Sunday Night, May 6, 2018 PM

Do I find a marker questions that we can discuss tonight? We can go ahead and and do that. Yes, ma 'am. Say one more time. Oh, yeah, that's a good question. So this is going to um the story of naman. Right and the widow of zarethath her son, right who who was.

Or was it? That's right um, so she was uh her and her um, Son had no food. Is that what it was and she was down to the last bite and then there came the miracle of um of enough oil and uh meal to to feed her.

What now? Luke 4 chapter 4. Okay so, um question about why would renamen and this widow, uh, blessed by god, uh healed and provided for When they were outside of of the nation of israel. So, uh, let's let's look up the story.

God’s Care for Naaman and the Widow of Zarephath

Um, what what we see where's the story of naman at it's going to be in kings. Second kings. Is that right? Oh first king 17. There we go. Let's try second kings five. First of all, let's look at naman.

Let's look at naman. Um Naman was the captain of the army of the king of aram. And he was a great man with his master and highly respected. Because by him the lord had given victory to aram notice that god is involved in the affairs of pagan nations right um that.

And you read about this in proverbs, uh, the king's heart is in the hand of the lord and like rivers of water. He turns it whichever way he wishes. Um in the book of daniel. Uh nebuchadnezzar thought himself.

Uh high and lifted up look at all that I have made and god humbled him and made the meek grass. Made him like a wild beast until he finally restored him to his right mind and in his right mind. Uh, he acknowledged that the lord is the one who gives dominion and rulership to the nations.

Okay. So first of all, we see that god's god is involved not just with israel not with just judah but he's involved with all the nations, uh, and. So we find that. Um naman was a victorious and powerful man by god's hand.

And also he contracted leprosy. And we're brought to understand in the in the course of the story that ultimately god is using that. Uh to bring attention to his own glory. Uh to spread the fame of his name even to the arameans.

For naman is going to come back healed. And this servant, um this servant girl. Who had been captured in some aramean raid and she's far away from her homeland. Is a witness and a light. Uh to those who are there and good comes to this, uh to this naman to this captain of the army because of her witness because of her saying.

You know, I know a god who's powerful enough to heal a leprosy and there's a prophet in israel uh that you need to turn to and um you may imagine that the jews in exile. Living in babylon. Find great significance in that story.

Look at that servant girl. Look how she was able to bring attention to the power of god the one true god. Look how god was glorified through her witness though. She was but a servant girl. And so it has significance for uh, the jews and how they're going to live and especially moving along in history when they were no longer seen as a dominant or.

Um, the world certainly did not revolve around them like it did in solomon's day and um. How they're supposed to be a light to the nations? And um. Now you said that um and this other story. He says in chapter seven.

That's good. And so the we find that we find the story, uh in we find these stories, uh brought together in jesus's, uh teaching. Um jesus in chapter 4 in verse 16 came to nazareth where he was brought up.

And as was his custom he entered the synagogue on the sabbath and stood up to read and the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him and he opened the book. And found the place where it was written the spirit of the lord is upon me because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery. Of sight to the blind to set free those who are oppressed. To proclaim the favorable year of the lord. And now jesus is uh reading the bible in a way that uh, those there did not read it.

I was mentioning that this morning Jesus is the word of god. He's god's messenger and here he is and he's reading the bible in a way that they have never read it. Are they going to listen to him or stick with what?

Oh, I already know what this means right. So he closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down and the eyes of all in the synagogue were Fixed on him and he began to say to them today This scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

Well, this is this is sounding good. They like it when god's promises come true. So they're all speaking well of him and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from his lips. And they were saying is this not joseph's son?

And he said to them no doubt you will quote this proverb to me physician heal yourself. Whatever we heard was done at capernaum do here in your hometown as well. And he said truly I say to you no prophet is welcome in his hometown so jesus is saying When i'm when i'm reading here in isaiah and i'm saying this is coming to pass.

You're going to be saying to me. Oh, yeah, we're we're poor. We're oppressed. We're captives. We're blind heal us. Do for us all the nice things here in nazareth that you did over in capernaum. But they're not going to accept his message.

That he is messiah. He is the son of god and they're going to reject him. And he wants them to understand that this these these poor captive oppressed blind people are not just jews. That's going to be a really hard pill to swallow.

And so he begins to talk to them, you know, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. Well, then he he moves on and says well. Truly I say to you no prophet was welcome in his hometown. But I say to you in truth There are many widows in israel in the days of elijah when the sky was shut up for three years and six months.

