All right, if you wish to follow
along turn to Genesis chapter 25 Genesis chapter 25 Before I read, let me just say
a few things. Thus far in Genesis, we've come
through chapters one through 17. I had Penny actually go back
and count it for me yesterday evening. I've brought so far
17 messages. That was not intended, and I
haven't necessarily brought a message from every chapter. But we've
come thus far all the way through Genesis chapter one and all the
way through chapter 17. Now, chapters 18 through 24 have
a glorious bounty in it. And I'm sure everyone here, at
least here, is familiar with these things. You have Abraham
and Lot in these chapters. That is 18 through 24. You have
Lot and Sodom. You have Isaac being born, and
these are just a few things. You have Hagar and Ishmael cast
out. And you have Isaac being offered
by Abraham on Mount Moriah. Those things are quite familiar
to us, and I do not mean, I don't want anyone to misunderstand,
I'm passing by all of those things, at least for now. And what I
want us to look at, as I said, is Abraham's latter life. It's something that I had been
aware of for years, but as I've been reading through the book
of Genesis and going back and reading this and reading it through
again, all of a sudden, this just hit me. Genesis chapter
25, that's what I want to try to speak on this morning. Let's
read the first 10 verses. Then again, Abraham took a wife,
and the reason he took this second wife was because Sarah is now
dead. She's been buried in the cave
in the field of Machpelah. Then again, Abraham took a wife,
and her name was Keturah. And Shibar-Zimran, and Jokshan,
and Midan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shua. And Jokshan begat Sheba,
and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Ashuram,
and Le-Tusham, and Le-Ummam. and the sons of Midian, Ephah,
and Epher, and Hanok, and Abida, and Eldah. All these were the
children of Keturah. Think about that. Abraham had
all of these children with Keturah after Sarah had died. And they
no doubt had sons and daughters that are not even mentioned here.
But then look at what it says. And Abraham gave all that he
had unto Isaac. Now he already has two sons. Ishmael, born first, and Isaac. Sarah dies, and then he has these
other sons, and they have other children, but it still says,
and Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the
sons of the concubines, so here are more women. I'm not here
to preach against that or for that, but it is a fact, okay? But unto the sons of the concubines,
which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts. And then look at what
it says. And sent them away from Isaac
his son while he yet lived, that is while Abraham yet lived, eastward
unto the east country. And these are the days of the
years of Abraham's life which he lived, and hundred, three
score, and 15. So that is what, 175 years old. Then Abraham gave up the ghost
and died in a good old age, an old man, and full, and of years
is not inappropriate, but in the Hebrew it means much more
than just full of years. It says and full. That's what
it says, and full. Full of years, but what? Full
of something much greater than that. You see, it's not the length
of a man's life that matters. It's who he by grace possesses
in whatever years he or she has. That's what makes a life full. And I'll use this only as an
illustration. To live 20 years with Christ is better than to
live 200 or 300 years without Jesus Christ. To die at the age
of 20 with Christ is better than to die at the age of 100 without
Jesus Christ. That, a 20-year-old life with
Christ, even if that life only had one year of it, Joe, with
Christ, So one year out of 20 is far more full than a man or
a woman who lives to be 100 years old and does not have Jesus Christ.
So he died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years,
and was gathered unto his people. We'll look at this in a moment.
Gathered unto his people. Now, normally, when we read that,
we think, well, they buried him with all the rest of his family.
Well, that's not appropriate, it can't be, because there's
only one person buried in the cemetery, or the cave of Machpelah,
that's Sarah. So when it talks about him being
gathered to his people, it's not talking about his death,
it's talking about he went to glory with all the rest of the
saints of God. That's what it's talking about.
And his sons, now then look at this next, amazing. When I read
this, I knew this for years. I've read through the Bible since
I was a little fellow. I was taught to read through
the Bible. I didn't do that for a lot of years, but you know,
you're kind of taught to do that. And I've been aware of this,
but look, and his sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Isn't that amazing? Does that throw you a curve?
