Greg Laurie - No Forwarding Address (08/19/2017)
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Pastor Greg Laurie teaches from Hebrews 11 and Genesis 12 about Abraham as a world changer who obeyed God by faith, left his past behind with no forwarding address, and lived with an eternal perspective. He urges believers today to listen to God, obey Him, stay heavenly-minded, live by faith, and own up when we mess up, concluding with a call to prepare for heaven through faith in Christ.
Harvest America 2017 Announcement – Phoenix Awaits
Good morning. Yes, we're going to do it again. Harvest America, 2017, Phoenix, Arizona. It's going to happen. So, I was just back in Phoenix this last week, having sort of our launch event on Thursday. Had a bunch of pastors and leaders come out from the area. They call it the Valley of the Sun. I like that. And it's going to be a fantastic event. As you can see from the video, the University of Phoenix Stadium is a big place. Not quite as large as AT&T Stadium. That's a really, really big place. That's 85,000. But this is like 65,000. So, that's plenty big.
And I think the great thing about this event that's coming up next year is we can all be a part of it. We're striking distance from Phoenix here in Riverside, Orange County, just generally Southern California. So, we can drive there and we can fly there and be a part of it. And you're going to love this event if you've never been to one of these before. So, just in your prayers, remember Harvest America, June of 2017.
Praying for World Changers in Our Nation
Alright, let's grab our Bibles and we're going to get back into our World Changers series. And I'm going to ask you to turn to two passages today. Hebrews 11 and Genesis 12. Hebrews 11 and Genesis 12. And the title of my message is, No Forwarding Address. Let's pray together.
Father, we look at our country right now and it just needs help. It needs world changers because we know our ultimate solution is not a political one. We need men of God. We need women of God. We need children of God to step up to the plate and do what You've called us to do. And change our world instead of our world changing us. So, as we look now at the life of a man who did just that, help us to be inspired. Help us to learn from these passages we're about to look at. And help us to change our world, we would pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
GPS Mishaps and Our Built-In Homing Instinct
Hey, quick question. How many of you use GPS? Global Positioning Satellite. It's in a lot of cars now. Of course, it's in smartphones as well. Well, people have been misled by GPS. You know that, right? I've been. I've been using my GPS, maybe going up somewhere in LA and I've got it programmed in and it's telling me, you know, just go up this freeway. And not that long ago, my GPS said, turn right at the next off ramp. I'm thinking, wow, I never did that before. And, you know, I obeyed it. I turned right. Now, turn left, turn right, turn right, turn left. Then it said, get back in the freeway. And I'm like, what was that? There was no reason to do that. GPS is like trying to mess with my mind, right?
I read an article that talked about GPS misadventures. A Bostonian woman was driving with her kids when she made a right turn directly on the railroad tracks at the direction of her GPS. And so she's, her car's on the track. She's thinking, is this right? And then her car stalls, to make matters worse, so she, car stalls, and she gets out of the car, and her kids, they're safe, and a train hits the car. So, moral of the story, don't always do what GPS tells you to do.
Apple Maps, according to this article, actually directed several drivers onto an active runway at an airport. They were seeking directions at Fairbanks International Airport. And here's where they ended up. Look up on the screen right now. Now, this is actually, look at the little blue line, right onto the runway. Do not pull your car on a runway. You cannot outrun a 747, right?
I read also about an elderly couple who got stranded for days, again, because they followed their GPS and directed them to a back road, and they spent two nights in the wilderness stuck. So, again, what does GPS stand for? Or maybe get potentially stranded? I don't know. But it can get you in trouble. But I need it because I have no navigational skills whatsoever. I'm always getting lost.
The Golden Plover and Heaven's Pull on Our Hearts
Now, God has created certain animals with what we call a homing instinct or built-in GPS. One of the most amazing of all is the Golden Plover. It's native to Hawaii. And during the summer, the plover migrates to the Hawaiian Islands. Excuse me, the Aleutian Islands, native to Hawaii. Goes to the Aleutian Islands. And they're around 1,200 miles away from Hawaii. They're the adult plovers. The moms lay their eggs. And then the little ones are hatched. And mom and dad leave. See, kids, we're out of here. And they don't leave them like with little, you know, laptops or with GPS or little smartphones. They don't even send them a tweet, okay? Which I think birds should be able to send a tweet, don't you?