When a great famine came over all the land and yet elijah was sent to none of them. But only to zarephath in the land of sidon to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in israel in the time of elijah the prophet and none of them was cleansed.

But only name in the syrian. And now rather than them all speaking well and saying all these beautiful words that are falling from his mouth now verse 28. Now all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage.

As they heard these things and they got up and drove them out of the city. And led him up to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built in order to throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst he went his way well.

If we read isaiah carefully Isaiah is very internationally minded. The nations the nations the nations the gentiles the gentiles the gentiles over and over and over again when you read isaiah. And this is the scroll that's handed jesus to read.

And let's remember that luke. Is the only uh gentile to write anything in the new testament and luke is. And all the apostles are interested but luke especially is going to be pointing out that gospel is for all the nations.

And so he's got this story in here and and and showing and demonstrating that um, you know, even in the old testament. Uh god had an international focus. And let's not forget that is I think is is is part of what he's trying to say.

So I think that's why the examples of elisha and the widow of zarephath is is here. Yes, ma 'am. So john chapter luke chapter 7. And verse 28 and so um. The disciples of john reported to him. I think this is john is in prison at this time and the disciples of john um.

Here's some things about you know, jesus and things are going on and john's wavering they're in prison. He he wants some more of affirmation that he's doing the right thing and preaching the right message.

And so he sends two of his disciples. Are you the expected one the coming one? Or do we look for somebody else and Jesus tells uh disciples go back and tell john what you've seen and heard at these miracles of these um, These first fruits of the new creation.

And he's quoting from isaiah again and then. Uh, when the messengers of john left, uh, jesus wants to take this teaching moment. So he began to speak to the crowds about john. What did you go out to the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind?

But what did you go out to see a man dressed in soft clothing obviously, you know two obvious negative rhetorical questions. Those who are splendidly clothed to live in luxury are found in royal palaces.

Harrod. But what did you go out to see? A prophet. Yes, I say to you and one who's more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written. Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you.

Malachi 3 1. I say to you among those born of women. There is no one greater than john. Yet he who is least in the kingdom of god is greater than he. Um, okay, so. So what does this mean? John, uh, john is very much elevated and very much, uh heightened and and then he says but so, um I think one helpful way to think about this is That.

Uh, let's think about this way who is who is the who is the king of the kingdom of god? Jesus christ, okay and uh, daniel pictures, um,. One like the son of man coming up to the ancient of days and receiving from him a kingdom which is forever and ever and without uh without uh end.

And when does when does when does christ ascend and when is he enthroned at the right hand of god to reign? After after his death and resurrection. And then he has this time of teaching and instructing his apostles about how they're supposed to understand the scriptures and then jesus ascends.

And he reigns and that's why the book of acts is really the the book of the acts of the risen christ and what he does through his apostles as he reigns. So when we think about the the fullness of the kingdom of god.

You know, um, we think about Uh the cross and the resurrection and ascension. Uh the greatest prophet the most prolific God-fearing prophet on this side of the cross. Is not as privileged and as blessed as the least member Of christ's family on this side.

How much more blessed? Are all of us who live on this side of the death resurrection and ascension of christ? Right there is an old testament and a new testament an old covenant and a new covenant and they're not in disagreement.

But to use the words of augustine what was in bud here is in bloom here. And so it's I think that's the point that jesus is trying to make. Um and and peter says it in other ways that the prophet that's um, we're just Trying to understand like the spirit of christ was preaching through the through the prophets and they're writing these things down.

And they're looking at it thinking wow, what does that mean? You know, um. How does that the angels are trying to figure out how is this going to work? But on this side of the cross and resurrection and ascension of christ, how much blessed are we.

How much more blessed are we. I think that's his point. Yes, ma 'am about the redemption of the firstborn. Um. Now when the lord brings you to the land of the canaanite as you swore is verse 11 to swore to you and your fathers and gives it to you you shall Devote to the lord the first offspring of every womb the first offspring of every beast that you own the males belong to the lord.

But every first offspring of a donkey. You shall redeem with a lamb. But if you do not redeem it. You shall break its neck and every firstborn of man among your sons. You shall redeem All right. So dwight you're teaching through exodus.

Any ideas? Right. Um. Yeah, it's kind of saying, you know, the donkey's not yours. Until you redeem it until you until you go through the process of of right, you know. Paying the price of redemption.

All the firstborn belongs to the lord. So if you don't redeem it, then what do you do with it? Right, uh, you offer it. But donkeys aren't aren't aren't on the list. Poor sacrifices are they? Now if it was an ox if it was a lamb if it was a goat.

