My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.” SING: Hymn 80: 2, 3, 4 2. Give to the Lord of lords renown; the King of with glory crown. His mercies ever shall endure, when lords and kings are known no more. 3. He built the earth, He spread the sky, and fixed the starry lights on high. Wonders of grace to God belong; repeat His mercies in your song. 4. He fills the sun with morning light; He bids the moon direct the night. His mercies ever shall endure, when sun and moon shall shine no more. 4. ABRAHAM In the first 11 chapters of Genesis we are continually confronted with the sin of mankind and the judgement of God. We read of the fall into sin of Adam and Eve, the murderous sin of Cain, the wickedness of man that led to the flood. Even after the flood, the story of the tower of Babel shows that the heart of man still puts himself in the centre, disregarding God. Thanks be to God that chapter 12 of Genesis begins the story of salvation history, ultimately centered in Christ. God builds a community of covenant people beginning with Abraham, and through him, all the families on earth will receive blessing. While the world is in confusion, God is quietly, secretly, undramatically working out His purpose. God’s plan for all the families of the earth is linked to His blessing of one man, and onwards through the generations to David. We look even further through David’s family tree to one called Joseph who was betrothed to Mary, who gave birth to her first born son in Bethlehem in the days of Caesar Augustus. The purposes of the tests and trials suffered by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph may not always have been clear to them, but God required simple faith, from them and from us. And that means just this: God speaks, man believes. Faith is trust that relies on God without having His reasons unfolded to us. God’s promises to be their God were their certainty, their source of peace and security. We who live in the New Testament are blessed to see that God’s promises all came true. We read in Genesis 12:1-7: Now the LORD had said to
My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.” SING: Hymn 80: 2, 3, 4 2. Give to the Lord of lords renown; the King of with glory crown. His mercies ever shall endure, when lords and kings are known no more. 3. He built the earth, He spread the sky, and fixed the starry lights on high. Wonders of grace to God belong; repeat His mercies in your song. 4. He fills the sun with morning light; He bids the moon direct the night. His mercies ever shall endure, when sun and moon shall shine no more. 4. ABRAHAM In the first 11 chapters of Genesis we are continually confronted with the sin of mankind and the judgement of God. We read of the fall into sin of Adam and Eve, the murderous sin of Cain, the wickedness of man that led to the flood. Even after the flood, the story of the tower of Babel shows that the heart of man still puts himself in the centre, disregarding God. Thanks be to God that chapter 12 of Genesis begins the story of salvation history, ultimately centered in Christ. God builds a community of covenant people beginning with Abraham, and through him, all the families on earth will receive blessing. While the world is in confusion, God is quietly, secretly, undramatically working out His purpose. God’s plan for all the families of the earth is linked to His blessing of one man, and onwards through the generations to David. We look even further through David’s family tree to one called Joseph who was betrothed to Mary, who gave birth to her first born son in Bethlehem in the days of Caesar Augustus. The purposes of the tests and trials suffered by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph may not always have been clear to them, but God required simple faith, from them and from us. And that means just this: God speaks, man believes. Faith is trust that relies on God without having His reasons unfolded to us. God’s promises to be their God were their certainty, their source of peace and security. We who live in the New Testament are blessed to see that God’s promises all came true. We read in Genesis 12:1-7: Now the LORD had said to
TheJesseTree_ChristmasProgram_MtNasura_2018.docx