Title: You Must Know
Contents
You must know (Genesis 15:6-21)
Dear all! What is the greatest blessing we have received by believing in Jesus? It has been justified. This text is the message given to Abraham, who was justified by faith. Verse 13 God says to Abraham, “You must know.” This morning, I want to share grace with you under the title of "You must know".
I. gender
What must Abraham, who is justified by faith, need to know? Verse 7: “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” Abraham must know this. That God brought out of the land of idols, the land of sin, and Ur of the Chaldeans to give Abraham the land of Canaan as an inheritance. Abraham must know clearly this fact that he is a being specially set apart to God. God has set us apart today. He brought us out of this world of sin to give us heaven as an inheritance. Because Abraham lived a holy life, God did not bring him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, the land of idols. God chose Abraham. He brought them out of the Chaldeans and justified them. Therefore, Abraham must live as a set apart person.
Everyone! We are not saved today because we have lived holy lives. God unconditionally chose him (Ephesians 1:4). God called him to believe in Jesus Christ, recognized him as righteous, and made him a child of God. Therefore, we must live as children of God as we are set apart. The Bible refers to those who believe in Jesus as saints. They are dedicated to God and set apart. What is Holiness? distinction. We, who have believed in Jesus and have been justified, must live as separate people. I pray that you will be able to live differently as a saint.
II. dedication
What did Abraham, who was justified by faith, need to know? Verse 9 'The LORD said to him, "Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, and a dove, and a young pigeon." Cows, female goats, and rams were the most valuable possessions for Abraham, a nomadic man. Why are they supposed to be 3 years old? This is the best time, the most valuable time. God tells Abraham to bring to me your most precious, your best, your best. Everyone! Do you want to be blessed? You must sow a blessing. We all want to be blessed. But I am not interested in giving. They neglect to sow blessings. 2 Corinthians 9:6 says, 'He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly;
Romans 12:1 “Therefore, brethren, I beseech you by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual sacrifice.” Because you have been justified and saved by believing in God, “Offer your bodies as a sacrifice.” - Our offerings now are not cattle, sheep, and goats. It's our body. It is our whole being.
Abraham split an ox, a sheep, and a goat in half to offer sacrifices. But the little dove was not split. “What about this?” I thought. But this is disobedience. God wants to obey not only the big things, but also the smallest things. I pray that all of us will become so thoroughly devoted and obedient.
III. hardship, blessing
What did Abraham, who was justified by faith, need to know? It is the meaning of suffering and the providence of blessing. Verse 12: “At sunset, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and great darkness and fear fell upon him.” This is evident in suffering. This suffering can be spiritual or it can be real. 13 The LORD said to Abram, "You must know that your descendants will be strangers to the Gentiles and will serve them, and they will torment your descendants for 400 years." This prophesied that the children of Abraham would suffer. But the meaning of suffering is different. Suffering is not a curse. Podium. It is a platform for making more valuable things. Verse 14, 'after that', says that after suffering, there are blessings that God has prepared. Who is the justified believer? I am not a person who only sees reality and clings to reality and clings to reality. He is a person who believes in the blessings that will come after that.
What blessings have you promised?
Verse 14, “I will punish the nation they serve, and after that your descendants will come out with great wealth.” This was fulfilled in the Exodus. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for 400 years. Indeed, it was a tunnel of dark and frustrating suffering. But these 400 years were not a curse. This land of suffering was an incubator for Israel's new history. Are you suffering? I bless you to keep in mind that the scene of hardship is the incubator of blessing.
Verse 15 'You will live long, and you will return to your ancestors in peace and be buried.' Longevity, peace, and heaven What greater blessing is there than this? May you all receive longevity, peace, and the blessings of heaven.
In verses 18-21, He promised a large land. It is a promise of infinite blessings. We pray that we and our descendants will receive this blessing.
Verse 17 'When the sun went down and it was dark, a smoking brazier was seen, and a burning torch passed through the pieces of meat'. At that time, the Middle East made a covenant by slaughtering an animal, splitting it, and passing it in front of it. But here, only the torch has passed. Only God has passed. This is God's unilateral covenant. Not because Abraham deserved the blessing. He blesses us because we have been justified by faith.
Dear all! I pray that you are convinced that there will always be a new morning of blessing after the tunnel of suffering, that there is a time when suffering will come to an end. Today, I pray that you will become a victorious Christian, hoping for the blessing that God has prepared.