And so they leave the little fledglings just hanging out in the Aleutian Islands. So what do they do? The little birds somehow know how to get to Hawaii. And they make that journey to a place they've never been to before. It's amazing. Why? Because God has put a homing instinct in them. So listen, the next time someone calls you a bird brain, take it as a compliment, right?
Well, now, God has placed a homing instinct in us as well, human beings. Uniquely made in the image of God. And we don't know what it is at first. But we know this much. From the moment we're born, we're on a quest. You know, it starts with toys. For girls, it might be, when I get this doll, I know I'll be happy. I remember I was thinking back, what was my first thing I was excited about as a little kid? And I remembered, it was Tonka trucks. Now, back in the day, when I was a little guy, they were made out of metal. They're made out of plastic now, a lot of them. Little metal Tonka trucks. I remember going through a Sears and Roebuck catalog. Kids, that's before we had the Internet, okay? And so you would look at pictures. And I would look at these trucks. Oh, if I just had this Tonka truck, I know I would be happy.
Then, you know, you get older, and what's the old expression? The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. And you're thinking, it's this toy. It's this position. It's this relationship. It's that thing. And then, hopefully, you discover, what I'm really looking for is a God. And I have a homing instinct for heaven. We have a homesickness for a place we've never been to before. Heaven. God wired us that way. The Bible says in the book of Ecclesiastes 3:11, He has placed eternity in the human heart.
Eternal Perspective Changes How We Live
And once we figure this out, once we realize that our ultimate destination as followers of Jesus is heaven, it can change the way that we live on earth. Why? Because we develop an eternal perspective. And that simply means that I see things in light of eternity. I remember that things on earth, though pleasurable and fun at times, are temporal. And I realize there are eternal things, things that matter even more. So it changes the way I think, and it changes the way I live.
Well, I want to look now at a world changer named Abraham. Abraham. And he had an eternal perspective. He was called by God to leave his homeland, to leave his family, and go to an unknown destination. He packed up his bags and left no forwarding address, hence the title of the message. And he changed his world. And man, I'll tell you what, we need people who will change their world today. Our country is messed up. Can we agree on that? And I have never had less confidence in a political solution than I have at this moment in time. America so desperately needs God. America so desperately needs to hear the gospel. That's why we do these Harvest America events. America needs world changers. America needs you. It needs you to do your part.
But I know it's a big order to say, America, let's just localize it and talk about your world, your sphere of influence, where you can go out there and make an impact, just like Abraham did. You want to change the world? Start by changing your world. Abraham did that.
Abraham's Place in Scripture – A Life Worth Studying
Did you know that he's named 74 times in the New Testament? And there's only 11 chapters of Genesis devoted to the first 2,000 years of human history. That's 19 earlier generations. But then there's 14 chapters dedicated to the life of one man, who is Abraham. In fact, one-third of the verses here in Hebrews 11, which is really the hero's hall of faith, is devoted to Abraham and Sarah. Man, that's a lot of ink. And so God must have wanted us to know about this man, this great patriarch of the faith.
So let's read some of what Hebrews 11 says about him, starting in verse eight. By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith, he dwelt in the land of promise, as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, his heirs with him of the same promise. For he waited for the city which had foundations whose builder and maker is God.
By faith, Sarah also herself received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was well past the age. Because he judged him faithful, who had promised, therefore, from one man, and from him, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky and multitude innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. They were assured of them, and they embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have opportunity to return. But now they desire a better country that is, excuse me, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. We'll stop there.
Point 1 – World Changers Listen to God
Okay, why was Abraham a world changer? What did he do? Point number one, if you're taking notes, and you should be, because I know you'll never remember this stuff if you don't. Number one, Abraham listened to God. World changers listened to God. Verse eight, by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. He went out not knowing where he was going. He listened to God.
Now understand that Abraham lived in a super pagan culture. His family all worshipped false gods. They worshipped idols. And he probably was an idol worshipper himself. Despite this, God handpicked Abraham and came to him in Genesis 12:1 and said, get out of your country and from your family and from your father's house and go to a land that I will show you.
I find that interesting. God says, go to a land that I will show you. God doesn't tell him what that land is. He doesn't tell him where that land is. He doesn't tell him where he's going to live. Ultimately, Abraham was headed to a heavenly destination. But here's my point. God leads us one step at a time.