You know what to do with that. But if it's a donkey, it's not on the list. But it's still not yours. He's saying, you know, it still matters. Yes. And so when the son comes to you in time To come and saying what is this you shall say to him with a powerful hand the lord brought us out of egypt from the house of slavery.

And this is to Uh to remind them of the passover and how the firstborn were redeemed by the blood of the lamb. And so we learned about that in everyday farm life and the livestock and we're just going to you know keep on.

Teaching that that's what i'm going to go with. Yeah, definitely. It's a it's an animal that they're going to have a lot of as a part of everyday life. It's part of their you know, and so they're going to be dealing with that often.

Covenant, Circumcision, and the Promise to Abraham

Okay. So in genesis 17 um abraham has. When he was 75 years old in genesis 12 He has received a word from the lord, uh to leave his land to leave his uh, His his relatives and to go to the land that god would show him and god would make him a great nation that god would um uh bless.

Those who bless him and curse those who curse him and through his uh seed all the families of the earth will be blessed uh it he he makes it to the land and He and lot uh grow too prosperous. Uh to stay together.

So lot heads towards sodom and god reaffirms the promise of the land to abraham in chapter 13 uh in chapter 14. Um a lot and those who were at sodom were captured by chitterlare moore and a northern coalition.

That abraham chased after and defeated in battle and delivered uh his relatives and those people from captivity. And gave offerings to the lord at the city of salem or erashelem or jerusalem. Where melchizedek priest of god most high reigned?

And then chapter 15 God makes a covenant with abraham or reaffirms the covenant with abraham. That his seed would be as his descendants would be as many as the stars of the heavens. And abraham believed god.

It was accounted to him for righteousness. It says in 15 verse 6. And god is telling him this is the way it's going to be in our relationship. I have these promises. I'm going to keep them for your sake for your good for my own glory.

Chapter 16. Abraham and sarah get a little nervous because they're getting they're in their mid 80s and they still have no offspring. So she gives her her maidservant hagar whom they picked up in egypt at the latter half of chapter 12 and abraham takes her as a wife and bears a son named ishmael.

And this is man's effort that ends in failure and frustration. And so now ishmael is getting older. They still have no offspring and now abraham is 90 is 99. And sarah is 89 um. And and the lord appears to abram in verse 1 and said to him.

I am god almighty. He is el shaddai. He's all sufficient. Walk before me and be blameless. I will establish my covenant between me and you and I will multiply you. Exceedingly abram fell on his face and god talked with him saying as for me behold My covenant is with you and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.

No longer shall your name be called abram. But your name shall be abraham for i have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful and i'll make nations of you and kings will come forth from you.

I will establish my covenant between me and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be god to you. And to your descendants after you. I will give to you and your descendants after you the land of your sojournings.

All the land of canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their god. Okay, that's enough to get us started. I think um. We uh briefly talked about genesis 17 last time and and noted that there is Essential connection in the language of genesis 17 with genesis chapter 1 and 2 as god says to um adam and eve to multiply and to prosper to be fruitful to Um to exercise dominion, uh over the earth that he has entrusted to them.

And that we're seeing that this this pattern that the way that god deals with Human beings is is still very much the way that uh, it has always been that god's interested in the relationship with him.

He wants to define what it means for them to relate to others. And he wants to talk about how they're going to relate to his creation that he is entrusted to their care. And that happens again and again, uh in all the covenants that god makes uh in a sense the covenant.

We read about covenants in the old testament that god made with adam that god made With creation and noah that god made with abraham isaac and jacob. That god made with israel at mount sinai that god made with uh, david and His discussion with the prophet nathan.

And all these uh covenants that god makes all these arrangements that he makes at the center of it. Is this is the image of god. And he's always talking about here's how you relate to me. Uh, here's how I relate to you.

Here's how you deal with those around you. Here's how you deal Um with you know land territory, uh substance. This is always the concern. This is always the focus. He's always defining that for them um and so.

There's conditionality in all of these covenants of some kind. Sometimes you can't find any conditions. Uh right away, but they're at least implicit and then later on, um, they are made the more clear uh with abraham.

We find god meeting all the conditions immediately in cutting the covenant as Abraham passes into a deep sleep and and he sees a flaming torch in a smoking oven. Passing through the pieces of the animal that were separated as god cut the covenant.

And and yet god also calls abraham to walk before him and be blameless. And that everyone it has to be circumcised. You're going to be cut off from me forever. Uh, and later on when uh, abraham sacrifices, uh, or puts isaac on the altar.

God says now because you have obeyed me i'm going to keep all my promises to your descendants and so on and so forth. So there's conditionality that is built in These covenants. Even the way that god made the covenant with david and talked about the son of david.

