Sunday Teaching • Jan 20, 2013

ABRAHAM: GOD DOES A "DO-OVER"  •  PART 3

Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3)

Please join us this Sunday, January 20th at 10:00 am., as Calvary Bible Church hosts its weekly Bible Teaching and Fellowship Service in the front lobby of the U.S. Bank Building, 303 Crescent Avenue (near the corner of Crescent & Metropole), offering a Biblical study entitled: Abraham: God Does A "Do-Over," taken from the Book of Genesis, Chapters 12-13. All are welcome to join us and hear this message of love and truth from God's Life-Changing Word!

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Noah’s three sons and their wives are now repopulating the earth. And mankind seems to be back up their old tricks, avoiding the God of their fathers and relying on their own corruptible wisdom! Satan’s words to Eve in Genesis 3:5 “You will be like God” must have been echoing in their ears. And so, as men and women populate the earth, so does their sinful desires. Establishing one common language with a “one world order” consensus, the people gathered together in what is now central Iraq and built for themselves a city. In its center, they built a monumental stone tower, reaching toward the heavens, with the idea of “making a name for themselves.” Their pride and their arrogance against the Almighty drove them to want to rule the earth, seeking a power akin to God Himself. (Genesis 11:4) The city was Babylon. The tower was the now infamous, Tower of Babel. Obviously, our LORD was not pleased with what He saw happening on the earth!

So, God scattered mankind across the whole globe and gave everyone a different language, thus confusing this race of power-hungry people. And now, God starts all over again. Like Noah, He picks one righteous man with whom He has a personal relationship (like He did with Noah). God picks a 75 year old Abram (later renamed Abraham by God) and begins His “Do-Over” with a people, which will receive His – and ONLY His – special attention. These people would be called by His name. (2 Chronicles 7:14) These people would become the Jews – the Nation of Israel!

Despite mankind’s continued failure – beginning with Adam and Eve – our most Benevolent, Loving, and Living Creator demonstrates His unending love for us. Every time man falls on his face in failure, our Loving Father is there to pick him up, dust him off, and send him (and all of us, as well) on his way to begin all over again. As we read Genesis together, you will get some understanding of why God is seeking to have such a close, loving relationship with each and every one of us. To the Prophet Jeremiah, our Heavenly Father said, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3) His love is meant to sweep us off our feet and save us from our sinful self. It couldn’t have been said any clearer than by Jesus Himself: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection in His new, glorified body, He told them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ (the Messiah King) to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations." (Luke 24:46-47) This is the true "gospel," the "good news" that ministers of our Lord are commanded to preach: repentance of your sins with the promise of everlasting life with Him in heaven. Your faith in this promise "comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) There is no other way to eternal life after you die. Please join us this Sunday and learn what God has to say about your future, as written in His inspired Holy Word... the Bible. Become a REAL Christian... a true follower of Jesus Christ. He gave up His life so that we -- each and every one of us -- might have eternal life!

Paul, in his letters to the early Church, tells us that it is our friend, Jesus Christ, who saves us from sin and gives us a resurrected body and eternal life -- we do not save ourselves. Trying to be "a good person" or doing good deeds does not lead to salvation. To both Jews and pagans, Paul preached "repentance of sin toward God and faith commitment toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21) It is only by our repentance of sin (turning away from it) and direct commitment to Jesus Christ -- not belonging to a particular religion, following a church denomination, or doing "good works" -- that changes in our life and our eternal salvation are assured. Peter tells us how easy it is to find salvation: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) Are you ready to receive the free gift of eternal life from your new-found friend, Jesus Christ?

Each week's study is taught by Pastor Jason Gant, bringing you the loving and living Word of God from the Bible, chapter-by-chapter, verse-by-verse. Everyone is welcomed, and transportation is happily provided. Attendees at this Sunday's service will have the opportunity to ask their Bible questions and take part in a brief discussion period after the teaching. Our "Coffee & Carbs Fellowship" follows immediately afterwards. For more information, please call 310-510-3003 or visit our website at  www.calvarybiblechurch.com. Can't join us this Sunday? Visit Pastor Jason’s new blog for answers to your questions regarding the Christian Life at www.onepastorsperspective.com. In the meantime, if you need prayer. please call our toll-free 24-Hour Prayer Line 1-866-Holy-Word (465-9967).

Remember... Read the Book, Learn the Truth!

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