I think sometimes it's like a detailed blueprint early in life. Lord, I need to know who I'm gonna marry. Then I need to know where I'm gonna live and what my profession is gonna be. I need to know how many children I have, how many grandchildren I'll have. I need... The Lord's like, I'm not gonna tell you all that. He just leads us a step at a time. And you need to take that next step before you reveal the following step to you.
I never had a blueprint as to where I was gonna go in life, especially after I became a Christian. It reminds me of the story of in the New Testament of how God called Philip. Philip was having some meetings. He was preaching. People were coming to Christ. It was awesome. And then the angel of the Lord came to him and said, go to the desert. I love that. Just go to the desert.
The angel doesn't say, go to the desert and there'll be a guy from Ethiopia searching for God, reading from Isaiah 53, so brush up on that. No, it just says, go to the desert. Yeah, Philip could have argued and said, why should I go to the desert? I'm here. We're having great meetings. This makes no sense. But he went in obedience and now he's standing there in the desert under the blazing sun, sweating, thinking, okay, why am I in the desert? Am I supposed to preach to lizards? I know I should have brought my sunscreen.
And then he sees a cloud of dust in the distance and as it gets closer, it's a large entourage of people traveling and then he realizes it's a foreign dignitary. Probably had those little flags of the country on his chariot with secret service guys running on each side of him. He realizes that this is a foreign dignity from Ethiopia who went to Jerusalem searching for God and was reading out loud from Isaiah 53 and then Philip's just standing there like all alone in the desert. Hey, how's it going? Just happened to be here in the desert and I think I know why.
As that man reads from Isaiah 53, Philip says, do you understand what you're reading? The guy says, no, I don't. Can you help me? Yes. As a matter of fact, I can. And he climbed up in the chariot, shared the gospel with him, led the man to Christ and then went on his way rejoicing.
Here's my point. God didn't tell Philip what was coming. He said, take that next step. God did the same for Abraham.
God Speaks Through His Word – Are We Listening?
Let me ask you, is the Lord leading you to do something? Has he nudged you to go have a conversation with a certain person? Well, I don't know what I'm gonna say. Don't worry about that. Take the next step of obedience. God just said, go. No road map.
Have you ever watched that cartoon, Dora the Explorer? How many of you have seen it? I hope you watched it with kids. Don't tell me you're watching that as an adult. But I have four grandchildren and, well, five altogether. Four granddaughters, I should say. And they like Dora. Unfortunately, I know the theme song now. I know the names of the characters. And basically, here's the plot of every Dora cartoon. Okay? Dora the Explorer. She goes out with her little friend, her pet monkey, boots, because he wears red boots. They go get lost. Every time they get lost, and they're being tracked by a fox named Swiper, who wishes harm. And I'm thinking, what kind of parenting is happening here, you know? Where's Dora? She's lost again, being chased by a fox. But don't worry, she's got that monkey with her.
But fortunately for Dora, she has her talking map. Actually, it sings, has its own little theme song. He sings, if there's a place you gotta go, I'm the one you need to know, I'm the map, and the map leads her home. And that's basically every single Dora adventure in a nutshell.
Well, Abraham didn't have a singing map. He certainly did not have a monkey named Boots. But what he had was a directive from God. And he went. God said, go. By the way, this is before we had the written word. There was no Old Testament. Certainly no New Testament. No Torah. So we would assume that God probably spoke audibly to Abraham and told him to go.
And we might think, wow, I wish God would speak audibly to me. Wouldn't it be great if he could get up every morning and the Lord would just speak to you audibly? Or send a text even? Text from God. Hey Greg, here's the plan for today. At this hour, be here. At that hour, be there. And do this and do that. Thank you, Lord.
But that's not how he speaks to us. But you know, the fact is, God speaks to you all the time. The question is, are you listening? Listen to this. The average New Testament Christian knows more than the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. The average New Testament Christian knows more than the great patriarch Abraham.
You say, how so? Because Jesus said, of those born among women, there's never been a greater than John the Baptist. John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. But then the Lord went on to say, but he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. That's us. Least in the kingdom. Whoever we are.
Why would I be greater than John the Baptist? For this simple reason. I know the big picture. I know that the Bible is pointing to the arrival of Messiah, the death of Messiah, the resurrection of Messiah, and the return of Messiah. I see it all. The New is in the Old Testament concealed. The Old is in the New Testament revealed. Let me say that again. The New is in the Old Testament concealed. The Old is in the New Testament revealed.
