A Study in at least THREE parts. Part TWO. This week’s exciting adventure • Last time. PART ONE. Promises made to Abraham. We went from the Creation Story to Abraham. This TIME. (GRACE) • PART TWO. It all goes wrong for Isaac. Also featuring Jacob & Esau. (Joseph moved) • PART THREE. Joseph, Moses, Joshua and then to Solomon (not written yet!) (beyond Solomon could be PART 4) Here comes AMAZING GRACE • • • • • God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. GRACE is a game changer. GRACE is like oil in a machine. GRACE flowing down the MOTHER line. Amazing GRACE how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found. Was blind but now I see. REMEMBER Abraham? & God’s Promise of A NATION Here is a problem Abraham had many sons, and THREE wives. Sarah = Isaac, Keturah = 6 sons—after Sarah); Hagar the au pair = Ishmael The MOTHER LINE ABRAHAM KETURAH = 6 Sons Probably the African NATIONS (Disputed)GRACE LINE JESUS CHRIST Abraham Sarah Isaac Rebekah Jacob Leah Judah David Mary Jesus HERE COMES ISLAM FLAWED Ishmael is believed to be the father of the Arab nations and Islam.(Hunter/Traders) Here is a little PROBLEM! Ishmael the father of the Arab nation • In Islamic belief, Abraham had prayed to God for a son and the answer was Ishmael. • Sarah asked Abraham to “marry” her Royal Egyptian (au pair) handmaiden Hagar because she herself was barren. • Hagar soon bore Ishmael, Abraham’s first son. THIS ALL HAPPENED BECAUSE ABRAHAM AND SARAH INVENTED THEIR OWN SOLUTION TO GOD’S PROMISE. (FLAWED INTENTIONS) Christianity, Judaism, Islam All from the root of Abraham. In the book of Galatians (4:21–31), •Paul uses the Hagar incident to symbolize how the OLD and NEW covenants were fulfilled by Jehoshua ben Joseph . •In Galatians 4:28–31,Hagar/Ishmael = Sinai/Law Covenant (Law and Regulation) •Sarah/Isaac = the Covenant of Grace (Grace/Love/Forgiveness) Consider the Covenant contrasts Sinai/LAW Covenant. ISLAM/Muslims believe that paradise must be earned by performance. 1. The testimony of faith 2. Prayer 5 x daily 3. Giving 4. Fasting 5. Pilgrimage Sharia law in the UK 1996 Rules for Living Grace Covenant. For God so loved the world He gave his only son and whoever believes in Him shall be saved. (Not our performance but HIS.) 1 Grace 2 Love 3 Forgiveness TWO commandments I give. 1 Love God and 2 Love your neighbour as yourself Isaac who was born to Abraham and Sarah, who had laughed at God as she assumed she was too old for children. (UNDERSTANDABLE) A close run thing but GRACE intervenes at the last moment Where were Social Services? THE DAYS OF ISAAC & THE BIG DIVIDE When Isaac was 40 he married Rebekah at around 1,820 BC. Isaac and Rebekah had twins boys called Jacob & Esau. Ahhh! Esau older by a foot! MAJOR EVENT Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. This is where the nation’s name came from. He had four wives and 12 sons. 1. 2. 3. 4. Bilhah Leah Zilpah Rachel They didn’t have TV in those days! JACOB Badly FLAWED A MASSIVE STEP CHANGE Jacob the original scammer! • Esau sold his inheritance for stew which was a poor trade .(FLAWED logic) (Daddy’s boy) • Jacob (Mummy’s boy) committed identity theft by posing as his brother Esau at the equivalent of the READING of THE WILL—or the father to son “blessing ceremony”. • Where there is a will—there will be relatives! • The impact is very much alive in 2017. When GRACE is suspended things go badly wrong! • The row between Jacob and Esau goes on even at Westminster last week. • We may say “ridiculous”--- get over it! but have you never had a family dispute? This week has demonstrated two things. 1. The horror of a meltdown between brothers. 2. GRACE appeared when emergency services treated the victims and perpetrator equally. Jacob’s 12 sons would become known as----- the children of Israel or the 12 tribes of Israel. NEXT TIME JOSEPH & BIG SHIFT FLAWED Joseph (famous for his STEP CHANGE To FORGIVENESS coat of many colours and fantastic dreams) was one of those 12 sons. By GRACE God uses FLAWED characters like us to do the job. Lord, if You mark our transgressions Who would stand? But thanks to Your grace We are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. (Live in this zone!) Here ends the second lesson! • What next---PART THREE? • A MASSIVE STEP change with the advent of Moses—the Law bringer, Joshua and Solomon. • PART THREE –Do we really need all this consistent teaching? (BORING) • It was so much better when we had random subjects. (EXCITING) IT’S YOUR CHOICE!
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