It shouldn't. It threw me a curve at first
when I began to think about this, but it shouldn't. And his sons
Isaac and Ishmael, but Isaac and Ishmael only. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael
buried him in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron, the son
of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre. The field which
Abraham purchased. Now, let me just throw this out,
and I hope no one misunderstands, and I certainly hope no one becomes upset, but why did Abraham
have to purchase this cave and this field of Machpelah when
God Almighty had given it to him to start with? The reason
is because Abraham understood there's more to this than just
this physical piece of land. You understand? Abraham did not
go into the land to wipe out the enemies. He went into the
land God gave him and he gave it to him for a specific purpose.
He went into the land God gave him to dwell amongst the enemy. And that's where we are today. God has given us the land. but
it is full of the enemy. And we are now sojourning here. And Abraham knew what he was
looking for. The place he was looking for
was not a fallen piece of property. But it was a city which hath
foundations, whose builder and maker is God. So even in the
land, physical, and it is physical. God gave it to Abraham. And it's
still his. But that land is fallen. That
land is fallen. And that land is not his inheritance. His inheritance is Christ. So he paid the people that owned
the land. Fair money for the land. They
said, we'll give it to you. Amazing thing. Mac, they respected
Abraham enough to do that. This one fella did. And Abraham
said, nope, gonna pay for it. Gonna pay for it. Now there's
a side note, that's just a side note. So remember, Genesis chapter
25, these first 10 verses, the background is that Sarah is dead.
Why didn't God let Sarah live longer? I don't know all the reasons.
But I do know this, so that we would be standing here this morning,
I'd be standing here and you'd be sitting right there, and we'd
read of this account in Genesis chapter 25, verses one through
10, so God Almighty could teach us a lesson about himself. That's
at least one reason why. One reason why. And why this
Keturah? Where did she come from? Where
did she go? We don't know. because that in
and of itself does not matter. Isn't that amazing? You see,
I say this, and I don't say this with pride. I'm not talking about
myself. There are some people in this world, when it comes
to God Almighty and His sovereign purpose and mercy and compassion,
they do not matter. They do not matter. I guarantee
you, Abraham loved that woman. and he loved all them boys that
she gave him, and no doubt loved the grandchildren that they gave
him, but he sent, gave them gifts, and sent them all away into the
East Country, even while he was still alive, and said, right
here, right here is where all my eggs go. It's in this one
basket right here, this boy called Isaac. Isn't that what you see
here? That's what we see here. So,
Sarah is now dead and buried in the Machpelah Cave. Here's
my title and my subject, Abraham's Ladder Life, Death, and Burial. Abraham's Ladder Life, Death,
and Burial. Now, I want us just to consider
just three things this morning, and I'm calling them tidbits.
I'm not calling them tidbits out of any disrespect for God's
word. From God's inspired word, these are not just tidbits. Do
you understand what I'm saying? I call them tidbits because of
my ability, or my lack thereof, I may should say. But I trust
God that who is sufficient for these things, this sufficiency
does not rest in me. It must be of God. But I say
call them tidbits because I probably am only gonna be able to give
you just a little piece of all the glory that's here in these
three things. Not just because of time's sake,
that's a part of it, but also because there's just far more,
Joe, than I can wrap my puny little mind around here. And
there's far more here than I even will mention. But be that as
it may, let's look at the first tidbit. Here's number one. Circumstances
never dictate covenant blessings with God. You hear what I just
said? That's simple. A simple statement,
and I had a big long, and I thought, no, pull this down. Circumstances never dictate covenant
blessings with God. And we are such finite creatures,
and our minds are so finite. Even as spiritually born people,
our minds, just our brains, are still so finite. The problem
is we often think circumstances are God's way of trying to tell
us something about his covenant blessings. But I'm here to say
circumstances never dictate covenant blessings with God. Sarah, Isaac's
mother, is now dead. Abraham's relationship with Sarah
as husband and wife is over forever. He was gathered unto Sarah. Not
just, I'm not talking about in that cave at Machpelah. I'm talking
about up yonder somewhere, Mason. But she was no more his wife,
as a wife. Now, maybe he still knew her
that she was his wife. We don't know about, I can't
get into, I don't know about all that. But we know that in
glory, we're just like the angels. We're not given and taken in
marriage. In glory, Abraham and Sarah were what they were by
God's ordination before the foundation of the world, brother and sister
in Christ. That's the main relationship
they had. Sarah is now dead and Abraham
marries another woman and has lots of kids. But remember, circumstances
never dictate the covenant blessings with God. All these children
are born, and verse five says, and Abraham gave all that he
had, that's the land, that's the property, that's the beasts,
that's the gold, that's the silver, that's the servants, the slaves,
everything that Abraham had, he gave to one basket. Isaac. He showed his concern
and compassion to all the others, gave them gifts. Mac, I figure
it was a pretty nice little gift. Abraham was a very rich man.
