us strong sexual desires, and that sexual desire, when carried out in a committed marriage covenant, gives us a picture of the intense intimacy of knowing Christ supremely. Sexual intimacy is the quintessential of “Knowing” someone intimately. It is reserved for one person, as our knowledge of Christ is reserved for knowledge of one God (See Ezekiel 16; Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:9).

Secondly, that knowing God guides and guards our sexuality. There is a huge difference in knowing about God, and knowing God intimately as discussed previously. Any sexual sin (Whether it is performed by those with full knowledge of God or nor) is a result of not having intimacy with our loved one (Hosea 2:14-16, 19-20; Romans 1:23-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; 2 Peter 1:3-4). When we do not have an intimate relationship with God, we remain at the mercy of our passions, which will consume us, because they do not ultimately assuage our desire for love (1 Peter 1:14-15; Ephesians 4:22). We become enslaved to our passions and then call this enslavement love.

Any sexual act outside of this union is wrong because it deconstructs the sexual function from being pro-creative, emotionally satisfying and God glorifying to being only emotionally satisfying without the commitment of the other two. When we try and destroy the oneness (Heterosexual sin) or distinction (Homosexual sin), we destroy the glory and supremacy of Christ in the sexual act. This too results from an over desire to have intimacy with someone else more than we do with God. Once the nature of God is rejected, anything goes in our actions including our sexuality.

This is a lot on sexuality, when in reality the passage is reminding us that we can fall away from God easily be pragmatically trying to induce God’s blessing through our own means rather than trusting in the promises of God. But it is important to look at such a sin, that enslaves most of us, and take a long look at the sin behind the sin, which is idolatry, and the desire to fulfill all of our desires outside of what we were created for, which is to give thanks and praise to God. This is what Abram and Sarai did. They so badly wanted the blessing they failed to see God as that blessing, and pragmatically (And culturally acceptable) made a decision to fulfill the promise outside of God’s will.

Immediately we see that this sin produced conflict (Which sin usually does), and once again we see the grace of God working in the lives of humanity, and God’s concern for all people. Although Ishmael was conceived illegitimately, and that he is not the child of promise, God blesses him, and makes him a great nation too, but the consequences of this union would haunt Israel until this day. The offspring of Ishmael would become the seed for the Arabic people who still live in the area around Sinai, and who still hate the Jews. It is interesting that Islam, the religion in the Middle East that represents this hate for the Jews differentiates in this one area; who is the chosen child? Isaac or Ishmael? The Jews of course say Isaac (As do the Christians), and Islam says it is Ishmael. What a tangled web our sin weaves! What we must realize though is that God is concerned for Ishmael, and ultimately the great people that Ishmael represents. God’s grace is poured out on all nations, and we are not to see them as the enemy, but as those that also need to hear the gospel of Christ.

…to the Heart
It is so easy to think that we have “Accepted Jesus into our hearts,” and somehow, magically we become the finished product, and all of God’s promises are fulfilled in our lives. But we, like Abram and Sarai, are a work in progress, and there will be many times in our lives that our doubts, and our desires will get the best of us, even when we are trying to please God with our desires. There will be times when we will give in to the desire to try and please God through your own works, instead of allowing God’s promise to be fulfilled in you. This of course never negates our need to be obedient to Christ, but that obedience should be a result of our identity and not in our desire for God to accept us any more than He does in Christ.

Books for further study: Genesis, Walter Brueggemann, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: Genesis, Victor P. Hamilton, Genesis, Bruce Waltke, The Word Biblical Commentary: Genesis, Gordon J. Wenham, The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis, John H. Walton, Creation and Blessing, Allen P. Ross

Next Weeks Verses: Genesis 17

Genesis 15, The Beginning of Hope in the Promises of God: A Life of Abraham, Preached by Michael Gunn @ Harambee Church on February 17th, 2008

Intro
Last week we took a look at Abram’s struggles. God has called him for a mission, and the mission has not been easy for Abram and his family, and it is not even clear as to what God is calling him to do. In the last chapter he has had to rescue his nephew from war lords, and last week we saw that he had an encounter with the King of Sodom and the King of Salem (Melchizedek). Abram chose to forgo any wealth gained from Sodom, and paid homage to Melchizedek, who we saw as at least a type of Christ, if not a pre-incarnate vision of Jesus.

It is here that we start our passage in chapter 15.

From the Head…
The author begins with “After these things,” which helps us understand that the following events are removed from the events of chapter 14, and are some how related. As we continue in our study, we see God building the faith of Abram much the way He still builds faith in His called ones today. He calls us into mission with Him, that mission is often convoluted and, misunderstood as we struggle to get to know God, and He is faithful to continue to bring circumstances in our life that help us understand Him, and grow in our faith. In our passage today I believe that we see an incredible example of what it means to be in Christ. Remember Abram has paid homage to Melchizedek, which tips us off that Abram thought something about this King that was different from the earthly king Sodom, who he took nothing from. There are at least 5 key factors in this story that remind us of our walk in Christ

1. God is our Protector and Our Prize (Genesis 15:1)
He is our “Shield” and our “Great reward.” God is reminding him that when we walk with God, and refuse the joy of the world, God does not forsake us. God is our prize, but the world consistently tries to dupe us into believing that real worth, happiness and joy come from the stuff of the world, and we begin to use God to get the stuff, and no longer see Him as the goal. This is idolatry clear and simple, and the issue that hamstrings every human on the planet. We commit sexual sin, we become alcoholics and workaholics, we become bitter because we are trying to find our worth and significance and joy in something other than God. Simply we are enslaved by our over desires to get something that will never please. God is that reward that frees us from our slavery, so that we can be free to serve Him and enjoy Him, and worship Him.

2. God’s Promise is Not Limited by Our Doubts (Genesis 15:2-5)
Abram, though growing in faith, is still trying to figure God out. There is a healthy doubt that God does entertain. There are many times in our life when things just don’t make any sense, and we can, like Abram, take our requests to God, and what we begin to see is God, who loves us, answers these prayers. God reminds Abram of the calling and the promise in spite of his barrenness, but he wants Abram to know that he cannot place his worth on his ability to have children and a family (See Isaiah 54). The reward is not the child, the reward is Him, and He will take care of His children.

3. Faith Has Always Been the Gateway to God’s Righteousness (Genesis 15:6)
There is a question here amongst the commentators regarding what this verse means, but I think Romans 4:9ff and James 2:21-23 helps us understand this more completely. Paul and James gives us a divine commentary and a wider understanding of this moment with God. Abram is saved by faith, and He is given God’s righteousness by God, just like we are. His actions are a result of this change in his life, and not the reason for it. Romans 3:23-25 reminds us of this fact; that Christ’s death deals with sin past, present and future. Christ’s act on the cross has infinite implications. Abram’s faith is simple here, not complete. He merely trusts God, and God “Reckons” (Counted it) to Abram’s tab. Our righteousness is not our own, but it is a gift from God (See Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 10:1-4).