So as a part of the new covenant, which we all are, because of the death and resurrection of Christ, I see it all now. But here's the point. God does speak. But if you want to hear God speak, open this book. You're not going to hear God if you don't open the Bible and say, like young Samuel, speak, Lord, your servant is listening.
I think the fact is, God speaks, so he just don't always like what he says. I remember hearing Pastor Chuck Smith tell the story of his grandson who said to his mom one night, Mom, God never speaks to me. And his mom said, now, son, God speaks to you all the time. And he said, well, Mom, I never hear him. And then his mom said, well, you know what, son, when you do something wrong and you feel guilty, that can be God speaking to you. There was a pause. And then he said to his mom, Mom, God speaks to me all the time.
I suggest to you, God speaks to you a lot. The question is, are you listening? See, it's up to us to determine if we're going to pay attention to what the Lord says. Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice, and they know my voice, and they follow my voice. World changers are always listening to hear the voice of God.
Point 2 – World Changers Obey God
Number two, world changers obey God. See, it's not just enough to hear from God. I have to then respond. I either obey or disobey. World changers obey God. To his credit, without argument, right there on the spot, Abraham obeyed God. This was faith in action.
You know, as you grow in your faith, you're going to discover this. There are certain things God tells you as a Christian to not do. And you're going to realize in time that the reason he says that is to protect you. In fact, the Bible says, no good thing will he withhold from those that walk uprightly. If God says, don't do it, that's because it's a bad thing. If God says, do it, that's because it's a good thing. So if the Lord says, stay away from that thing, that's for your own benefit. Obey the Lord and do what he tells you to do.
So God told Abraham to make a clean break with his past and his family. God was commanding him to leave his people, his family, everyone that he knew. Just leave them all together. Why? Because they were detrimental to his spiritual growth. His environment was not conducive to him growing spiritually. So the Lord said, you need to walk away.
Let me ask you a question. What kind of influence is your family having on you? What kind of influence are your friends having on you? Now let's turn it around. What kind of influence are you having on them?
Remember I told you before, a world changer is a thermostat, not a thermometer. I've been having some problems with my thermostat lately. It's one of these fancy high-tech thermostats. I'm not going to say what brand it is. Nest. But I liked it because it's this cool little digital thing and you set it and it's very easy to figure out and there it is. But what I've discovered is the Nest has its own little brain and it, quote, learns things. And that means that it starts making decisions for you.
So Nest decided the other night, you know, Greg doesn't need it at 70 degrees at night. He would be happier if it was 74 degrees. So I woke up in the middle of the night. What is going on? I did not set this to 74. I set it to 70. I turn it back. Then the next day, Nest decides it should be 64 in the house instead of, so what are you doing, Nest? I have conversations with it. And it's like, you're talking to the GPSs that are trying to kill us, aren't you? The robots are taking us over. Okay, but theoretically, a thermostat sets the temperature. A thermometer just tells you how warm or cold it is.
A world changer sets the temperature. A person who's being changed by the world, they just respond. World changers influence their surroundings. Those who are changed by the world are influenced by what is happening around them. They're far more concerned about the opinions of other people. What kind of influence are you having on others?
You know, sometimes our circumstances change, but if we're a man or a woman of God, it won't change us. Think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Three young teenage boys plucked from their homeland, taken from their home, sent to a pagan country known as Babylon. Everybody was worshiping false gods there, and ultimately would bow down before the image of the king Nebuchadnezzar. Except Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Because they had faith in God.
Their names were even changed except Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Because they had faith in God. Their names were even changed. For instance, those were not their given names by their parents. It means illuminated their parents. Hananiah, beloved of the Lord, that's what his name means, had his name changed to Shadrach, which means illuminated by the sun god, the thermostats, not thermometers. Their names were changed, but it didn't change their character.
Reminding us that world changers are almost always a minority. Rarely, if ever, a majority. You know, the majority is not always right. I'm sorry to tell you that. The majority wanted Christ crucified, okay? It's often the one man, the one woman that will stand up for what is true, the world changer, the one who isn't so concerned about the opinions of others, and far more concerned about the opinion of God that stands up and says what is right. Right.
So Abraham's family was dragging him down, and God said, you gotta cut him loose, buddy. Separate yourself.
