Embracing God's Promises Through Community and Service
Summary
### Summary
Today, we gathered to celebrate the greatness of God and the power of Jesus' name, which brings peace and joy to our lives. We welcomed both our regular members and guests, emphasizing the importance of community and spiritual growth. We also celebrated the retirement of Pastor Herbert Shirley and introduced Pastor Aaron Lee Johnson, who brings a wealth of experience and a heart for ministry.
We highlighted the work of the Tendaji Community Development Corporation, which aims to support children and families in our community. We encouraged everyone to contribute to this cause, emphasizing that our giving is a partnership with God in meeting the needs of others.
The sermon focused on Genesis 18, where Abraham and Sarah receive a promise from God about having a son. This promise, despite their old age and past failures, teaches us about the inevitabilities and possibilities of tomorrow. God’s promises are designed to shape our behaviors and beliefs today, aligning us with His redemptive work in the world.
Abraham's hospitality to three strangers, who were actually divine visitors, positioned him to receive clarity about God's promises. This act of service teaches us that our willingness to serve others can open doors to divine revelation. The sermon also addressed the tension between our preferences and God's promises, urging us to align our lives with God's will rather than our own desires.
Despite Abraham and Sarah's past failures and the long wait, God's promise remained steadfast. This teaches us that our failures and weaknesses do not disqualify us from God's promises. God’s timing is perfect, and His promises will come to pass, regardless of our past mistakes.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Power of Community and Service: Emphasizing the importance of community, we are reminded that doing life together helps us grow as followers of Jesus. Our acts of service, like Abraham's hospitality, can position us to receive divine clarity and blessings. Serving others is a way to serve God and align ourselves with His will. [47:13]
2. God’s Promises vs. Our Preferences: Often, we confuse our personal preferences with God's promises. While our preferences may seem appealing, they are often inferior imitations of what God has in store for us. Aligning our lives with God's promises rather than our own desires leads to true fulfillment and divine blessings. [01:18:42]
3. Failures Do Not Disqualify Us: Abraham and Sarah's story teaches us that past failures and weaknesses do not disqualify us from God's promises. Despite their mistakes and the long wait, God's promise remained steadfast. This encourages us to trust in God's timing and His unwavering commitment to His promises. [01:33:39]
4. The Role of Service in Divine Revelation: Abraham's act of serving the three strangers, who were divine visitors, opened the door to receiving God's promise. This teaches us that our willingness to serve others can lead to divine revelations and blessings. Serving with excellence and extravagance, even when unaware of God's presence, positions us for greater clarity and purpose. [01:22:40]
5. God’s Perfect Timing: The tension between time and timing is a recurring theme in our lives. God's timing is perfect, and His promises will come to pass at the appointed time. Trusting in God's timing, even when it seems delayed, assures us that His plans for us are always on schedule and will be fulfilled in due time. [01:37:21]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[43:55] - Greeting Guests and New Members
[44:57] - Celebrating Pastor Herbert Shirley's Retirement
[45:57] - Introducing Pastor Aaron Lee Johnson
[47:13] - Tendaji Community Development Corporation
[48:45] - Call to Give and Support Tendaji
[52:39] - Prayer for Offering
[53:52] - Hymn: Yes, God is Real
[01:04:25] - Introduction to Genesis 18
[01:10:39] - Inevitabilities and Possibilities of Tomorrow
[01:12:23] - Aligning with God's Promises
[01:14:10] - Abraham and Sarah's Promise
[01:18:42] - Preferences vs. Promises
[01:22:40] - The Role of Service in Divine Revelation
[01:33:39] - Failures Do Not Disqualify Us
[01:37:21] - Trusting God's Perfect Timing
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- Genesis 18:1-15 (ESV)
### Observation Questions
1. What was Abraham's initial reaction when he saw the three men standing near him? ([01:15:52])
2. How did Sarah respond when she overheard the promise of having a son? ([01:17:44])
3. What did Abraham offer to the three visitors as a sign of hospitality? ([01:16:51])
4. What question did the Lord ask Abraham regarding Sarah's reaction, and what was her response? ([01:17:44])
### Interpretation Questions
1. What does Abraham's act of hospitality towards the three visitors teach us about the importance of serving others? ([01:22:40])
2. How does the story of Abraham and Sarah illustrate the tension between our preferences and God's promises? ([01:18:42])
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our past failures do not disqualify us from God's promises? ([01:33:39])
4. How does the concept of God's perfect timing play a role in the fulfillment of His promises, according to the sermon? ([01:37:21])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you served someone without expecting anything in return. How did that experience impact your understanding of serving God through serving others? ([01:22:40])
2. Think about a personal preference you have that might be conflicting with God's promises for your life. How can you align your desires with God's will? ([01:18:42])
3. Have you ever felt disqualified from God's promises due to past mistakes? How does the story of Abraham and Sarah encourage you to trust in God's unwavering commitment? ([01:33:39])
4. In what ways can you practice patience and trust in God's perfect timing, especially when His promises seem delayed? ([01:37:21])
5. How can you contribute to your community, like the Tendaji Community Development Corporation, to support children and families in need? What specific actions can you take this week? ([47:13])
6. Abraham's hospitality led to a divine revelation. How can you practice extravagant hospitality in your daily life, and what potential blessings might come from it? ([01:22:40])
7. How can you remind yourself of God's promises during times of doubt or waiting? What practical steps can you take to strengthen your faith in His timing? ([01:37:21])
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Community and Service
Community and service are foundational to spiritual growth and experiencing God's blessings. In Genesis 18, Abraham's hospitality to three strangers, who were divine visitors, positioned him to receive clarity about God's promises. This act of service teaches us that our willingness to serve others can open doors to divine revelation. Serving others is a way to serve God and align ourselves with His will. When we engage in acts of service, we not only help those in need but also create opportunities for God to work in our lives in unexpected ways. [47:13]
Hebrews 13:2 (ESV): "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
Reflection: Think of a recent opportunity you had to serve someone. How did it impact your understanding of God's presence in your life? How can you be more intentional about serving others this week?