4. God is Completely Sovereign in our Missional Lives (Genesis 15:7-
It is true that Abram left his land. He is the one who moved, but God consistently reminds Abram that it is He that “Brought him out” of the land he was from. It is God who calls first before we respond. Here we have the ever-present mystery of salvation. We move toward God, but it is because God has moved toward us in His grace. John 6:37 tell us to come to Him, and the “One who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out,” but John 6:44 reminds us that “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” God is active in our lives and pursuing those that are his no matter who they are, or where they are.

We see Abram still questioning God, but it is not unlike our uncertainty at times in trying to figure out what God is doing in our lives, and are we really his. This is why it is so important to trust the God of the covenant, and not our feelings toward the covenant relationship. There will be plenty of times when we will doubt our place before God, but we need to trust that the sovereign God who loves us will fulfill the promises He has made.

5. God is The Faithful Covenant God (Genesis 15:9-21)
In answer to Abram’s question God has Abram bring him certain animals to enact a covenant sacrifice. There are many issues with this sacrifice that have many theologians baffled. Why those animals? What do they represent? What kind of covenant is this? And why is a symbol of God (Smoking oven/flaming torch) passing through it? And what is this idea of falling into this sleep like trance? Many believe, and I think rightly that the animals are symbolic of Israel and its people while the “Birds of prey” represent gentile nations that would come against Israel, the covenant people. The darkness and terror represent the reality that Israel will be enslaved for 400 years, but God would deliver them, and they would return, but God was not ready to give them the land and judge those in it (Amorites represent all in the land of Canaan), because their iniquity was “Not yet complete” (see Leviticus 18:14-27; Deuteronomy 9:4-5; Amos 2:9). The issue here is that God is not going to unjustly remove them from the land with no cause, and replace them with another people group. God is going to give them their full time, until their sins warrant judgment in such a severe way. The alleged genocidal God is anything but that, but He is providentially involved in what happens here on earth, and does exact judgment in His own sovereign ways. War and death is never a good thing, but some times it is a needed thing in a broken world. War correspondent writes, “The poison that is war does not free us from the ethics of responsibility…There are times when force wielded by one immoral faction must be countered by a faction that, while never moral, is perhaps less immoral. “

What’s amazing about this covenant is, unlike other covenants that demand something from the other party, there is only promise. And where the passing through the animal carcasses are usually reserved for those accepting the curse of the broken covenant, God passes through. He is the one promising, and guaranteeing this covenant, and He is the one who became cursed on our behalf (Galatians 3:10-13).

…to the Heart
How does God’s sovereignty comfort you? How does it confuse you? What does it mean to have God’s righteousness counted on your account? What does this say about you and your identity in Christ? What does this passage say about our missional calling before the Lord? Are we supposed to understand it completely?

I pray that we begin to think about questions like these as we continue to walk with the Lord, and endeavor to complete the mission He has given us to do.

Books for further study: Genesis, Walter Brueggemann, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: Genesis, Victor P. Hamilton, Genesis, Bruce Waltke, The Word Biblical Commentary: Genesis, Gordon J. Wenham, The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis, John H. Walton, Creation and Blessing, Allen P. Ross

Next Weeks Verses: Genesis 16

Genesis 14:17-24, The Beginning of Hope in the Promises of God: A Life of Abraham, Preached by Michael Gunn @ Harambee Church on February 10th, 2008

“It wasn’t if Abram thought, ‘I’ll submit to God and then I’ll get the prize.’ It’s rather that he understood a very basic truth in my religion… which is that in the final analysis, all there is, is God. All we have is transitory. It comes and goes because of God.”
Azizah Y. Al-Hibri

Intro
Imagine being called into a strange land, and that strange land was a dangerous place for you and your family. I wonder how Sarai felt about this “Calling” that God had on Abram? Can you imagine what it would be like to leave the comfort of friends and family for the complete unknown, and then realize the area you are led to is not a very friendly place, especially for your people? This is the reality of our crew from Ur. They are called “Hebrews” (Outsiders) by the locals (see Genesis 14:13), and they simply aren’t welcome. In our story today we see Abram and his family embroiled in an area dispute that kidnaps his nephew Lot as the spoils of warfare. This is a brutal area where violent gangs and “Lords” of all kinds vie for power and influence in the area. Ur was familiar; the gods were understood, and Abram was an “Insider” who knew what he was doing, and how the system worked. Now he was an outsider trying to stay away from trouble and follow the call that God had placed on his life. In this segment of scripture we see a couple of things that are intriguing. First, Yahweh is greater than any obstacle you will face, and secondly, He is also responsible to defeat the obstacles that would hinder His call on your life. Let’s journey on with Abram and Sarai, as God continues to reveal Himself and His vision to them in quite unconventional ways.

From the Head…
After Abram and his men returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and his allies, and had taken Lot back in Rambo style, the story shows that he is met by two the King of Sodom and Melchizedek, King of Salem. In this scene there appears to be 3 players (As mentioned), yet it becomes quite obvious that there is a 4th player; El Elyon (God Most High). The terms “El” and “Elyon” were used as a generic term for Canaanite gods, but the compound “El Elyon” (Most High God) was never seen in ancient Ugaritic texts.

The stage set for the meeting was in a place called the “King’s Valley,” which Jewish historian Josephus said was just south of Jerusalem.

What we have is a study in contrast between these two kings. King of Sodom, is literally the “King of Fire” while Melchizedek is the “King of Righteousness.” The King of Sodom hales from Sodom where the men were “Great sinners against the Lord” (Genesis 13:13), while Melchizedek is from Salem (Shalom or “Peace), and Psalm 76:2 helps us understand this as a possible reference to Jerusalem or Zion (God’s holy city). King of Sodom asks for something (Genesis 14:21) while Melchizedek gives Abram bread, wine and a blessing (Genesis 14:18-20). Abram responds to Melchizedek by paying him homage (Genesis 14:20) while he clearly refuses to do business with the King of Sodom (Genesis 14:22-24).