And here we do see Abraham as God Almighty. He causes the rain
to shine on the just and the unjust. The rain to come down,
the good gentle rain. And the sun to shine and grow
crops and he feeds us all and clothes us all. Are there exceptions
in little individual places? Yes, there are. But our God is
absolutely sovereign. But God is still benevolent to
his creation. to everything he has begotten
as creator, he is benevolent. All of us, even those starving,
are receiving much more from God than what we deserve by nature. But all of God's eggs are in
one basket. That's in Isaac. Here's the first
thing. Covenant blessings is in the one seed. And Paul makes
that clear in Galatians chapter three, verse 16. He said, he
said, excuse me, he said, and to thy seed, which is one, not
many, he even goes on and says, not seeds as of many, but unto
thy seed, and then he says it, being moved by the Spirit of
God to rightly understand what God was teaching in the Old Testament. Because there are times when
he says, your seed shall be as the stars of heaven. Well, that's
multiple, isn't it? But Paul, being moved by the
Spirit of God, knew what God's really saying here. All of God's
eggs are in one basket. Everything God's pleased to do
in mercy and grace and compassion and salvation, it's all in Jesus
Christ and Jesus Christ alone. According to verse six of our
text, there is no sharing of this. He gave gifts to all them, and
then what? Sent them away. But all that he had here, all
of that land, all of that land, he went up and down it. He'd
went up and down it, went out into Egypt, come back to it,
up and down it, moved over here, moved over there. And all of
this wealth. Cattle and herds. Like I said
before, I don't know if he had pigs or not, but there was no
law yet. And there's another message.
Here's a man who walked with God and believed God and didn't
have not one Sinaitic rule to walk by. Why? Because he walked
by faith. God help us to walk by faith.
But don't despise the law. Because remember, Isaac and Ishmael
together buried Abraham. You see it? They honored their
father. Did you say that? So again, number
one, number one under, circumstances never dictate covenant blessings.
I don't care where you are and what's going on with you at this
present moment, how joyous or how painful, that does not dictate
God's covenant blessing with you. If you are in Christ, and
that's all I can say to anyone in any real sense, because sometimes
I'm not even sure about myself, But if you are in Christ, everything
is in Christ. And you are okay no matter what
the circumstances. Here's a thought. Do I, and I
say it of myself because I don't want you to think I'm preaching
down to you. I don't mean it that way even
if it sounds that way. Do I use circumstances to seek
my own excuse. Well, this circumstance is of
God, and it is. Sarah's dead because God appointed,
that'd be how long she'd live. This Keturah, come along, because
God appointed all of this. All these other sons, and no
doubt other daughters, not daughters necessarily, but granddaughter,
all these people are born. And all of these circumstances
were ordained by God for Abraham, and for Isaac, and for Ishmael,
and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael,
and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael,
and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael,
and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael,
and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael,
and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael,
and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael,
and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and for Ishmael, and
for Ishmael, and for Is You're not gonna take one to the Canaanites.
Go down to the hometown, find a woman. And you remember what
the servant, first question was, per adventure, master, what if
the woman's not willing to follow me? Huh? That's what we often use circumstances
as. What if? What if? What if? Now let's look at the wording
of it here. Chapter 24, or I'm sorry, Where was I at there? Yeah, chapter
24, verse five and six. And the servant said unto him,
that's unto Abraham, peradventure the woman will not be willing
to follow me. And isn't that the main question that almost
everybody is talking about today? What about this thing of will?
What about this thing of willingness? It is important. It is vital. Some people think we don't care
about the will. We care everything about the will. Don't we? And when I speak to anyone about
the glory of Christ, whether it's in this venue or in some
other way, I'm wondering, are they willing or not? Aren't you? It's a valid question, but we
often use circumstances as our way out, if possible. And the
servant said unto him, peradventure the woman will not be willing
to follow me into this land. Must I needs bring thy son again
into the land from whence thou camest? Well then should I take
him down there? Maybe then they'll get the real
picture of who he really is. Bring a bunch of his cattle with
him and his gold, right? That's what the servant's getting
at. And Abraham said unto him, beware. That's right, that's
exactly right. Now, in other words, I'm not
worried about the woman down there. You better watch yourself. You be careful here. Beware,
beware that thou, beware thou that thou bring not my son thither
again. In other words, as old Mike Walker
preached to us, I think it was our last conference when he was
here, do not compromise the truth of Jesus Christ. no matter what
your circumstances are, no matter how difficult they are, or how
joyous they may be, never ever, beware, do not compromise the
truth of God. Well, if I just back off on this
one point a little, maybe they'll be willing. No, no, no. As Father Abraham, Joe, told
the rich man, An amazing thing. Told the rich, if they won't
hear Moses and the prophets, they won't hear somebody even
if they've rose from the dead. They have Moses and the prophets. What did he say? Let them hear
them. Because if they won't hear the
word of God, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Excuse for what? We often use
circumstances as excuse for what, pastor? What are you talking
about? Well, let me just give you a couple things. What about
my place in this world? Why am I where I am right now? Have you ever thought about that?
You ever walked in here and sat down? Especially on a day like
this when we're short of probably about half of us, close to half
of us. And you think to yourself, why am I right here, right now? Huh? There are other places we
could go, but we wouldn't be able to meet as often as we can
meet here. Circumstances dictate that we
cannot meet somewhere else. as often as we meet here. And
it's not as often as others, some others, because even here
our circumstances are difficult. Some of us live up to an hour
away. And we come in here to sit in this little building with
this group week after week after week after week. Have you ever
thought, what's this all about? It's about the covenant blessings
of God. All of God's eggs are in one
basket, and at least by God's grace thus far, this has been
a place that's preaching that one basket. And I say this to you, if Joe and
or I ever stop preaching that one basket and that one basket
only, go somewhere else. You hear what I said? go somewhere
else. And I'm not talking about just
preaching Calvinistic doctrine. I'm talking about preaching that
basket, that one son where the covenant blessings reside. You see, we say about, and I
know I've said it, some of you have said it, you've told it
to me, I've said it to you, well they believe like we do. You
ever said that about somebody? Maybe they do believe like we
do. but do they believe who we believe? And I'll tell you, how
do you know? Just talk to them and ask them.
See if they would be willing to come to a place like this
when all you're gonna hear is Isaac, Isaac, Isaac, Isaac. Well, what about Joc Shand? What
about all the others? They're gone. They're out yonder. Isaac's where it's all at. Isaac
is the important one. Joe, if I never mention election
again, if I preach Jesus Christ, now do you hear what I'm saying?
If I never mention election again, if I'm preaching Jesus Christ,
I'll end up having to mention it somewhere and you thought
I was gonna say something else. If you're preaching Jesus Christ,
you are preaching the election. And see, the whole point is there
are people out there that preach grace, grace, grace, but they
don't preach Christ. And therein is the rub. My place
in this world, according to the Apostle Paul, recorded by Luke,
in Acts chapter 17, verse 26 and 28, my place in this present
world, at this present time, is exactly where God Almighty
ordained for me to be. Now some of us may be in certain
places because we made poor choices. We've had people here, I've got
to go something, the grass is always greener on the other side.
And we make these decisions with no real thought about, am I going
to hear about the basket? Am I going to hear about Isaac,
Isaac, Isaac, Isaac? And we make poor choices. We
didn't get, we ain't looked at it. Lot did too. And he and his
family suffered. You hear what I'm saying? They
suffered. But let me tell you something.
Lot was a just and righteous man. That's the only hope. That's the only hope. That's
the only hope! Acts 17 verse 26, the Apostle
Paul said this, God has ordained that you're living exactly where
you're living right now today. Flesh always says it's better
over there. It's better over there. I would
say to anyone, wherever you're at, dig in your heels and stay
right there. If you're in a place that there's
no gospel where you can go every week, go once a month. That's
not a rule or a law, that's an illustration. It's an illustration,
an example. If you're in a place that you
can't attend every Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night,
then go once or twice a month or something. Just go, I don't
care if it takes you four, five, six hours to drive there. Go
there, just do it. Quit making excuses. Quit using
the circumstances to say, well, I better just sit right here.
No, that's not the thing to do. Let me show you why. Because
we often think about this. Often we use circumstances to
validate our discontent. Well, but if all circumstances
are ordained of God, then no matter what I do, then it's all
okay. It is what God ordained, but that don't mean it's gonna
all be okay. Remember, Lot was in a cave. Remember, remember Lot? He found
himself in a cave with two or three bottles of wine and a couple
children, and ended up with more children than he expected. two peoples that became fierce
enemies of the people of God, and they were their own flesh
and blood. Circumstances, we often love
to think of circumstances, and we think about, here's the second
thing here. Remember, circumstances never dictate covenant blessings
with God, but yet we in our flesh, we see that grass is always greener
over here. It may be. But remember what happens to
grass? All flesh is as grass. And the grass will eventually
wither. It may be greener right now, but it won't stay that way.
Sodom was a glorious place. I guarantee you it was. They
probably had a nightlife, Mason. Don't you figure? They had a
nightlife when the two messengers showed up, didn't they? In the
middle of the night, they had a real nightlife. A nightlife
that God condemned. And that's where Lot found himself
because of poor choices. But we often think about our
individuality in this, don't we? And let me tell you, Abraham
wasn't totally without fault in this matter. Abraham knew
that his herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen were having trouble, and Lot
said, well, you pick what you want. Or Abraham said to Lot,
you pick what you want. Now, did he not? Why wasn't Abraham
a faithful brother in Christ a lot? So let me tell you a lot.
We need to split up, but there's some places you better not go.
There's some places it'd be best to stay out of. Never use God's
sovereign purpose as an excuse. Just don't do it. I don't understand,
it ain't about understanding God. It's about following this
word. What about my individuality?
According to Paul in Colossians chapter two, verse 19, you got
none. If you're a believer in Christ. Really? Yeah, look at
it, turn back to it. Colossians chapter two, and he
even reaffirms this to the Ephesians in Ephesians four, verse 15 and
16. Colossians two, verse 19. Here's
the primary thing. And not holding the head. Now
this is given as a warning. In other words, we are to hold
the head. Capital H, you see it? Hold to Christ. Hold to Christ. That's the first primary thing.