Day 2: God’s Promises vs. Our Preferences
Often, we confuse our personal preferences with God's promises. While our preferences may seem appealing, they are often inferior imitations of what God has in store for us. Aligning our lives with God's promises rather than our own desires leads to true fulfillment and divine blessings. Abraham and Sarah's story reminds us that God's promises are designed to shape our behaviors and beliefs today, aligning us with His redemptive work in the world. By trusting in God's promises, we can experience a deeper sense of purpose and fulfillment. [01:18:42]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you have been following your own preferences rather than seeking God's will. What steps can you take to align this area with God's promises?
Day 3: Failures Do Not Disqualify Us
Abraham and Sarah's story teaches us that past failures and weaknesses do not disqualify us from God's promises. Despite their mistakes and the long wait, God's promise remained steadfast. This encourages us to trust in God's timing and His unwavering commitment to His promises. Our failures and weaknesses are opportunities for God to demonstrate His grace and power in our lives. By trusting in God's perfect timing, we can find hope and assurance that His plans for us will come to pass. [01:33:39]
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Reflection: Reflect on a past failure or weakness that you feel has held you back. How can you trust in God's grace and timing to bring about His promises in your life despite this?
Day 4: The Role of Service in Divine Revelation
Abraham's act of serving the three strangers, who were divine visitors, opened the door to receiving God's promise. This teaches us that our willingness to serve others can lead to divine revelations and blessings. Serving with excellence and extravagance, even when unaware of God's presence, positions us for greater clarity and purpose. By prioritizing service to others, we create an environment where God can reveal His plans and purposes for our lives. [01:22:40]
Matthew 25:40 (ESV): "And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'"
Reflection: Think of a specific way you can serve someone in your community this week. How can this act of service help you become more attuned to God's presence and purpose in your life?
Day 5: God’s Perfect Timing
The tension between time and timing is a recurring theme in our lives. God's timing is perfect, and His promises will come to pass at the appointed time. Trusting in God's timing, even when it seems delayed, assures us that His plans for us are always on schedule and will be fulfilled in due time. Abraham and Sarah's long wait for a son teaches us that God's timing is not always aligned with our expectations, but it is always perfect. By trusting in God's timing, we can find peace and assurance that His promises will be fulfilled. [01:37:21]
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV): "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."
Reflection: Consider a promise or desire you have been waiting on God to fulfill. How can you practice patience and trust in God's perfect timing this week? What steps can you take to align your expectations with His timing?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Tomorrow is a tricky thing. Because you never really meet tomorrow. You only hear about it. By the time tomorrow shows up, it's called today. But the looming prospect of tomorrow, this nebulous kind of ungraspable thing, this intangible concept. It presents. Either or produces rather either fear or hope." [01:08:01] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God has determined the inevitabilities of tomorrow. God is at work in the world producing God's own intended redemptive in God is working on making God's redemptive in a reality in time, space and matter. God is reconciling the world to God's self through the person and work of the Lord. Jesus Christ. And in the end, God's will will be done." [01:10:39] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When you live an others-centered life, you receive a you-tailored blessing. Today's service provides or positions me to receive clarity regarding tomorrow. But God gets full and then God starts talking. One more time. God gets fed and then God starts talking. Maybe sovereign starvation is the cause of your confusion. Maybe God is saying, feed me." [01:27:03] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Because the God I serve is greater than my failure, greater than my flaw, greater than my weakness, greater than my storm, greater than my struggle, greater is He that lives in me." [01:36:28] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "You can't hurry, God. You just got to wait. You got to be patient and give him time, no matter how long it takes. He's a God that you can't hurry. But he'll be there. Don't you worry. He may not come when you want him to come. But I need a witness in the building. Somebody on the line ought to say he's always on time." [01:40:19] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Our desire is to make sure that the gaps... Are closed as it relates to children who have support systems and have their needs fully met and the kids that don't. Because the truth is, some kids ain't smarter than other kids. They're just more supported. I need a church in here." [47:13] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "It is that God. Determines. Reveals. And then reiterates. Holy promises to God's people that facilitate God's redemptive will in the world. Here's what I want you to do. When you leave today, I want you to build your life and base your decisions on the holy inevitabilities presented to you by God." [01:12:23] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The tension in the room right now. Is that you want your preferences. Your preferences to be God's promises. This is why people are so attracted to the ideas of the laws of attraction and the practices of manifestation, which are really a recycling of concepts in Eastern religions. It's because we seek to bring our preferences to fruition rather than God's promises to fruition." [01:18:42] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Yesterday's disappointments don't stop tomorrow's promises. some of us will testify we have failed over and over and over and over. And sometimes we fail so much we think our failures and the time we've wasted and the opportunities we've missed disqualify us from God's best for our lives. But failure and weakness are not disqualifiers for the promise of God." [01:33:39] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "I need you to know, on the flight of life, God's destination for you has not changed. I know you've messed up. I know you've blown it. I know you've made some major errors and blunders and mistakes. And then sometimes it wasn't a mistake. You did it with two eyes open and jumped two feet in. And you knew it was wrong. And you did it anyway. But God said, your failure does not change my destination for your life." [01:35:54] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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