Once again our story is a bit of conundrum. Who is this Melchizedek? Is he a Canaanite king, who becomes a type of Christ, or is he a pre-incarnate Christ? Or is he (As the Jewish Talmud says) Noah’s son Shem? The term that Melchizedek uses in his blessing (Which pretty much every commentator sees as a form of liturgical/poetic blessing) is El Elyon, which indicates that he most likely is a monotheist that is the sole creator of heaven and earth. As stated earlier ancient pagan writings did not refer to their gods as both El and Elyon together. The author of Genesis does utilizing cultural wording in the place of Yahweh the Jewish God, and only true God. This may tell us something about the use of the word God in context? I think we can say at least a couple of things in this passage are clear.

First, Melchizedek is representative of the only true God. If he is truly a gentile King and not the pre-incarnate Jesus, we can understand God as a missional God who is working outside of the called people group (The Jews/Church). God is sovereign and working in this world, and there are those that God is preparing and working with outside the normative means of salvation. God may have called Abram, but He doesn’t need Abram. In the same way God has called his church out to be His witness, as a privilege, He doesn’t need us!

Secondly however, I do think the coincidences and the story are a bit much to not see at least a clear type of Christ, our priest/king. First Psalm 110 explains that the scepter (Ruling power) of David would not be removed from Zion, and that this ruler (Messianic in its language) would be a priest “Forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4). The author of Hebrews picks up on this aspect of Melchizedek and tells us that he has no mother, father or genealogy (Hebrews 7:3), and that He was greater than Abram (Hebrews 7:7) and the Levitical priesthood (Hebrews 7:4-12). Melchizedek is a priest/king whose name is the King of Righteousness, King of Peace (Shalom). He come out with bread and wine and blesses Abram with two truths. God is greater than all gods, and He is the creator of everything, as well as the fact that it is he who sovereignly delivered Abram in this battle, because Yahweh not only called Abram, He is sovereignly bringing forth His promise through Abram whom He called.

Subsequently Abram responds to the King of Sodom, which represents a worldly, wicked rejection of God, and rejects gaining any power or alliance through ungodly means. Later on we see Abraham capitulating, but here in the presence of King Melchizedek, he rejects any offer from the King of Sodom, and pays homage to Melchizedek, the King/Priest of the “Most High God.”

…to the Heart
Adverse circumstances come in to our lives all the time. How much do you feel you can control them? Are you living to gain security, or are you living to live out the mission that God has called you to live out? When God does that he provides and protects, as well as overcomes obstacles so that the mission He has called you to will be accomplished, but we must first, in act of obedience, go where He says to go, and do what He says to do. This may not be comfortable, and it most likely won’t be easy, but it will be the best place to be, in the will of our Most High God!

Books for further study: Genesis, Walter Brueggemann, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: Genesis, Victor P. Hamilton, Genesis, Bruce Waltke, The Word Biblical Commentary: Genesis, Gordon J. Wenham, The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis, John H. Walton, Creation and Blessing, Allen P. Ross

Next Weeks Verses: Genesis 15

Genesis 14:1-16, The Beginning of Hope in the Promises of God: A Life of Abraham, Preached by Michael Gunn @ Harambee Church on February 3rd, 2008

“For us as Christians, Abraham is our father, not because he’s a good guy, but because he is a reminder that our relationship with the Almighty is a relationship defined by Grace. What really matters is not whether Abraham is good or bad or cowardly or heroic, but that God pursues His design for the welfare of the human family with people like that; in other words, people like us!”
Lewis Smedes

Intro
As we saw last week, humanity has its sublime side and it’s evil side, and that truth exists in the hearts of every man and women in the world. To not think that creates self-righteousness, that at best displays a snobby person and at worse hacks to death thousands of Tutsi’s because you are superior to them. And we wonder why God has the right to enact His perfect justice on people? The key to this dichotomy in every human is repentance and then moving toward God, which allows us to see ourselves for who we are, and who our sustenance comes from, and then act according to His will in the lives of others. We saw Abram doing this in last week’s passage.

This week we have a rather strange passage. Many commentators want to write it off as irrelevant and Jewish folklore. They see it as a later addition to enhance the “Myth” of Abraham. This seems weird to me. The author has already show his dark side, why in the world would this be the case? The story of Abraham doesn’t seem to be a fabrication. Fabrications don’t usually include the weaknesses that the author includes.

The question bigger question is how does Abraham, a herder, drive out 4 kings. The other major problem in the text is none of these kings have been identified in antiquity. As we have learned many times over though, the absence of evidence in antiquity doesn’t necessarily mean the absence of historical accuracy. Ancient history is hard to document, and many civilizations in the bible (Such as the Hittites) had no physical proof until the 20th century.

What we do have here is another instance of God working in the life of His people. In the next few weeks, we will begin to unearth the providence of God in our faith walk, and in the fulfillment of His promises.

From the Head…
As we saw last week, it is possible that Abram sinned against God and Sarai to preserve his life, since God promised him that the blessing would come through him. Later on we will see Abram have sex with Hagar, because he once again wanted that promise to happen through his own doing. This is just a way that we justify our actions, but in reality, in all our striving, God continues to work His plans in spite of our actions and non-actions. What is interesting though, our actions matter. If Ishmael wasn’t brought in to this world through an illicit sexual union, we may not have many of the turbulent issues that occurred in the Old Testament, and continue to this day.

Our text today sounds like the gulf war (1991 version), with many nations participating, but these kings are more or less kings of cities, rather than countries (Which is why I think that many of these names and cities haven’t been located). This is why “Kings” (Feudal Lords) would bind together to fight, because it would strengthen their armies against the surrounding Kings. Therefore Abraham’s armies of 318 would have been formidable, especially as it combined forces with the remaining armies of the defeated kings.

These were “Marauders” looking to pillage and rape, which is what verses 11 and 12 tell us. In chapter thirteen we see Lot “Choosing” his land, leaving Abram with the rest, which is a picture of the reality of God’s sovereign will in action. It appears as Lot’s choice, but God is providentially involved. God promised Abram that land, and Lot is an obstacle, but in chapter 13 God deals with that obstacle in the choice of Lot. Now we see a further obstacle in the kings of the land who take over all of the land from the east to the west. Abram does not set out to conquer anyone or anybody. He simply sets out to free his nephew Lot, and the fact that this occurred and he had to act gave him dominion over that land as the one who conquered it. When Abram took Lot with him, and when Lot made his choice, no one knew that his presence would lead to God giving Abram dominion over the land.

Now we know that this dominion is short lived, and that Israel would not rule in the land for 400 years, but God is shaping Abram, and bringing him forth as a player in God’s redemptive history.

The term “Hebrew” in verse thirteen is an interesting one. First Israelite’s didn’t refer to themselves as Hebrews, and second the Israelite’s hadn’t come along for another 400 years. The term is an ancient one found often in the ancient near east for those that are “Outsiders” or “Marauders.” I think this fits here. Abram, and his people were outsiders in the land of Canaan. God has called him out and placed him as a “Resident Alien” in a strange land.

