Wednesday, December 5, 2012

The Jesse Tree - December 5



Our text - Genesis 12:1-7

Who takes a vacation without knowing the destination? Who packs up a moving van and starts driving without having a domicile in mind?
  1. someone with NO ability to plan or organize - the ultimate free spirit.
  2. a lunatic (some would lump one and two together - you know who you are)
  3. a person who's heard God and steps out in faith (some would lump two and three together - you know who you are)
Obviously, the story of Abram is about the third. For those who like to plan and prepare, this story gives you whillies.

But without this story, there is no Israel. There is no royal line. There is no Messiah.

"All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

The Hebrew says "through your seed."

Paul emphatically says this seed is singular - one seed.

16 God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn't say “to his children,” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ.

Soak on that Seed for a while.

The people of the Vine are doing something similar - although not on the scale of Abraham's blessing. God has called us to build a well. We know the country (Uganda) and the region (eastern) but we know little else. We don't know who will drill the well for us. We don't don't know the final cost.

But God has said build a well and we're listening. Reading the above paragraph makes this whole thing seem so foolish. Some of you may be thinking we are. Who hears from God? How do you know?

Well that is a whole other discussion (book???). The short answer is you know, when you know. Like Abram, you can't miss it. And the beauty is it's confirmed by others - it's called unity - consensus. It's the work of the Holy Spirit to bring us to agreement. Like Lot and Sarai confirmed Abram's call.  And usually (always?) God's call comes with a step of faith.

So there's a lot we don't know about this well, but God said "go." And so we've started a journey.

I invite you to join with us and celebrate the day when God says, "I will give you this land - for a well."

Lazarus' Well






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