Choosing Godly Influences – Psalm 1 Wisdom
You know, if you want to be a happy person and a blessed person, there's certain things you should do, and there's certain things you should not do. Psalm 1 says, blessed, or happy, is the man, or the woman, who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, or stands in the way of sinners, or sits in the seat of the scornful.
You want to be a happy person? Don't hang around ungodly people. Now look, you can't control your entire environment. You may have a family that has ungodly people in it. You may be in a workplace with people that don't believe. You may be in a classroom around people that don't share your faith, and so forth. I'm not saying you can change that, but there's a difference between who I'm around and who I choose to spend time with.
Spend time with godly people. Find godly friends that will build you up in your faith, and increase your appetite for spiritual things. Not people who drag you down and decrease your appetite for spiritual things. God said, cut them loose.
But then happy people are also known for what they do, because Psalm 1 continues. But his delight is in the word of the Lord, and in it does he meditate day and night. So don't do these things, hang around godless people. But do this thing, study the word of God, and spend time with godly people.
Point 3 – World Changers Are Heavenly Minded
Point number three. World changers are heavenly minded because they're heavenly citizens. Again, world changers are heavenly minded because they're heavenly citizens. Look at verse 16. They desire a better, that is a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Old Hank Williams had it right when he's saying, this world is not my home. I'm just a passing through. And that's true. We're just passing through. The Bible says of our lives on earth in 1 Chronicles 29:15, We're only here for a moment. Visitors and strangers in the land, as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon, without a trace.
Back to that GPS illustration, that homing instinct. Christians have a longing for something the earth can never deliver. We know ultimately only heaven can. We know earth at its best, and there can be some great moments here on earth, can't there? Are just a pale imitation of greater things to come. Because we were created for something more, much more.
It was Augustine who said, quote, of God, You've made us and drawn us to yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you. End quote. And because of this homesickness for heaven, we see the world for what it is, you know? Speaking of the world, I don't mean the earth. I don't mean the beauty we're surrounded by, flawed as this planet is. And it'll be better one day when the new earth comes.
But when I talk about the world, I'm talking about a mentality. I'm talking about a culture. I'm talking about a way of thinking that is influenced by the God of this world, Satan, who manipulates us and tries to get us to just live for ourself and our selfish desires. In fact, the Bible says of this world system in 1 John 2:16 from a modern translation, The world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and a pride in our accomplishments and possessions. This is not from the Father. This is from the world.
But as citizens of heaven, we know we're built for another place. Verse 16, They desire a better that is a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Did you hear that? Listen, heaven is a real place for real people to do real things. Jesus said, I've gone to prepare a place for you. Heaven's a city. What is a city? It's a place where people live. It's a place where commerce is done. It's a place where you can eat in a restaurant or go watch a concert or do the work you're there to do. Heaven's a city. It's not like a city. It is a city. Heaven is a country. It's not like the country. It is a country. Heaven is a paradise. These are words the Bible uses. And we need to remember we're going to a real place. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. Are you prepared?
Feeling Heaven's Tug – Like a Kite in the Sky
I heard about a little boy that was out flying his kite and it went up so high you couldn't even see it. And a man walked by and saw the string going up and said, what are you doing, boy? And he said, fly my kite, mister. And the guy said, well, I can't even see your kite. How do you know it's still there? The little guy said, I can feel its tug.
And in the same way as Christians, we can feel the tug of heaven.
Point 4 – World Changers Live by Faith
And point number four, world changers live by faith. They live by faith. The word promise is repeated twice in Hebrews 11:9. For by faith we dwell in the land of promise, as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
Listen to this. World changers live on promises, not explanations. They live by faith, not by sight. They live on fact, not on feelings. Because we recognize that our citizenship is in heaven. Philippians 3:20 says, Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see, when God called Abraham, he gave him a promise. Now it was up to Abraham to take hold of that promise, which he could not yet see. That's what faith does. Faith sees what could be, not just what is. Faith sees invisible things. Hebrews 11:1 says, Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It's the evidence of things not seen.
Oswald Chambers, best known for his book, My Utmost for His Highest, made this statement about faith. And I quote, Faith enables the believing soul to treat the future as present and the invisible as seen. End quote. I like that.
Faith is like a muscle. You gotta use it. If you neglect it, it will atrophy. If you use it, it will get stronger. You have to... They wanna play it safe. They don't wanna leave their comfort zone. They don't wanna do anything that makes them feel a bit awkward. Hey, I'm saying, leave your comfort zone. On take bold steps of faith, Abraham grew strong in faith.