This isn’t a story of great faith, or great warring; it’s a story of a great God who is sovereign in our lives, and who is providentially connected to His design and plan in the world.

…to the Heart
So often ignorant people look into the pages of the Old Testament and see a mean, capricious God. This is because they can only view the text horizontally from their own human, 21st century perspective. This is a form of dishonesty, and text raping that is rampant in our culture, but unfair to the truth of the text. Unfortunately, Christians have a habit of doing the same thing, trying to get the “Nugget’s” of God’s truth without understanding the context grammatically, historically and socially. What we see when the exegetical smoke clears is a just, fair, Holy and loving God of grace that is absolutely worthy to be worshipped, which is what Abram does, and we will explore more next week!

Books for further study: Genesis, Walter Brueggemann, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: Genesis, Victor P. Hamilton, Genesis, Bruce Waltke, The Word Biblical Commentary: Genesis, Gordon J. Wenham, The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis, John H. Walton, Creation and Blessing, Allen P. Ross

Next Weeks Verses: Genesis 14:17-24

A People Of Purpose

Preached From 1 Peter 2:9-12 By Aaron Youngren At Harambee Church
January 27, 2008

Note: In this week’s sermon I referred to our upcoming church plant in Chicago. If you haven’t heard about this yet, you can get updates here, and an overview of our vision with tips on how to use the website here.

Introduction

The sum of the entire Bible and the entire gospel is God’s glory in Christ. As the church, we are the everyday, practical-yet-incredible demonstration of that good news to the world. As such, our lives and every waking moments are part of a larger purpose, because we are God’s people, and God’s people have purpose.

As God’s people, the way that we act and react in our everyday circumstances is different

• The people of God are called to live with an every-day awareness of their purpose

• The people of God are called to develop different practical relationships, communities and networks

• The people of God are called to a different understanding of problems in the world and how to solve them

• The people of God are called to speak differently to others, because

• The mindset of the people of God is fundamentally altered

While this may seem obvious from scripture, current statistical data doesn’t seem to support the notion that practice of these things in the evangelical church in west is normative. Recent studies by a subsidiary of the Barna Group (see Kinnaman and Lyons, UnChristian: What A New Generation Thinks About Christianity) indicate

Two out of five young non-Christians say that Christianity represents a negative image with which they would not like to be associated
17% of young non-Christians claim that they have had “very bad” direct experiences with Christianity
87% of non-Christians between the ages of16 and 29 say that many Christians are judgmental
70% of non-Christians between the ages of16 and 29 say that many Christians are insensitive to others
85% of non-Christians between the ages of16 and 29 say that many Christians are hypocritical

How far from the words of Julian the apostate, the pagan antagonist of early Christianity who in letters bemoaning and explaining the abandonment of paganism advocating adoption of Christian charitable practices such as “benevolence toward strangers and care for the graves of the dead”, and “[support of] not only their poor, but ours as well, everyone can see that our people lack aid from us” (see Paul Johnson, A History Of Christianity)

Purpose

The people of God are called to live with an every-day awareness of their purpose

Although we dwell in a culture that is saturated with secular materialist exclusion of purpose or ontology (why am I here?), we must believe the Bible when it tells us that we have a purpose as the people of God

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

1 Peter 2:9

As the church, we are free to escape both the drudgery of slavery to sin (a purpose other than God’s) and to pursue a creative, bold and unexpected life of purpose in His kingdom. In addition, we don’t have to guess at what that purpose is. God Himself has defined our purpose as bringing Him glory (Matt 28:19; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Eph 1:22-23; 3:20-21; Gen 12:2)

Mission Fully Realized

We must not be tempted to under-realize our mission as the church by only being obedient to certain aspects of our calling. For instance, when we hear the word “mission”, we might be tempted to think only of

Evangelism
Disciple Making
Social Justice
Relational Reconciliation
Provision for the Needs Of The Church
Growth Of The Church Body

Jesus tells us in Rev 21:5 that He is coming to make all things new. As such, our witness and gospel must be holistic in nature. We will now expand on a few of these aspects in which we have room to grow both in our imagination of what we should be and how that is outworked practically in our daily lives

Study Guide

Practical Purpose #1: The Household

The people of God are called to develop different practical relationships, communities and networks. As we point to God as the ultimate good, the basis for our relationships changes. We begin to obey His commands, and in doing so imitate Christ by serving and providing for His body, and by working hard to contribute to the financial needs of His body.

Verses For Further Study

· Each member of each household works hard in his or her role

- 1 Thess 4:9-12

- 2 Thess 3:6-18

- 1 Tim 5:3-8

· Wherever certain members of the household are suffering or in need, the household takes care of them

- 2 Cor 8:1-15

- 1 Tim 5:3-8

· Everyday sharing given as a command to all believers

- Romans 12:9-13, 16-21

- 1 Thess 4:9-12

- 1 Tim 6:17-19

- James 3:14-17

· Good works overflow to people outside of the household

- Romans 12:20-21

- Heb 13:1-3, 16

- James 1:27

Missionary Questions

· What are needs in my community of believers that I can help meet?

· What are my own needs that I need to let others meet?

· How does my hard work make me an image bearer of God?

Practical Purpose #2: Justice & Service

The people of God are called to a different understanding of problems in the world and how to solve them. We are free from the false hope that mankind will provide final justice for itself, but also free to pursue Justice and serve the poor wherever possible.

Verses For Further Study

· Gen 12:2

· Luke 6:28

· Matt 5:44-46

· Matt 22:37-39

· Rom 12:14, 20

· Eph 2:8-10

· James 1:27

Missionary Questions

· Which of my neighbors are most in need?

· How has God given me things that I don’t deserve?

· Write down names of people that God may be calling you to help

Practical Purpose #3: Truth-Speaking

The people of God are called to speak differently to others. The Bible tells us that those who do not hope in Christ cannot tell the truth and unleash destruction with the things that they say. As God’s people, we are free to be silent, to speak healing, to speak comfort, and to speak the ultimate truth of God’s grace in all of our relationships.

Verses For Further Study

· By verbal testimony to the truth of the gospel to non-believers

o Matt 28:19

o Acts 4:20, 29-31

o Eph 4:11

Preaching
Mark 3:14
Acts 16:10
Rom 10:14-15
2 Tim 4:2
Discipling
Matt 28:19
Speaking Reconciliation
2 Cor 5:18-19
Ephesians 2:14
Singing
Colossians 3:16

Missionary Questions

· What are the lies that prevail in my workplace and neighborhood?