If he would be obedient if he would be wise if he would follow me faithfully. And these this can these conditions and all the covenants that we find in the old testament remind us that god is Dealing with us and looking for a faithful son.

Right. He's looking for a faithful son a faithful servant. Someone to partner with of our race that will keep his covenant that will that will fulfill all the obligations of humanity. And that's christ.

That's christ the second adam the the one who in him was no sin. And he's completely faithful to god. And does all that uh is required and that's why in the new covenant as we say. Um, he says this is my new covenant.

He says this this is the he passes the cup to his disciples and says this is the blood of the new covenant in in which Christ has done everything in our place and for our sake for us to be accepted with god.

And we can rejoice in that and those believers of the old testament. Were given uh those foreshadowings of christ through the covenants that god made. Um now I want I want to Uh emphasize here in genesis 17.

Um, let's look, uh for the rest of our time this evening, uh, just about the names, okay. So what was the name? That um. Let's look at the difference between the names here abram to abraham and then to sarah and um.

And what's the significance of the change of the names? Well, we're told about abram to abraham, aren't we? Um. And he says in verse 4 god says to abram as for me behold my covenant is with you. And you will be the father of a multitude of nations.

No longer shall your name be called abram. Which means high father. But your name shall be abraham high father of a multitude. For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. Abram has no heir with sarah.

And he's 99 years old. He does not have a legitimate heir and he goes from being high father to high father of a multitude. And and god goes on to say nations upon. Millions of people are going to get more than you can possibly count and kings are going to come forth from you.

And he just said keeps on saying all this stuff until abraham finally laughs. He's just like this is too ridiculous 99 years old at least he has a sense of humor. Um, he just can't he's just this is beyond what he ever thought possible.

So he changes his name. Uh from abram to abraham, not just a high father, but a high father of a multitude. High multitude of multitude of nations now sir. I Uh means my princess can you just imagine her father naming her that my little princess.

Right a father's love for a daughter. Um, my princess. It's very um, and even as abram says it to his wife the way he cherishes her. Okay, but it has this but notice that they both have a kind of a royal name, right abram high exalted father.

Could be kind of a royal name. A princess is a royal name, but then this gets moved to even a grander kind of royal set of names abraham father of a multitude and sarah sarah is not as personal as sarai.

But this this has the idea of of princess in a in a larger more recognized fashion, not just my personal princess, but princess recognized. Okay, and so the the royalty of abraham and sarah are more acknowledged.

Uh than than prior as their names are changed and um in in many ways when we look at this, um, We're we're kind of combining What we've already talked about from luke 4 with what's going on here. And genesis 17 the international focus of the old testament.

Right. Uh, this is something that often gets gets lost in in. In the storyline, but there is this international focus. Uh, abraham is the father of a multitude of nations and it says that uh, sarah in verse 16 Says I will bless her and indeed I will give you a son by her then I will bless her and she Shall be a mother of nations.

Kings of peoples will come from her um and as as we as we think about. As we think about the ultimate trajectory of this story and and why abram and sarai abraham and sarah are so important. We have to go back to adam and eve Adam who's obviously The father of us all and eve the mother of all the living.

And their failure and their sin yet god's promise of a seed and we come to genesis 12 and 13 and 15 and 17 and the promises and the struggles about the seed in verse in chapter 16. And we see that god promises to give this seed this promised one of genesis 3 15 to abraham and sarah and that through their seed they are going to be seen as The father and mother of a multitude of nations.

That god's interest in humanity is still international um that this seed is a savior for all kinds of people from everywhere and this there's this idea of of we have adam and eve in their royal status.

In other words king and queen of royal creation as they're enthroned in the garden there in eden. But here is a reset of a kind. Where again, we have the same language from genesis 1 and 2 laced through genesis 17 and here we go.

Here's here's abraham. And here's sarah and They're going to the there are new royal names and they're going to have a multitude of descendants. Whole nations when jesus reads genesis 17 and the prophets.

He talks about he talks about naman and the widow of zarephath. And when paul reads genesis 17 and 18 and 22 he says this international these nations descendant from abraham. Are those who are in christ?

It is through the seed of abraham who is christ that all of these nations are blessed. And this is how we're descendants of father abraham father abraham. Right. Um, and the reason why we understand ourselves as children of abraham and sarah are by faith in christ.

Who is their seed? Okay. So that's that's the backdrop for what's going on. I think in genesis 17 and there's a whole lot more there and we'll look at it again another time. So That's encouraging to you.

All right. Well, let's close by singing the doxology.