Listen, the great heroes of Hebrews 11, the heroes' hall of faith, were not perfect people. But they were mature.
Point 5 – World Changers Mess Up Sometimes
Yes, point number five. World changers mess up sometimes. World changers mess up sometimes. In other words, people of faith sometimes have lapses in their faith.
So here's Abraham. God says, leave your country, leave your family. Abraham does it, sort of. We'll deal with that next time. Didn't completely obey, but he partially obeyed. Now he's making his journey. He's left his former land. He's headed to the land of promise, the land of Canaan. And the Bible tells us a great famine swept the land.
Now, the same God who brought him this far would have gotten him through somehow. But we don't read of Abraham praying or calling on the Lord. Effectively, he takes matters into his own hands. And that brings us to Genesis 12. Did you turn there? Genesis 12, starting in verse 10, says, At that time, a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abraham to go down to Egypt. Underline that phrase, down to Egypt. Where he lived as a foreigner.
And as he was approaching the border of Egypt, Abraham said to his wife, By the way, it says Abram and Sarai. Their names were later changed from Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. So I'll just call them Abraham and Sarah. But Abraham said to his wife, Sarah, Look, you're a very beautiful woman. When the Egyptians see you, they're going to say, This is his wife. Let's kill him. Then we can have her.
So, Abraham says to Sarah, his wife, Tell them you're my sister. Then they'll spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you. Oh, thanks, honey. Great idea. So, you're going to just give me over to the Pharaoh to add to his harem? I mean, this is crazy.
I mean, Abraham stops trusting God and tells a lie. How many of you have ever told a lie? Raise your hand. You've told a lie. Okay. Those of you that did not raise your hand, You're the worst liars here, okay? Just want you to know. We've all told lies. Even ministers tell lies.
Heard about a group of young boys Who were standing around a stray dog one time And a minister was walking by And he noticed, thought that was odd, walked up and said, Well, what are you boys doing over here? He said, Well, we're looking at this dog And we all want him to go home with us And we decided that whoever tells the biggest lie Gets to take the dog home.
The minister was outraged. That's horrible. I would never have done such a thing when I was a boy. In fact, all my life, I've never told a single lie ever. Boys looked at each other and said, He gets a dog.
So here's old Abraham facing a famine. Now, understandably, that's a hard situation. So instead of trusting God, what does he do? He goes down to Egypt. Verse 10. Remember I told you to underline that? Egypt in the Bible is often a metaphor for Like the world, or going back to the old life, Or sin in general.
In fact, in Isaiah 31, it says, What sorrow awaits those who go down to Egypt, Trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers, And depending on the strength of human armies, Instead of looking to the Lord.
I mean, here is Abraham, Whose very name is synonymous with faith, Having a lapse in faith. And then he makes it worse by lying about Sarah. And then he asks Sarah to participate in his life. Look, Sarah, you just tell him, You're my sister.
Now, in a way, this was partially true. Because Sarah was actually his half-sister. But it's also true, she was his wife. It's been said, a half-truth is a whole lie. So he was telling a half-truth. Just say you're my sister. And she goes along with it. So she was culpable. She shouldn't have cooperated with this lie. But, hey, he should have never initiated it.
A husband should be a spiritual leader in the home. Not dragging his wife down. And it's a bad thing when someone tells a lie. And then they come to you and say, You've got to back me up on my story. Tell the story. Yeah, but that's not what happened. Doesn't matter, man. Just say this. And, you know, don't do that to people. Stop it. It's bad enough that you're lying. Don't drag somebody else into it with you.
And so he gets her to go along with it. But here's what happened. His sin was exposed. And by the way, sin will always be exposed. The Bible says your sin will find you out. And if you were to translate that from the original Hebrew, it would translate out to your sin will find you out. And what it actually means is your sin will find you out. What I'm saying is, I don't care how carefully you hide it. It's going to come out one day.
And so here's what happens. Pharaoh sees the beautiful Sarah, which is amazing. She is an older woman at this point. But still very attractive. Pharaoh adds Sarah to his harem. And a series of plagues start coming on his household. And he discovers that this is because this is another man's wife. So he takes Sarah back to Abraham and says, Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? Now take her and get out of here.