· How can I speak truth into these situations?

· How would I articulate the gospel to my neighbors?

· What would be good news to them?

The Mindset Of God’s People Is Fundamentally Altered

Finally, it is the power of God’s glory demonstrated to us in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross which alone changes our hearts and enables us to operate as royal members of his family, noble carriers of His good news to a broken world.

Genesis 12:10-20, The Beginning of Hope in the Promises of God: A Life of Abraham, Preached by Michael Gunn @ Harambee Church on January 13th, 2008

“But the picture we get of these men and women (In Genesis) is uncomfortably human. There is so much marital conflict and sibling intrigue they almost forfeit the call and fumble the promise. Yet the storyteller refuses to clean up his act. This is the amazing thing about the people of Genesis. The more we talk about them, the more they look like the people we know, faces in the mirror.”
Bill Moyer

Intro
And so it is. As the above quote from Bill Moyer reminds us, Genesis is an accurate account of humanity. Usually the victors tell important and heroic stories about their heroes, but here in Genesis are strugglers like the rest of us. The fact is, 3000 years later, humanity hasn’t made that many advances in being human. I know many people feel that humanity has become more compassionate, and that our current global village is making us more caring, but reality and statistics do not seem to be bearing this out. We have more access to one another than we have ever had, yet world violence, wars and genocide have actually increased in that same period of time. Man’s technology brings comforts and destruction all at the same time. We have become better and more efficient in making coffee, listening to our music, and killing one another.

Last week we saw how God reveals Himself and calls us into a journey with Him. It is a journey into the unknown, and it’s a journey to build our faith, and rebuild an intimacy with God as our only source of joy. It is interesting to see how Islam has approached today’s story. I believe it highlights the large differences that separate the gospel story from religious epics. In the gospel story, Abraham is a pagan idol worshipper in need of salvation from a sovereign God who calls him out of his sin, and into a relationship with God. Within the journey there are many bumps from choices that a sinful man makes in his life. In the story of religion, or in particular Islam, Abraham is imperfect, yet capable. He is chosen because of his strong moral character and his own innate reason. In Islam the story of Abraham is reinvented around this idea. In Islam, Abraham is not only a worshipper of Allah, he is against any kind of idol worship from the beginning (See Quran; Surahs 3:95; 6:74-79; 21:51-71; 26:70-82). In Islam, Abraham is a prophet and one of the key figures in the Quran. They cannot be spoken of in any derogatory way, because Islam, like every other religion is concerned about what man can do to be accepted by God, while the gospel teaches that we are accepted (Through Christ’s work on the cross) and then we obey. There is no real need for salvation in Islam because man can attain it through the keeping of Shariah (Quranic Law). One of Islam’s great scholars Azizah Y. Al-Hibri says that, He (Abraham) came to the idea of the one true God through reason, even though he was imperfect.” As much as he admits imperfection, he also says that Abraham was chosen because he spoke out against idolatry. So in their idea of election, God chooses those that are morally strong, while the gospel story chooses men and women who are morally bankrupt and are in need of God’s grace to redeem them, and their maladies. This is a fundamental difference between the gospel story, and religion.

From the Head…
Last week we saw that the person that God chose to be His progeny was barren, which is the condition of the human landscape apart from God. In our text today, we see that there was a “Famine in the land.” Our journey with God is one of peril, because life “Under the sun,” is a life of futility without God (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

What’s interesting in our story is the fact that Abraham was about to become a “Sojourner.” The word used here has the idea of a “Resident Alien” (see Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 1:1; 2:11), who has no legal rights or protection, but is allowed in the land to do their business. It is a dangerous place, but possibly profitable. We too are called into Egypt to avoid the famine, and we too are called into the land as “Resident Aliens” to create a world where alternative values are lived, taught and passed on to our culture. Paul gives us the metaphor of an ambassador to further that kind of image. This is not a formulation of a fortress, but the church is called to be a beacon of light to the culture, and that has to be done in the culture, yet separate from the moorings that anchor the culture. It is engagement without syncretism. If we are called to “Go,” which it seems as though we are (Matthew 28:19), then we need to go with a mentality that sees ourselves as resident aliens,; sojourners in a land that’s not ours. We represent the kingdom of our Father, not the kingdom of our fathers.

The bigger question I have in regards to this story being included (Actually included 3 times; 20:1-18; 26:1-11) is why is it here? It certainly isn’t flattering to one of the most revered figures in western religious history. It certainly shows us the humanity of Abraham and biblical characters, but why is it included in God’s story of redemption? I think there are a couple of things that we need to learn from this.

1. Sometimes we need to take a trip to Egypt in order to experience Cana
Every major epic in God’s redemptive story involves Egypt. Abraham went to Egypt, Joseph was sold into slavery and went to Egypt, Moses left Egypt, then went back to deliver his people from slavery, and Jesus went to Egypt. Egypt represents paganism, and idolatry, yet its integral to the gospel story. The fact is, we are not called away from Egypt, but are often driven right in the midst of it. Abram was called from his place of rest to a place of famine. We likewise are called by God to mission, not to comfort and status quo. We desire a land of “Milk and Honey,” but every major movement in the scripture circumvented it for a time in the wilderness. Part of our growth comes from our experiences in the wilderness, and that wilderness involves a jaunt into Egypt, and a confrontation with the culture.

2. We can’t jump start the promises of God on our own terms
There are some who believe that Abraham did what he did to protect the promise of God. I don’t know if that is true, because it is conjecture, but we do know that at least two times Abraham asked Sarah to pose as his sister in order to protect himself. We also know that Sarai was his half sister (Genesis 20:12), which means that Abram wasn’t directly lying, but in his culture, this is deceptive, and in our culture cowardly. There are Islamic interpretations that indicate that Abram was actually divorcing Sarai because there are ancient divorce statements that say, “You are no longer my wife; you are a sister to me.” Either way, the act is odious even to the Pharaoh. Instead of trusting God and His promise, Abram tried to create God’s will on his own. He later does the same thing when he accepts Sarah’s proposal to have sex with Hagar.

In spite of God’s ostensible harsh interventions of God, I believe we see an act of God’s grace. He uses illness to keep Sarai safe, and save Pharaoh’s court from a despicable act.