Hold to Christ. And not holding the head. But
then look, from which all the body by joints and bands. Well I'll be my own, I'm gonna
do what I need to do. Because God will take care of
me. Yes, if you're one of his, he
will. But you might not enjoy the way he takes care of you. It may be a rough road to hoe,
if you know what I mean. Look, and not holding the head,
from which all the body, by joints and bands, having nourishment
ministered, and knit together. Like this. You can't do without
other believers for long, or you'll suffer. Joe, you were
right when you preached that. You can't do, God's ordained
it that we have to be a part of this body. Ministered and knit together,
that's when you will increase with the increase of God. You
might go out here and say, I'm gonna go do this, go do it. But
you will not increase with the increase of God. You will find a lot of barrenness,
loneliness, depression, trouble. And you say, well, I would find
that if I was with God's people. I'd rather have it with God's
people than without God's people. Because they'll be there to help
you out. They'll be there to strengthen you when your knees
buckle and your hands hang down and your head and your heart
are so lonely you don't know what to do. Look at how Paul
puts it to the Ephesians. Ephesians chapter four, and I've
got to move along. Ephesians chapter four, verse
15, and he's talking about this ministry of God. You got all
these officers, and they're appointed by God in his wise purpose. Make
use of them. This Henry man, no man is his
own pastor. No man is his own pastor. Look,
verse 15, but speaking the truth in love may grow up into him
in all things, which is the head, even Christ. That's the first
thing. If you're in a church, as people say, if you're in an
assembly and Christ is not that basket, if it's not Isaac, Isaac,
Isaac, then get out. because that person that's leading
that group or persons that's leading that group is not one
of these God gifts. They're just not. Then look at
verse 60, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth. Mason, we get,
God's ordained it that a lot of our spiritual benefit comes
from one another. Our help and our strength, it
comes from one another. According to the effectual working
in the measure of every part, trust God in it. It'll work out. It'll be okay even if the world
of circumstances crumbles around you. Bless God, let the circumstances
crumble around me, but if I'm with a people that has Christ
as their head, I'll be okay. If I die a pauper, I'll still
be okay. But you know what, you won't
die a pauper, because some of God's people will help you out
to the best of their ability. I know this right now, and I
say this with all confidence. If Penny and I were to lose our
house, I know we'd have a place to sleep at night. And the same is true of every
person here who believes God. Don't worry about all that stuff. Isn't that what Christ taught
us? Take no thought what you're even gonna eat! Right? Once you go to close, you're
gonna put on your back. Do your job. Go out and earn your money. We're supposed to do that too.
But don't let that dictate you. You're right, don't let it rule
you. working the measure of every
part, making increase of the body unto the edifying of itself
in love. I am saying this to everyone
that hears this message. I don't care where you are. Do
what it takes to get with the people of God. If it means pulling
up stakes and moving, just do it. Just do it. Don't use circumstances as an
excuse. But don't say either, well, but
if I go over here, things will be better. This place is more
happening. Folks, I could go into a lot
of detail. I understand. You come and sit down in this
place. There ain't much happening. I understand that, I do. and
I've went to other places, and I don't mean this to be critical.
There's just more people. And there's more going on. And they can meet more often.
But be careful. Just be careful. Don't let your
circumstances dictate how you think and how you walk. Just
be careful. That was just point one. I'm gonna have to just give you
the other two very quick. Here's the second tidbit. All
the gospel converted are full and gathered. You know what it says in verse
eight? Everybody, God's ever converted by his gospel through
the power of the Holy Spirit and the preaching of that gospel
by his ordained, sent men. They will, they are and will
die full and gathered. You know what happens with Abraham? Full, where's our fullness? You
know it, Colossians 2, specifically verses five through 10. We're
full, where? Where's our fullness? In Christ. So much so that we are complete
in him. That's really all I need to say.
We are complete in him. Secondly, how are we full and
gathered? Abraham was gathered to his people, not the grave
or his kin. That's not what it's talking about there. And Joe,
when I listened to your message of the rich man and Lazarus,
I began to see some of, at least this tidbit here, this point
here. When Lazarus died, he woke up being hugged by Abraham. Isn't that glorious? Isn't that
glorious? And somebody said, well, I don't,
when Lazarus died, Now the rich man died, he lifted up his eyes. When Lazarus died, he lifted
up his eyes. He was there being embraced by
Abraham. I can just imagine this. I don't
know how everything works there. But I know this. When Chad Adams
lifted up his eyes. When David McCollum lifted up
his eyes. when all of these people we know and love and care for
lifted up their eyes, if they were in Christ. Bless God, Abraham
was right there. And Isaac was right there. And
somebody said, but what about Christ? He's at the center of
it all. I guarantee you that's where
they're at. That's where they're at. When Moses and Elias was
given the privilege to come back to this earth in a glorified
state, Who did they talk with? Jesus. You remember that? And what did they talk with him
about? His death, that he should accomplish at Jerusalem. And
I guarantee you, our brothers and sisters who's up there now,
they're talking about his death, which he did accomplish at Jerusalem. Bless God when we open our eyes
after death. We're gonna be gathered to our
people. And in the end, according to
Revelations 19, we're gonna be like this great sound. We're
gonna all be crying out, according to Revelations 19, bless God
Almighty. I'm paraphrasing now. The Lord
God omnipotent reigneth. And we're gonna say it over and
over and over. And we're gonna say it together.
And there's gonna be that married supper of the Lamb. And the scripture
says, blessed are they. Huh? Here's the third tidbit. But
before I give it, let me give you this. We are, as God's people,
and will never be alone. You see what I'm saying? If I ever feel alone, it's because
I've made poor choices. You know what I mean? I've made
a poor choice. Don't blame God, and don't use
circumstances as an excuse. I'll say it again. I would rather
die with nothing, with nothing, and to have you, than to die with great riches
and not have you. I mean that. Oh God, help me
to live that way, Joe. Number three. both grace and law honor God. And his sons, Isaac and Ishmael,
not Ishmael and Hagar, but his sons, Isaac and Ishmael, honor
God. Didn't they? They buried him
in the cave of Machpelah. I had a whole page worth of stuff
just on this one point, and I said, I gotta condense this down. I
condensed it all down to just not quite a whole page, and still
didn't get through it all. It wasn't Zimran. It wasn't Jokshan. It wasn't Midan. It wasn't Midian.
It wasn't Ishbak. It wasn't Shua. It wasn't Ishmael
and Hagar. It was Isaac and Ishmael. Grace and law are not opposed
to God's honor. If you hate God's law, you hate
God, because God is the law giver. I want to obey and keep God's
law, but I can't. Sometimes I put forth a concerted
effort I can't. I can't even honor,
love my neighbor as myself, let alone love God with everything
I am. The more I try, the more I see
I can't. But that don't mean God's law
is bad. I'm the bad. I'm the bad. Is the law then against the promise
of God? I'm not going into detail. Galatians
3 verse, God forbid. Were you a law old man? Yeah,
I'm a law old man. That law tells me what I am by
nature. It says Walter Pendleton sat
down and shut up before God. If Isaac is not your hope, and
I'm talking about that great Isaac, Jesus Christ is not your
only hope, you're a goner. That's what the law tells me.
And that's what the law was given for. Therefore the law is doing
its job. The law is doing its job. It's
a glorious condemnation of death. Isn't that what the book actually
says? It's a glorious, it's glorious when God Almighty kills you.
when God Almighty shows you what you really are in and of yourself. That's a glorious thing. Because
it's the ones that he abases and abases first before he ever
exalts anybody, even in Christ Jesus. The law says, Walter Pendleton,
shut up, you're guilty before God. Romans 3 verse 19. Grace says, rejoice, Christ hath
wrought us and made us righteous. in himself. Romans chapter five, verses 19,
20, and 21. Sin, just like sin reigning to
death, even so might grace reign through righteousness, not yours
or mine, but Christ's. Even unto eternal life, and then
he says it, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Isaac and Ishmael. both buried Abraham. Now don't overstretch an allegory. When Sarah told Abraham, send
Ishmael and Hagar out, Abraham was very grieved at that command.
It doesn't mean God is grieved over his grace. You see what
I'm saying? Don't take an allegory too far.
Don't overextend it. We ain't talking about the death
of God here. No, but we're talking about grace and law both honor
God. What is death but when all is
said and done? Ain't that what death is? And
when all is said and done, what did Ishmael and Isaac both do?
They honored their father. Now, think about this. Faith
that is in us, concerning us. Let's talk about you and I for
just a moment in closing. Faith and faith alone. joins
with the law and says, even to the law, established. Established. Do I have scripture for that?
That's exactly what Paul said, being moved by the spirit of
God. In Romans chapter three, verse 31, this is the summary.
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, we establish the law. Father, oh God, help us and help
others as well. Oh God, cause us to see the glory
of Christ and Lord, even the glory of your people by your
grace and mercy. Join us one to another in a bond
that cannot be broken by circumstance or man. In Christ's name, amen. Are you glad I skipped chapters
18 through 24 for right now?