You know, it's really a sad thing when a non-believer corrects you. And it's even worse when they're right. Sometimes non-Christians have a better understanding of how a Christian should behave than some Christians have.
You know, you're screaming and yelling and losing your temper. And the non-Christian says, Hey, I thought you were a Christian. I am! Shouldn't you, like, forgive that person and turn the other cheek? Yes! Hey, I thought you were a Christian. Why are you divorcing your spouse? Well, it's irreconcilable differences. Aren't you Christians supposed to forgive? Well, yes, but... Hey, I thought you were a Christian. Why are you drunk? I am drunk. Hey, she is... Who? What? Yeah.
They actually have this concept that a Christian should be honest. They should be loyal to their wife. They should be people of integrity. They should be loving. They should be forgiving. Wow! They actually have that part right. And it's a sad thing when a non-believer has to tell us, as a believer, how to live.
But remember, we read that Abraham went down to Egypt. He had gone down. Any step away from God is a step down. By the way, the same verbiage is used to describe Jonah, who was called by God to go preach, and he said no, and went the opposite direction. And you know the story. The storm came in the boat, and they figured out that Jonah was a servant of God. And it's interesting, because it says that Jonah went down to Tarshish, and then there, in a parallel situation, these non-believing pagan men rebuked Jonah. They're like, why would you run from a God that's powerful enough to send a storm like this? What's wrong with you?
That's exactly what's happening to Abraham. The Pharaohs say, man, you know, why'd you do this to me? Why did you lie to me?
And maybe you've had a lapse of faith lately. Abraham did. But you know what? This was not the end of his life. It was a detour, granted. It was a mistake. It was a sin. But here's what you need to do when you're caught in a sin. You need to own it. Own your sin. Admit it. Don't lie about it. Don't say, well, I didn't know it was classified. I'm not done. Or if you say something wrong, don't say, well, it was just locker room talk. Not acceptable. It's called sin. Stop it. Own it. Admit it. That's important.
Look, we all sin. We all fall short. We all mess up. If Abraham sinned, you don't think you're going to sin. I'm going to sin. We all are. But when we sin, we need to admit it.
Learning from David's Sin and Repentance
King David sinned against God. You know, we're studying the life of King David. In a series we call V2. V2 because it stands for virtue and valor. Valor is for the men. Virtue is for the women. Now we've added a couples component. And we're all going together through the life of David. And David is... And by the way, you all ought to be a part of V2. It's not too late to join. It's fantastic. You'll be blessed. You'll learn the Word of God.
But we're studying David. And he's such a colorful character. You've got to love David. Because he's, well, just so much like us. You know, he'd do a great thing and a horrible thing. And yet the Bible says he was a man after God's own heart.
But listen, David committed a sin that was actually worse than Abraham by a long shot. David committed adultery. He lusted after the beautiful Bathsheba. And had sexual relations with her. And she got pregnant. And instead of just admitting it to God, he tried to cover it up. But that didn't work. And so he had her husband killed. And then married Bathsheba thinking he had effectively covered up his sin.
But then the Lord sent the prophet in to confront King David. And his sin was exposed. And finally David repented of his sin. And he wrote Psalm 51 in the aftermath. And there in Psalm 51 David said, Against thee, speaking of God, And thee only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight.
A lot of times when we're caught in a sin, we blame others. Well, it's not my fault. She trapped me. It's not my fault. Everybody was doing it. It's not my fault. My mother did it. Or my father used to do it. And it's just in my family. It's not my fault. It was my circumstances. It stopped.
Here's what you need to say. God, against you and you only have I sinned. Take responsibility. Accept that you played a role in it. That's what David said. I've sinned. He could have said, Well, hey, man, Bathsheba. She was so beautiful. She should have never been doing that where I could see her. And I had to adjust my position many times so I could see her, by the way. But she should. Wait. Maybe Bathsheba played a role in it. But it's his fault. It's your fault. It's my fault. Own it. Against thee and thee only have I sinned.
And then he goes on to say, Create in me a clean heart, O God. And renew a steadfast spirit within me. David's saying, Lord, I need a refresh. I need a reboot. I need a cleansing. My heart is dirty. Give me a new heart. A clean heart.
And then he says, And give me a steadfast spirit. Which means, Give me a spirit that continues on. In consistency with you. Help my life to not be up and down, But more consistent and regular in my faith.