…to the Heart
When God calls us into His mission He calls us into the realization that this is His world, and He is providentially involved in the lives of His people, and the lives of the places that He calls us to. The world is primarily split into two theories of knowledge. The first is known as Monism, which espouses an idea that everything that is all there is. There is no knowledge or reality from the outside. The second theory is the one we see in Genesis, which develops a worldview that has God as its creator, and Himself as it sovereign king. The question that remains is, “Is there something outside of our sphere of understanding, or not?” Our story shows us a God who is involved, who cares and who loves His people, and it also shows us a God who will not accept injustice, and does act in behalf of the weak and the oppressed. What understanding of God do you hold to? What understanding of this life shapes your life? Are you in control of your world, or are you a player in a world created by a sovereign God?

Books for further study: Genesis, Walter Brueggemann, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: Genesis, Victor P. Hamilton, Genesis, Bruce Waltke, The Word Biblical Commentary: Genesis, Gordon J. Wenham, The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis, John H. Walton, Creation and Blessing, Allen P. Ross

Next Weeks Verses: Genesis 13

Genesis 12:1-9, The Beginning of Hope in the Promises of God: A Life of Abraham, Preached by Michael Gunn @ Harambee Church on January 6th, 2007

“The authors of Genesis do not show Abraham evolving a theology, a set of beliefs. Rather they imagined him responding to events and experiencing the divine in an imperative that broke down old certainties and expectations.”
Karen Armstrong

“We should pray for Western powers to become true Christians, because currently not only are they are not Christians, but also they are acting against Christ… We wish the new Christian year to be better than last year and the years before that, and it will be endowed with teachings of Jesus Christ which is peace, justice, and love.”
Muslim Iranian Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel

“To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.”
Gandhi

Intro
We have been taking a look at the transforming power of the gospel in our own lives for these past few months, and I am now excited to switch gears and take a look at the life of Abraham (Genesis 12-25), because it gives a glimpse at how and why God calls us in a similar journey. Abraham is sort of an archetype, or an analogy for how God works faith, hope and mission (Purpose) into our own journeys. God brings us growth through His sovereign hand in our experiences and circumstances, hardly ever through cognitive reasoning alone.

Karen Armstrong, though seeing some positive things in Genesis, sees a very hard relationship between God and man, and that God is often “Out of touch,” and “Out of control.” Armstrong sees God’s demands as completely unfair and ambiguous, and that His promises are negligible compared to the heartache they seem to cause. Is God capricious and unfair? Maybe Ms. Armstrong can only view Genesis from a purely finite perspective, and fails to see the beauty in God and His promise, and His created, intended plan for humanity. I hope to see God’s sovereign grace and beauty working in the life of Abraham. Journey with me!

This book (The book of beginnings) started in a garden. A glimpse then of the result of this story comes at the end of this compilation we call the bible (See Revelation 21). We hear this promise uttered throughout God’s word. It’s about a time when joy and peace would reign, and God’s kingdom would begin to transform the kingdom of evil. This is a story of two kingdoms, and a story of a king who would come and benevolently rule the kingdom of God based on a reality and principles that are far different than the one the kingdoms of earth are governed. The “Kingdom of God” has often been established here on earth with arrogance and bloodshed; as believers in Christ, we must point to a kingdom that is different. We are called, like Abraham, for that mission.

Genesis tells the story of creation and fall, but it clearly leaves a blueprint for its intent (see Genesis 3:15). Genesis 4-11 played out the reality of sin, and man’s desire for control and apotheosis. It is ironic, because in Babylon (Abram’s City) men wanted to make a name great for themselves (Genesis 11:4), but they intended to do so through their own means, and not in faith; God called Abram (“Exalted Father”) to make his name great (Genesis 12:2) on His terms. This story is the lynchpin connecting point between the history of humanity and the history of God’s elect (Israel); the history of the curse, and the history of the blessing. What’s interesting to see in this story, as well as the story of the whole bible, is God’s sovereign intent for His people and the world. He is not a tribal deity, and His “Chosen” do not exist for themselves, but for His glory and His mission, and it is also important to note that we will all be surprised who God’s “Elect” are!

From the Head…
Chapter eleven connected Abram to humanity (Genesis 11:27). He obviously came from a family lineage, which most likely had high hopes for their offspring. He grew up in Iraq (Ancient Babylon/Chaldea) to a “Moon Worshipping” ancestry. This part of the story begins in “Barrenness”(Genesis 11:30). This story begins where humanity is; barren and destitute and in great need of a savior and a miracle. Barrenness is hard in the 21st century; it was devastating in ancient Palestine! The women’s significance was often wrapped up in her ability to give the family a future. The family’s welfare counted on children, and the security of the people relied on men to protect them. Barrenness was a curse in the mind of a 15th century Iraqi! Families back then were extended and purposeful. Everyone had a role. Families today are individualistic and rights conscience most often concerned with their own welfare, and not the welfare of others. In our passage Abram is called out of paganism to follow God in the land that He would “Show” him (See Hebrews 11:8-13). Verses 2-3 are incredible. Four promises; “I will make you a great nation;” “I will make your name great;” “I will bless those that bless you;” and I will bless “All peoples of the earth.” But look close at verse 2; “I will bless you…and you will be a blessing.” God is going to do for Abram that which He broke up the party for in chapter 11. God would make his name great so that he could be a blessing. This is what God is trying to do in all of our lives. This is His DNA, His imprint in the lives of those that are led by the Spirit of God. But as we see in Abram’s day, it comes with a price; it comes through obedient faith in God and His promises. According to Ephesians 2:8 that faith is a gift from God, but the fact remains, we are to respond to God’s call in our lives. Abram is called away from every potential idol in his life to go into the unknown. God calls us away from our idols in order to create a sense of dependency on Him. Admitting the need for salvation is an admission of dependency; the very thing the fallen human heart does not want to admit. Verse 4 shows Abram leaving and doing what God called him to do in spite of the ostensible impossibility of the task.

How would a 75 year old man and his barren wife become the father of nations? Abram left, and the text says that he took…”the people he had acquired in Haran.” This is significant because the people of God are not all Israelites (See also Exodus 12:38). Whether it be in the Exodus, Jesus’ lineage or the subsequent explosion of the church in Acts, it is clear that God’s people come from all tribes, races, and ethnicities (Revelation 5:9, 10).

A Few Observations:
1.God speaks into and act in hopeless situations.
2.God calls people into seemingly impossible missions.
3.This text is a picture of the resurrection; what was not alive becomes alive.
4. In God’s first call (Speech act) He calls the worlds into existence. In His second calling, He calls a people to stand outside the barren land to enter into a land of life.
5. The life of faith is a life in journey, adventure with God.

…to the Heart
How easy is it to get caught up our own agendas and lives, and not listen to the calling of God in our own lives. It is easy top pass of these bible stories as just that, stories that have little or no bearing on our own lives, but in reality God still calls, and still works with broken people, and does the miraculous through them. Is you Christian life an adventure, exciting and joyful, or is it boring, irrelevant and disconnected from your lives? This is a question that is important for us to figure out in the midst of this journey, especially when we enter the desert.

Also, when it comes to obedience do you feel obedience is a form of legalism? It’s pretty easy to think that, because a lot of religion is a legalistic bent to being made righteous through our own efforts. Abram was obedient. The result of faith is obedience, but is an obedience that is done because of knowing God, and loving God, and not because we feel that we are earning His approval.

Books for further study: Genesis, Walter Brueggemann, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: Genesis, Victor P. Hamilton, Genesis, Bruce Waltke, The Word Biblical Commentary: Genesis, Gordon J. Wenham, The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis, John H. Walton, Creation and Blessing, Allen P. Ross

Next Weeks Verses: Genesis 12:10-20

The Transformation Series: The Living Water of the Spirit in Us
Selected Text, Preached at Harambee Church by Pastor Mike Gunn on December 30th, 2007

“There is probably never a day when we do not fail at doing what Christ, on the cross, has enabled us to do. Yes, God’s grace has changed us. It gives us power over what once enslaved us. It has opened our blind eyes, softened our hard hearts and given wisdom to our foolish minds. Yet, with all of these wonderful gifts flowing from our union with Christ, sin still remains in us. That’s the reason you need to know that the cross has broken the power of sin, because the presence of sin still remains! We should not be shocked that the war still goes on inside us. We have been changed, we have been empowered, but we have not yet been perfected.”
Tripp/Lane

Intro
We have been looking at how God’s grace transforms our lives for the past 12 weeks. It is imperative to note that change doesn’t come as a result of “resolutions.” Change comes as a result of the grace of God working in our lives as we appropriate the truth of Christ’s work on the cross! When God’s grace rules our heart and our decisions, then we will begin to see a lasting change in our lives. We cannot change for our own sake, or the sake of someone else’s approval; we must be changed by God’s transforming love.

We are able to do this because every follower of Jesus Christ has the Holy Spirit within empowering them to become what God intended them to become. These goals are not impossible, but are made possible by God!

In light of this study, I want to look at David as an example of one trusting in His God during HEAT in his life, and then three Truths that direct the lives of a follower of Christ:

5 Gospel perspectives
1. Our sin is worse than we can imagine, but God’s grace is greater than our sin!
2. God is concerned about transformation at the heart level, not the behavior level.
3. We should benefit from our relationship with Christ here and now, and in eternity.
4. God calls us to grow and change.
5. Our Christian life is a lifestyle of Repentance and Faith

From the Head…
David; An Example Spiritual Growth and Struggle (Psalm 4; 2 Samuel 11-1
David was a powerful man that had money, power, fame, and integrity. His story is not a mythical, heroic story. It is a story that is a lot like most people’s story. We see David (a man after God’s own heart) have moments of sublimity and moments of peril and sin. In Psalm 4 we see a resolute man in the face of some of the toughest stress any man could have. Not only was David’s son in rebellion, his son was leading a coup to oust him and kill him if necessary. On top of that, his son was killed in battle. I can’t imagine the heartache David felt as he himself was hiding in a cave as he wrote Psalm 4, which along with Psalm 3, are morning and evening meditations of worship. In this Psalm we see a calm David praising his God and caring about his men. He turns toward God in his pain, not away from Him. David is not perfect, and actually sinned greatly in a time of blessing and prosperity. But what we see here in this Psalm is the reality of a God who continues to work in sinful people’s hearts in spite of their sin. This gives us great hope!

Paul: A Blueprint for Spiritual Transformation (Galatians 5:13-6:10)
We are not transformed by our work, but our work is a sign of our transformation. Ephesians 2:8-10 brilliantly displays this reality about our relationship with our God. Religion gains acceptance through rules and law, while grace teaches that we are accepted because of Christ; we are then motivated by love to obey God, knowing that we are God’s children and we are secure because of our relationship to Christ. It is because of this that we can live in integrity, let grace shape our relationships, and live a life of purpose and direction.

1. A Life Lived in Integrity
When God’s grace transforms our hearts, we can face ourselves in a different light. We can see ourselves as a work in progress not afraid to face the reality of our own sin. We can live a life that doesn’t need to blame others for our own faults. A life of integrity is committed to spiritual growth and committed to godly help from the body of Christ because we are no longer trying to impress someone with a false spirituality.

2. A Life of Relationships Shaped by Grace
When we realize the grace that has been extended to us, we are able to extend that grace to others (see Matthew 18:21-35). We become people that are much more willing to ask forgiveness and grant forgiveness. We are able to respond to other people’s sin with grace and love, and minister to people out of compassion.

3. A Life Filled with Purpose and Direction in Words and Actions
God’s grace calls us and shapes us toward action in becoming, “grace filled” people. The work that Christ wants us to do is love God and love others (John 15:10, 17). God has given us purpose to carry out His love in a world that so badly needs real love and compassion. This is outlined by Tripp and Lane (Workbook 12.2).

• Grace enables all of God’s children to make peace (James 3:13-1
• Grace enables each of God’s children to speak truth (Ephesians 4:25)
• Grace enables all of God’s children to serve others (Galatians 5:14, 15)
• Grace enables all of God’s children to say no (John 11:21; 17:4)
• Grace enables all of God’s children to use their gifts (Romans 12:1-

…to the Heart
In Christ, you have been made a fruit tree and enabled to bear fruit even in the midst of trial and pain. You are a child of God and no longer need to try and win anyone’s love and approval. You are free in Christ to enjoy the things that He has given you, and free to break the chains of sin in your life because you no longer need other things to bring you joy and significance. You are united in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! Because of this there is great hope that we are able to do anything God calls us to do in His power and by His grace! Let’s turn to this New Year with this reality fresh in our minds!

Books for further study: Most of this material is taken from “How People Change” and “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands” by Paul Tripp and Tim Lane, as well as their accompanying workbooks

Next Weeks Verses: We begin our series on the Life of Abraham in Genesis Chapter 12

Isaiah 9:1-7, “Behold the King and His Kingdom!”
Preached by Pastor Michael Gunn @ Harambee Church on December 23rd, 2007

“Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous”
Psalm 112:4

“On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.
On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter .And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.”
Zechariah 14:6-9

“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon [fn4] his shoulder,
and his name shall be called [fn5]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”
Isaiah 9:7

“And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:13-17

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:2-4

Intro:

Our passage today takes a look at Christmas over 2500 years ago! Or at least the prediction of the reason we celebrate Christmas. The birth (Or incarnation) of Jesus Christ, God’s Son into the world is the single most important event in human history, because if it is true everything Jesus does makes sense. The problem as usual though is its significance. What does it matter? Isn’t this just a metaphor to make us realize that “God is with us?”

From the Head…

The Promise of Deliverance (Isaiah 9:1-5)

Destruction, pain, death and loss sadden us greatly! They are the result of kingdom gone mad. It is the result of a kingdom fighting to preserve itself, and create maxims that govern it’s people. Zebulun and Naphtali were the first and the most brutalized of the Assyrian invasion (2 Kings 15:29; 17:6). Their pain was great, but in the midst of that pain, there is the hope that light was at the end, and that their mourning would be turned into Joy! This is how God works in our lives. In spite of the fact that we are oft persecuted, “We are not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:9), sorrowful, yet “Rejoicing (2 Corinthians 6:10). This is true when “God is with us!” This is Isaiah’s promise. Ahaz’s son, (Born too of a young woman/virgin) brought destruction (See Isaiah 8,especially verse 22), but the one born of a woman (Genesis 3:15 see Isaiah 7:14 cf. Galatians 3:8-13) brings forth healing and joy! God is a God of BUTS! In spite of the fact that He brings forth both calamity and light (Isaiah 45:7), He balances them, and uses them appropriately to bring forth the joy and the healing that He plans to do in this land.

The Source of Deliverance (Isaiah 9:6)
The source of that deliverance is God’s Son. And note that God’s Son (Born to us) is known as “Mighty God” (See Isaiah 10:21). Christ took the law (Government) on His shoulder when He went to the cross for our sake. He becomes the curse so that we could become free from the curse! He becomes our peace, and seeks peace in this land.

The Extent of Deliverance (Isaiah 9:7)

This is the Jewish story culminating in Jesus (See Matthew 4:13-16 cf. Revelation 21:2-4). Jesus is the one who calls people to Himself in order to begin His kingdom here on earth; a kingdom that will grow until God fully establishes it on earth, with all His people. Jesus begins His reign in His church, and like Israel, we will have shown to be faithless in spite of His faithfulness (See 2 Timothy 2:13), prompting Christ’s coming as King over the whole earth. Meanwhile, He is working through the church (As weak as it is) to make all of humanity subject to Him (2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Philippians 2:10). This is not to be done in power, but done in our weakness. “Blessed are the poor in spirit…meek…peacemakers, etc.” The extent of God’s kingdom is the whole world, and every living creature in it! And it will be ruled with an entirely different mandate!

…to the Heart
Christ came as the king of His newly established kingdom; a kingdom that radically sees the world differently than any current system can or does. Christmas is the “Good News” that the king has come, and is with us, and there is no way we can stay the same as a result!

The Transformation Series: A Change of Heart
Selected Text, Preached at Harambee Church by Pastor Mike Gunn on December 16th, 2007

“A new lifestyle (The outward FRUIT of a believer’s life) does not grow out of a stoic obedience to the commands of God, but from a heart that has been captured and captivated by the Giver of those commands.”
Lane/Tripp

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
Proverbs 4:23

“The key to holiness is falling in love…The power that the pleasures of sin exert on the human soul will ultimately be overcome only by the superior power of the pleasures of knowing and being known, loving and being loved by God in Christ.”
Samuel Storms

Intro
Review:
Week #1 Understanding our destination in Christ gives us hope during trials.
Week #2 Our hope rests in a relationship with Jesus
Week #3 God’s work of transformation happens in a loving community
Week #4 We need to see our lives and our world from God’s “Big Picture.”
Week #5 God understands the full range of human emotions.
Week # 7 The THORN bush reminds us how we often respond to our circumstances sinfully.
Week #8 All sin grows out of a heart that has been captured by something other than Christ.
Week #9 Because Christ lives in us, we already have what we need to live a godly life.
Week #10 Living under the CROSS means balancing our need for repentance and our recognition of the grace and love of God.

5 Gospel perspectives
1. Our sin is worse than we can imagine, but God’s grace is greater than our sin!
2. God is concerned about transformation at the heart level, not the behavior level.
3. We should benefit from our relationship with Christ here and now, and in eternity.
4. God calls us to grow and change.
5. Our Christian life is a lifestyle of Repentance and Faith

From the Head…
As Proverbs 4:23 reminds us the springs of life flow from the heart. Biblically the heart is a place that includes the thoughts and emotions of humanity, but also its motivation and will. Our hearts are the motivational structures of our life. We can possibly do something “Good” with poor motivations. However, God wants us to show obedience out of love and loyalty, not out of law and conformity. We are going to take a look at four aspects of the heart in a transformed person.

The Centrality of the Heart in Obedience (Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Mark 12:28-31)
The heart is central to obedience. God is not concerned with lip service or religious duty. False pietism is actually an affront to God (Isaiah 1:10-15).

God Judges the Heart; Not His appearance (1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 139:23-24)
Religion judges the outward appearance of man, and doesn’t see the heart. Our own relationships are littered with us judging other people’s actions without determining the heart of the matter. Sometime a person can do or say something that seems hard, but their motives are love and concern for you. David himself was a “Man after Gods own heart,” yet he failed miserably in some big tests in his life.

God Creates a New Heart In Us (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 22:24-2
Here we see that only God Himself can create a new heart in us (See Psalm 51). Without this change we are incapable of pleasing God with our works. But we can rejoice in the fact that we have been given a moldable heart, which isn’t formed perfectly, but is being molded, and has been made moldable. That is the difference between a heart of flesh and a heart of stone.

Christ In Our Heart Is Not Spatial (Ephesians 3:14-21)
The idea of “Christ in your hearts,” is not a spatial thing; it is qualitative. It is all too often misused to mean some superficial choosing of Jesus to join our own agendas. This has to do with the Holy Spirit empowering you to live in the love of Christ in everything we do. The idea of Christ “Dwelling” in our heart is to rule it, so that it is reconstructed and motivated to obey God by love and not fear or pride (See John 14:15, note that 16ff speaks of the Holy Spirit whom is needed in order for this to be real).

…to the Heart
The kind of heart that produces FRUIT, is the kind of heart that is given to us by God, and made stronger by lovingly obeying/trusting God with our lives. A heart that consistently prays to God and asks Him to show him his/her heart (Psalm 139:23-24) and acts on what God reveals in His word and prayer through faith will become a heart that is after God’s own heart.

Books for further study: Most of this material is taken from “How People Change” and “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands” by Paul Tripp and Tim Lane, as well as their accompanying workbooks

Next Weeks Verses: Psalm 4; Galatians 5:13-6:10