And then he goes on to say, And restore to me the joy of my salvation. You know, when a believer sins, One of the first things you lose is your peace and your joy. I think we're so used to that peace. You wake up every morning just as calm. Sense that God is with you. And he's in control of your life. And you have this joy. It's gone, man. And sin throws the joy out.
So you say, Lord, I don't have the joy anymore. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation. Hey, have you lost your joy? Then admit your sin. Turn from it. And ask God to restore it again. He'll do that for you right now.
Heaven – A Prepared Place for Prepared People
In this message, I talked a little bit about heaven. And I made this statement. Heaven is a prepared place For prepared people. And my question for you is, Are you prepared to go to heaven?
You know, When I go on a trip, I pack my bags. And I always overpack, by the way. I've traveled for years and years. I still overpack. I take stuff I never use. I take clothes I never wear. I don't know why I do it, But I still do it. It's really kind of ridiculous, In a way. But at least I pack. I'm ready for the trip.
Are you prepared for heaven? What if this were your last day on earth? And tomorrow was the day you left this life For the afterlife? Where would you go? Would you go to heaven Or would you go to hell?
The only way to be prepared for heaven Is to have a relationship with God. Having Christ live inside of you. Because he died for you on the cross And paid for all of your sin And Rose again from the dead. And you've asked him into your life. And if you've done that, You're ready for heaven.
As I've said before, Heaven, yeah, it's worth clapping for. Go ahead. Could you clap a little more? I want to take one more sip. Thank you for that courtesy And insincere clap. No, that was good. It was a good clap, actually.
But as I've said before, Heaven is not just for... Well, let me restate it. Heaven is not for perfect people. It's for forgiven people. All you have to do is be forgiven And you can go to heaven.
Do you have sin in your life And you don't know how to get rid of it? Your life is a mess And you don't know how to fix it. Maybe like Abraham, You've told lies. And you've told lies To cover up your lies. And you've told more lies To cover up the lies To cover up the lies. And now you don't even know What's true anymore. You just know your life's a mess. And there's no joy. And there's no peace.
Well, God can fix it. But you have to admit it And reach out to Him. And He'll forgive you of your sin. If you have not asked Him To forgive you, Do it right now As we close in prayer.
Let's all bow our heads. Everybody praying, Father, Thank you for loving us so much That you sent Jesus To this earth To walk among us To die in our place And then to rise from the dead.
And now I pray for any person here, Any person listening or watching Who does not yet know you, Lord, Help them to come to you now And believe. And be forgiven.
While our heads are bowed, Maybe some of you would say today, Hey, you know what? I don't know if I'm going to heaven. But I want to go to heaven. I want my sin forgiven. I want to know God In a personal way.
If you would like Jesus Christ To come into your life. If you would like Him To forgive you of your sin. If you would like to be sure That you will go to heaven When you die, Would you raise your hand up Wherever you are? And I'd like to pray for you. Just raise your hand up Where I can see it. God bless. Anybody else? Raise your hand up. God bless you.
Raise your hand up Where I can see it. You want Christ in your life. You want your sin forgiven. Or maybe you've fallen away From the Lord And you've had a lapse in your faith Like old Abraham. But you want to. Recommit your life to the Lord. Raise your hand up And let me pray for you. Wherever you are.
Some of you are watching this screen. Just raise your hand. Two, I can't see you, but the Lord sees you. Wherever you are, raise your hand up. I'm going to pray for you. God bless all of you. And I raise your hand.
Now I'd ask every one of you, please, if you've raised your hand, I want you to stand to your feet. I'm going to lead you in a prayer. Just stand up, wherever you are. You want God to forgive you of your sin. You want Christ to come into your life. Even if you did not, raise your hand. Stand up now. We're going to get this resolved. You want to go to heaven. When you die, stand up. And I'll lead you in this prayer.
Wherever you are, if you're watching this screen, stand up. Stand now. We're going to pray together. I'll wait one more moment. Anybody else? Stand up. You want to make this commitment, a recommitment to Jesus Christ. Stand to your feet. God bless you. God bless you. Anybody else? Anybody else? Stand now.
All right, all of you that are standing. I'm going to lead you in a prayer. And I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me. And this is where you're asking Christ to forgive you of your sin. Again, as I pray, pray this out loud after me. Pray this now out loud.
Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner, but I thank you for dying on the cross and rising again from the dead. Come into my life and forgive me of my sin. I choose to follow you from this moment forward. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen.