Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#Salvation
#Faith
#Blessing
#ServantofGod
#Grace
#Religion
#PromisesofGod
#WordofGod
#Righteousness
#Dr.RobertJeffress
#RobertJeffress
#ChristianMusic
#Justification
#Savior
#Genesis15
Closed captions
Show Timecode
Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - The Night Abraham Was Saved | May 21, 2025
- (music)
- 00:00:00.190 --> 00:00:03.626
- [announcer] from the pulpit
- 00:00:07.263 --> 00:00:08.531
- Of the first baptist church of dallas, texas,
- 00:00:08.531 --> 00:00:10.567
- This is pathway to victory with dr. robert jeffress.
- 00:00:10.567 --> 00:00:14.971
- Hi, i am robert jeffress.
- 00:00:14.971 --> 00:00:16.473
- Welcome again to pathway to victory.
- 00:00:16.473 --> 00:00:18.675
- 2000 years ago, jesus christ died on the cross for our sins
- 00:00:18.675 --> 00:00:23.379
- So that we could spend eternity in heaven with him.
- 00:00:23.379 --> 00:00:26.649
- But what about people who lived before jesus time on earth?
- 00:00:26.649 --> 00:00:30.286
- Did they have the same opportunity to be saved?
- 00:00:30.286 --> 00:00:33.056
- Today, i'll show you how abraham's story
- 00:00:33.056 --> 00:00:35.658
- Gives us the answer.
- 00:00:35.658 --> 00:00:37.227
- My message is titled,
- 00:00:37.227 --> 00:00:38.728
- The night abraham was saved
- 00:00:38.728 --> 00:00:41.264
- On today's edition of pathway to victory.
- 00:00:41.264 --> 00:00:45.168
- ♪ who can my satisfy soul like you? ♪
- 00:00:49.038 --> 00:00:54.144
- ♪ who on earth could comfort me and love me like you do? ♪
- 00:00:57.447 --> 00:01:02.552
- ♪ who could ever be more faithful too? ♪
- 00:01:05.922 --> 00:01:11.027
- ♪ i will trust in you ♪
- 00:01:13.263 --> 00:01:16.833
- ♪ yes, i will trust in you ♪
- 00:01:16.833 --> 00:01:20.570
- ♪ my god, who can satisfy my soul like you? ♪
- 00:01:20.570 --> 00:01:28.011
- ♪ and who on earth could comfort me and love me like you do? ♪
- 00:01:32.282 --> 00:01:37.587
- ♪ who could ever be more faithful too? ♪
- 00:01:41.524 --> 00:01:46.629
- ♪ i will trust in you ♪
- 00:01:49.465 --> 00:01:52.202
- ♪ oh, i will trust in you, my god ♪
- 00:01:52.202 --> 00:01:58.408
- ♪ there is a fountain ♪
- 00:02:01.978 --> 00:02:05.715
- ♪ who is a king ♪
- 00:02:05.715 --> 00:02:09.652
- ♪ victorious warrior and lord of everything ♪
- 00:02:09.652 --> 00:02:14.757
- ♪ my rock, my shelter ♪
- 00:02:17.060 --> 00:02:21.798
- ♪ my very own ♪
- 00:02:21.798 --> 00:02:24.167
- ♪ blessed redeemer ♪
- 00:02:24.167 --> 00:02:28.838
- ♪ who reigns upon the throne ♪
- 00:02:28.838 --> 00:02:34.210
- ♪ there is a fountain ♪
- 00:02:37.780 --> 00:02:41.584
- ♪ who is a king ♪
- 00:02:41.584 --> 00:02:45.421
- ♪ victorious warrior and lord of everything ♪
- 00:02:45.421 --> 00:02:50.526
- ♪ my rock, my shelter ♪
- 00:02:54.097 --> 00:02:57.734
- ♪ my very own ♪
- 00:02:57.734 --> 00:03:01.671
- ♪ blessed redeemer ♪
- 00:03:01.671 --> 00:03:04.707
- ♪ who reigns upon the throne ♪
- 00:03:04.707 --> 00:03:13.683
- -(music) -(audience applauding)
- 00:03:17.387 --> 00:03:22.492
- [announcer] the bible is filled with stories about heroes,
- 00:03:23.826 --> 00:03:26.729
- (music)
- 00:03:26.729 --> 00:03:29.932
- But abraham rises above the rest
- 00:03:32.902 --> 00:03:35.071
- As a true champion of faith.
- 00:03:35.071 --> 00:03:37.006
- In walking by faith, dr. robert jeffress
- 00:03:37.006 --> 00:03:39.742
- Shares how to step forward in faith
- 00:03:39.742 --> 00:03:42.045
- Even when the future appears uncertain.
- 00:03:42.045 --> 00:03:44.280
- Your faith can thrive despite the challenges you face.
- 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:47.450
- Request your copy of walking by faith
- 00:03:47.450 --> 00:03:50.019
- When you give a generous gift
- 00:03:50.019 --> 00:03:51.621
- To support the ministry of pathway to victory.
- 00:03:51.621 --> 00:03:54.891
- (music)
- 00:03:54.891 --> 00:03:57.827
- Many of you may have seen that movie the last emperor.
- 00:04:00.563 --> 00:04:03.366
- It really is a fascinating story
- 00:04:03.366 --> 00:04:05.001
- Of the last emperor of china
- 00:04:05.001 --> 00:04:07.236
- Who was anointed as he was a young child.
- 00:04:07.236 --> 00:04:09.639
- He lived in the lap of luxury.
- 00:04:09.639 --> 00:04:11.808
- He had a thousand eunuch servants around him
- 00:04:11.808 --> 00:04:15.044
- And one day his brother came to visit with him
- 00:04:15.044 --> 00:04:17.046
- And said, "what happens when you do something wrong?"
- 00:04:17.046 --> 00:04:22.151
- And the young emperor said, "oh, that's easy.
- 00:04:23.286 --> 00:04:24.654
- When i do wrong, one of my servants is punished."
- 00:04:24.654 --> 00:04:27.924
- And to illustrate that, he takes a jar,
- 00:04:27.924 --> 00:04:30.493
- He drops it on the marble floor,
- 00:04:30.493 --> 00:04:32.462
- It shatters into millions of pieces,
- 00:04:32.462 --> 00:04:34.597
- And then he has one of his servants beaten for what he did.
- 00:04:34.597 --> 00:04:39.502
- You know, jesus, our king reversed that pattern
- 00:04:39.502 --> 00:04:44.073
- When we his servants do wrong.
- 00:04:44.073 --> 00:04:46.843
- It's king jesus who suffers in our place.
- 00:04:46.843 --> 00:04:50.346
- You know, sin is a real problem we all face.
- 00:04:51.848 --> 00:04:54.917
- It can't be ignored, it can't be glossed over.
- 00:04:54.917 --> 00:04:57.754
- Somebody has to pay for our sin.
- 00:04:57.754 --> 00:05:00.523
- As philip yancy said,
- 00:05:01.758 --> 00:05:03.760
- "grace is only free because the giver of grace
- 00:05:03.760 --> 00:05:07.497
- Is the one who bore the cost himself."
- 00:05:07.497 --> 00:05:10.767
- How is it that god takes our wrongdoing
- 00:05:11.834 --> 00:05:15.638
- And exchanges it for his righteousness in us?
- 00:05:15.638 --> 00:05:19.709
- That's what we're going to talk about today.
- 00:05:19.709 --> 00:05:22.345
- Today we have come to the single verse
- 00:05:22.345 --> 00:05:24.881
- In the entire old testament
- 00:05:24.881 --> 00:05:27.650
- That best explains how a person who is sinful
- 00:05:27.650 --> 00:05:31.487
- Can be right before god.
- 00:05:31.487 --> 00:05:34.123
- If you have your bibles, turn to genesis 15.
- 00:05:34.123 --> 00:05:38.594
- As we discover the night abraham was saved,
- 00:05:38.594 --> 00:05:42.265
- God came to abraham in genesis 15:1
- 00:05:43.366 --> 00:05:46.803
- And he said, "do not fear abraham,
- 00:05:46.803 --> 00:05:49.572
- I am your shield.
- 00:05:49.572 --> 00:05:51.707
- I'm the one who's going to protect you and i'm your reward.
- 00:05:51.707 --> 00:05:53.910
- Anything that you've given up for my glory
- 00:05:53.910 --> 00:05:56.979
- Is going to be more than paid back to you."
- 00:05:56.979 --> 00:06:00.583
- Now, abraham could have said, "oh great lord, i trust you,"
- 00:06:00.583 --> 00:06:03.786
- But abraham wasn't going to let the matter rest.
- 00:06:03.786 --> 00:06:05.922
- Look, in verse two, he said,
- 00:06:05.922 --> 00:06:07.957
- "lord, what will you give me since i'm childless?
- 00:06:07.957 --> 00:06:12.361
- And the heir of my house is eliezer of damascus?"
- 00:06:12.361 --> 00:06:15.998
- Basically he was saying,
- 00:06:15.998 --> 00:06:17.366
- "god, for these 15 years now
- 00:06:17.366 --> 00:06:20.069
- You've been promising that you were going to give me a land.
- 00:06:20.069 --> 00:06:23.172
- You were going to make me the father of a great nation.
- 00:06:23.172 --> 00:06:25.775
- And through me all the nations of the world
- 00:06:25.775 --> 00:06:28.244
- Would be blessed.
- 00:06:28.244 --> 00:06:29.579
- But where's that child you promised?"
- 00:06:29.579 --> 00:06:31.981
- Abraham knew that to be a father of a great nation,
- 00:06:31.981 --> 00:06:35.551
- He had to first of all be the father of one,
- 00:06:35.551 --> 00:06:37.420
- One single person.
- 00:06:37.420 --> 00:06:39.689
- And yet he hadn't been able to do that yet.
- 00:06:39.689 --> 00:06:42.124
- So he asked the question, "lord is this servant of mine?
- 00:06:42.124 --> 00:06:45.361
- Eliezer, he's the one who is going to fulfill the promise?"
- 00:06:45.361 --> 00:06:49.632
- Verse four.
- 00:06:49.632 --> 00:06:51.200
- "then behold, the word of the lord came to abraham saying,
- 00:06:51.200 --> 00:06:54.770
- 'this man is not your heir,
- 00:06:54.770 --> 00:06:57.106
- But one will come forth from your own body.
- 00:06:57.106 --> 00:07:00.243
- He shall be your heir.'"
- 00:07:00.243 --> 00:07:02.345
- There's still a son to be born.
- 00:07:04.113 --> 00:07:06.315
- You are going to be the father of a great nation.
- 00:07:06.315 --> 00:07:09.318
- And then he takes abraham outside,
- 00:07:09.318 --> 00:07:11.187
- It's beginning to grow dark.
- 00:07:11.187 --> 00:07:12.822
- He says, "abraham, look up and look at the stars.
- 00:07:12.822 --> 00:07:16.526
- See if you can number them."
- 00:07:16.526 --> 00:07:18.861
- And the sky was filled with stars.
- 00:07:18.861 --> 00:07:20.863
- And abraham begins counting 1, 2, 3, 4,
- 00:07:20.863 --> 00:07:24.233
- "god, i can't count all those stars."
- 00:07:25.535 --> 00:07:27.970
- God says, "exactly,
- 00:07:27.970 --> 00:07:30.206
- So shall the number of your descendants be."
- 00:07:30.206 --> 00:07:34.110
- And then we get to that key verse, verse six.
- 00:07:34.110 --> 00:07:37.847
- And then abraham believed in the lord
- 00:07:37.847 --> 00:07:41.651
- And it was counted to him,
- 00:07:41.651 --> 00:07:43.719
- It was reckoned to him as righteousness.
- 00:07:43.719 --> 00:07:47.123
- Now i want you to notice two key phrases in that verse.
- 00:07:47.123 --> 00:07:50.993
- First of all, he believed god. he believed god.
- 00:07:50.993 --> 00:07:55.031
- It's not that he believed that god exists,
- 00:07:56.098 --> 00:07:58.701
- It's that abraham believed the promises of god.
- 00:07:58.701 --> 00:08:02.605
- That's what the context is.
- 00:08:02.605 --> 00:08:04.206
- Abraham believed what god had said,
- 00:08:04.206 --> 00:08:06.943
- That he would make him a father of a great nation,
- 00:08:06.943 --> 00:08:09.178
- That he would give him a land
- 00:08:09.178 --> 00:08:10.713
- That through him all the nations of the earth
- 00:08:10.713 --> 00:08:13.316
- Would be blessed.
- 00:08:13.316 --> 00:08:14.850
- He believed in god.
- 00:08:14.850 --> 00:08:17.219
- And you know in the final analysis,
- 00:08:17.219 --> 00:08:19.088
- It doesn't matter how much abraham knew
- 00:08:19.088 --> 00:08:21.424
- Because it wasn't abraham's faith that saved him.
- 00:08:21.424 --> 00:08:24.594
- Did you know nobody is saved by faith?
- 00:08:24.594 --> 00:08:27.697
- You can't have enough faith to earn salvation.
- 00:08:27.697 --> 00:08:30.499
- We are saved by god's grace
- 00:08:30.499 --> 00:08:32.768
- That is received through our faith.
- 00:08:32.768 --> 00:08:36.038
- And that leads to the second phrase here.
- 00:08:36.038 --> 00:08:38.374
- He reckoned it as righteousness.
- 00:08:38.374 --> 00:08:41.344
- God took abraham's faith
- 00:08:41.344 --> 00:08:43.846
- And he reckoned it as righteousness.
- 00:08:43.846 --> 00:08:46.315
- And today, how are we saved?
- 00:08:46.315 --> 00:08:48.351
- The same way, we look, not forth the death of christ,
- 00:08:48.351 --> 00:08:52.021
- We look backward at the death of christ,
- 00:08:52.021 --> 00:08:54.690
- Believing in our hearts
- 00:08:54.690 --> 00:08:56.192
- That when we trust in what christ did for us on the cross,
- 00:08:56.192 --> 00:09:00.329
- Our sin is exchanged for his righteousness.
- 00:09:00.329 --> 00:09:04.400
- It's always been the same.
- 00:09:04.400 --> 00:09:06.102
- We are saved by god's grace, received through our faith,
- 00:09:06.102 --> 00:09:09.772
- Paid for by the death of christ.
- 00:09:09.772 --> 00:09:12.508
- Paul talks about this in romans 4,
- 00:09:12.508 --> 00:09:15.344
- Hold your place here and turn to romans 4 for just a moment.
- 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:20.383
- You know, paul was making the point
- 00:09:20.383 --> 00:09:22.585
- That we are saved not by works, but by god's grace.
- 00:09:22.585 --> 00:09:26.589
- And he uses abraham as an example of that.
- 00:09:26.589 --> 00:09:29.992
- In 3:28, he says, "for we maintain that a man is justified
- 00:09:29.992 --> 00:09:34.997
- By faith apart from the works of the law."
- 00:09:36.132 --> 00:09:38.968
- And then he keeps going.
- 00:09:38.968 --> 00:09:40.369
- There was no chapter transition, it just kept going, 4:1.
- 00:09:40.369 --> 00:09:45.474
- "what then shall we say that abraham,
- 00:09:46.542 --> 00:09:48.277
- Our forefather did according to the flesh?"
- 00:09:48.277 --> 00:09:51.347
- The jews objected to this idea of salvation by grace.
- 00:09:51.347 --> 00:09:54.717
- They thought it was works.
- 00:09:54.717 --> 00:09:56.152
- And they said, "look at abraham paul.
- 00:09:56.152 --> 00:09:59.021
- Surely he was saved by his works. think of what he did.
- 00:09:59.021 --> 00:10:02.191
- He uprooted his family, went to the promised land,
- 00:10:02.191 --> 00:10:04.493
- Was willing to offer his son isaac as a sacrifice.
- 00:10:04.493 --> 00:10:06.929
- Surely that's enough to be saved.
- 00:10:06.929 --> 00:10:09.432
- Isn't that what saved abraham?"
- 00:10:09.432 --> 00:10:11.701
- Paul says in verse two, "no for if abraham was justified,
- 00:10:11.701 --> 00:10:15.304
- That is made right with god by works.
- 00:10:15.304 --> 00:10:18.507
- He has something to boast about, but not before god.
- 00:10:18.507 --> 00:10:23.045
- But what does the scripture say?"
- 00:10:23.045 --> 00:10:24.980
- And then he quotes genesis 15:6,
- 00:10:24.980 --> 00:10:27.383
- "abraham believed god
- 00:10:27.383 --> 00:10:29.785
- And that was credited to him as righteousness."
- 00:10:29.785 --> 00:10:33.723
- And then paul adds in verse four,
- 00:10:34.757 --> 00:10:36.492
- "now to the one who works,
- 00:10:36.492 --> 00:10:38.260
- His wages not credited as a favor but is what is due."
- 00:10:38.260 --> 00:10:42.865
- What he's saying is,
- 00:10:44.133 --> 00:10:46.602
- If you work for something and are paid for it,
- 00:10:46.602 --> 00:10:49.739
- What you get is not grace.
- 00:10:49.739 --> 00:10:52.308
- It's an obligation.
- 00:10:52.308 --> 00:10:53.876
- How many of you, every two weeks when you get your paycheck,
- 00:10:53.876 --> 00:10:57.012
- Go into your employer, say,
- 00:10:57.012 --> 00:10:58.447
- "oh, thank you so much that is so gracious of you,
- 00:10:58.447 --> 00:11:01.450
- I can't imagine that you would do such a thing for me
- 00:11:01.450 --> 00:11:03.819
- As to give me this check."
- 00:11:03.819 --> 00:11:05.354
- Do you do that? i don't have one staff member who does that.
- 00:11:05.354 --> 00:11:09.625
- You know why?
- 00:11:09.625 --> 00:11:10.893
- Because what we give them is not a gift.
- 00:11:10.893 --> 00:11:14.964
- It's what they earn.
- 00:11:14.964 --> 00:11:16.599
- Your boss gives you not a gift,
- 00:11:16.599 --> 00:11:19.168
- He gives you a wage.
- 00:11:20.369 --> 00:11:22.371
- It's what you've earned.
- 00:11:22.371 --> 00:11:24.607
- And that is why god refuses to allow us to work
- 00:11:24.607 --> 00:11:28.244
- In any way for our salvation.
- 00:11:28.244 --> 00:11:30.146
- If we are allowed to work for our salvation,
- 00:11:30.146 --> 00:11:33.282
- Then salvation is not a gift.
- 00:11:33.282 --> 00:11:35.217
- It's an obligation.
- 00:11:35.217 --> 00:11:36.385
- And ladies and gentlemen,
- 00:11:36.385 --> 00:11:37.787
- God refuses to owe any man or woman salvation.
- 00:11:37.787 --> 00:11:40.556
- It is a gift. it is a gift of grace.
- 00:11:40.556 --> 00:11:44.160
- That's how salvation comes. and then that verse.
- 00:11:44.160 --> 00:11:46.962
- "but to the one who does not work but believes in him,
- 00:11:46.962 --> 00:11:50.866
- Who justifies the ungodly,
- 00:11:50.866 --> 00:11:52.368
- His faith is credited as righteousness."
- 00:11:52.368 --> 00:11:56.038
- And then paul goes on to quote david,
- 00:11:56.038 --> 00:11:58.541
- Here's another example.
- 00:11:58.541 --> 00:12:00.109
- David speaks of the blessing on the man
- 00:12:00.109 --> 00:12:02.611
- To whom god credits righteousness apart from works.
- 00:12:02.611 --> 00:12:05.948
- And he quotes from the psalms,
- 00:12:05.948 --> 00:12:07.283
- "blessed, happier, those whose lawless deeds
- 00:12:07.283 --> 00:12:10.486
- Have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered.
- 00:12:10.486 --> 00:12:15.224
- Blessed is the man whose sin
- 00:12:15.224 --> 00:12:17.760
- The lord will not take into account."
- 00:12:17.760 --> 00:12:21.197
- What's the application for us?
- 00:12:21.197 --> 00:12:23.032
- Abraham believed god
- 00:12:23.032 --> 00:12:24.600
- And it was counted to him as righteousness.
- 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:26.569
- What's the application for us? here's the application.
- 00:12:26.569 --> 00:12:29.371
- You get to choose how you want god to judge you.
- 00:12:29.371 --> 00:12:33.876
- You can get him to judge you
- 00:12:33.876 --> 00:12:35.744
- If you want to on the basis of your goodness,
- 00:12:35.744 --> 00:12:38.214
- Your righteousness, or you can choose to allow him
- 00:12:38.214 --> 00:12:41.083
- To judge you on his righteousness.
- 00:12:41.083 --> 00:12:43.519
- It's one or the other. you know paul is a great example.
- 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:47.489
- His own life of that,
- 00:12:47.489 --> 00:12:49.058
- He thought growing up and most of his adult life
- 00:12:49.058 --> 00:12:52.962
- That he had enough spiritual resources to get into heaven.
- 00:12:52.962 --> 00:12:56.232
- In philippians 3, he says in verses 5-6,
- 00:12:56.232 --> 00:13:00.002
- "i thought i had what was necessary to get into heaven.
- 00:13:00.002 --> 00:13:03.138
- I was a jew, i was of the tribe of benjamin.
- 00:13:03.138 --> 00:13:06.542
- I was circumcised on the eighth day. i was a pharisee.
- 00:13:06.542 --> 00:13:09.578
- I was a keeper of the law. i was zealous for god."
- 00:13:09.578 --> 00:13:12.414
- But then verse seven, he said,
- 00:13:12.414 --> 00:13:14.116
- "i came to that realization on the road to damascus
- 00:13:14.116 --> 00:13:17.620
- That what i was counting as gain was actually loss."
- 00:13:17.620 --> 00:13:21.991
- Literally, he said, "whatever things were gained to me,
- 00:13:21.991 --> 00:13:25.261
- Those i have counted as loss for the sake of christ."
- 00:13:25.261 --> 00:13:29.098
- "what i thought were spiritual assets
- 00:13:29.098 --> 00:13:31.700
- Were in fact spiritual liabilities
- 00:13:31.700 --> 00:13:34.136
- Because they were keeping me
- 00:13:34.136 --> 00:13:35.905
- From receiving the righteousness of god."
- 00:13:35.905 --> 00:13:38.607
- And in philippians 3:9, he says,
- 00:13:38.607 --> 00:13:40.476
- "and now this is my prayer,
- 00:13:40.476 --> 00:13:42.144
- That i might be found in him,
- 00:13:42.144 --> 00:13:44.146
- Not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law,
- 00:13:44.146 --> 00:13:48.150
- But that which is through faith in christ,
- 00:13:48.150 --> 00:13:51.020
- The righteousness which comes from god
- 00:13:51.020 --> 00:13:53.756
- On the basis of faith."
- 00:13:53.756 --> 00:13:55.791
- And so here's the bottom line question for you.
- 00:13:57.126 --> 00:13:59.929
- What are you trusting in for god to allow you into heaven,
- 00:13:59.929 --> 00:14:03.632
- Your righteousness or the righteousness of christ?
- 00:14:03.632 --> 00:14:07.303
- Abraham believed what the lord said
- 00:14:07.303 --> 00:14:10.005
- And his faith, his tiny bit of faith
- 00:14:10.005 --> 00:14:13.142
- In the great accounting room of heaven
- 00:14:13.142 --> 00:14:15.344
- Was exchanged for the righteousness of god.
- 00:14:15.344 --> 00:14:19.615
- Now, abraham had some questions,
- 00:14:19.615 --> 00:14:22.284
- When god said that abraham thought, "this is too easy.
- 00:14:22.284 --> 00:14:27.189
- This is too easy, i just simply believe god
- 00:14:27.189 --> 00:14:29.758
- And somehow i made right with god?
- 00:14:29.758 --> 00:14:31.527
- God, how can i know you will keep your promise to me?"
- 00:14:31.527 --> 00:14:36.031
- Notice the confirmation of the transaction.
- 00:14:36.031 --> 00:14:38.200
- How can i know?
- 00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:39.935
- Look at verse eight, he said,
- 00:14:39.935 --> 00:14:41.804
- "oh lord, how may i know that i will possess the land?"
- 00:14:41.804 --> 00:14:45.474
- "god said to him, 'bring me a 3-year-old heifer
- 00:14:45.474 --> 00:14:49.111
- And a 3-year-old female goat and a 3-year-old ram
- 00:14:49.111 --> 00:14:52.581
- And a turtledove in a young pigeon.'
- 00:14:52.581 --> 00:14:54.984
- Then abraham brought all of these things to god
- 00:14:54.984 --> 00:14:57.853
- And he cut them in two
- 00:14:57.853 --> 00:14:59.188
- And laid each half opposite the other,
- 00:14:59.188 --> 00:15:01.890
- But he did not cut the birds."
- 00:15:01.890 --> 00:15:04.026
- What in the world is going on there?
- 00:15:04.026 --> 00:15:07.429
- And abraham's day, listen to this.
- 00:15:07.429 --> 00:15:09.431
- This is the best part of the sermon
- 00:15:09.431 --> 00:15:12.267
- In abraham's day,
- 00:15:12.267 --> 00:15:13.535
- When two kings were going to make a contract
- 00:15:13.535 --> 00:15:15.704
- With one another, a bilateral contract,
- 00:15:15.704 --> 00:15:19.475
- The way they ratified that contract
- 00:15:19.475 --> 00:15:22.511
- Was by taking these animals, slicing them down the backbone.
- 00:15:23.879 --> 00:15:28.017
- It was a bloody mess.
- 00:15:28.017 --> 00:15:29.651
- And they would put one half of the animal on one side,
- 00:15:29.651 --> 00:15:32.955
- The other half of the animal on the other side,
- 00:15:32.955 --> 00:15:35.791
- And then the two kings would each take a torch
- 00:15:35.791 --> 00:15:39.194
- And they would walk side by side
- 00:15:39.194 --> 00:15:41.864
- Between those animal pieces.
- 00:15:41.864 --> 00:15:44.500
- And it was a way of signifying
- 00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:46.268
- That each king had a responsibility
- 00:15:46.268 --> 00:15:49.338
- To keep that contract intact.
- 00:15:49.338 --> 00:15:52.408
- And if one of the kings failed to keep his end of the deal,
- 00:15:52.408 --> 00:15:57.012
- Well the blood represented what would happen to him.
- 00:15:57.012 --> 00:16:00.516
- He would lose his life.
- 00:16:00.516 --> 00:16:01.917
- He said, "may i lose my life
- 00:16:01.917 --> 00:16:03.519
- If i don't keep my end of the bargain."
- 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:06.422
- So god had made a contract with abraham.
- 00:16:06.422 --> 00:16:10.459
- How did abraham know
- 00:16:10.459 --> 00:16:11.960
- That god was going to keep his end of the bargain?
- 00:16:11.960 --> 00:16:14.696
- God tells abraham, "okay, get the animals,
- 00:16:14.696 --> 00:16:16.999
- Slice them down the back.
- 00:16:16.999 --> 00:16:18.567
- You know the drill."
- 00:16:18.567 --> 00:16:19.701
- So abraham does that,
- 00:16:19.701 --> 00:16:21.737
- But then before abraham and god
- 00:16:21.737 --> 00:16:24.106
- Walk through the animal pieces together,
- 00:16:24.106 --> 00:16:26.308
- Notice what happens verse 12.
- 00:16:26.308 --> 00:16:28.911
- Now when the sun was going down,
- 00:16:28.911 --> 00:16:31.647
- A deep sleep fell upon abraham
- 00:16:31.647 --> 00:16:34.416
- And behold terror and great darkness fell upon him.
- 00:16:34.416 --> 00:16:38.153
- And it came about when the sun had set
- 00:16:38.153 --> 00:16:42.091
- That it was very dark
- 00:16:42.091 --> 00:16:44.093
- And behold there appeared a smoking oven
- 00:16:44.093 --> 00:16:47.029
- And a flaming torch which passed between the pieces.
- 00:16:47.029 --> 00:16:51.333
- In other words,
- 00:16:51.333 --> 00:16:53.068
- After abraham sliced those animals up,
- 00:16:53.068 --> 00:16:56.438
- God put abraham to sleep.
- 00:16:56.438 --> 00:16:58.607
- (dr. jeffress imitates snoring)
- 00:16:59.775 --> 00:17:02.678
- Abraham was over in the corner in a deep sleep
- 00:17:02.678 --> 00:17:06.215
- When god took the torch
- 00:17:06.215 --> 00:17:08.550
- And he walked between the animal pieces by himself.
- 00:17:08.550 --> 00:17:13.388
- Why did he do that?
- 00:17:13.388 --> 00:17:14.957
- He was signifying that the fulfillment of this covenant
- 00:17:14.957 --> 00:17:18.961
- Didn't depend upon what abraham did or didn't do.
- 00:17:18.961 --> 00:17:22.664
- It was an unconditional promise.
- 00:17:22.664 --> 00:17:25.601
- It depended upon the faithfulness of god.
- 00:17:25.601 --> 00:17:28.670
- God made this contract, this promise,
- 00:17:28.670 --> 00:17:31.240
- Not with abraham but with himself.
- 00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:33.909
- "oh, preacher, you're reading way too much into that."
- 00:17:33.909 --> 00:17:38.113
- You think so? listen to what the writer of hebrews said.
- 00:17:38.113 --> 00:17:40.916
- Hebrews 6:13-14, "for when god made the promise to abraham,
- 00:17:40.916 --> 00:17:46.021
- Since he himself could swear by no one greater,
- 00:17:47.156 --> 00:17:49.691
- He swore by himself saying,
- 00:17:49.691 --> 00:17:52.027
- 'i will surely bless you
- 00:17:52.861 --> 00:17:55.397
- And i will surely multiply you.'"
- 00:17:55.397 --> 00:17:58.233
- You say, "well, that's great for abraham.
- 00:18:00.002 --> 00:18:01.837
- It all depended upon the faithfulness of god.
- 00:18:01.837 --> 00:18:04.806
- What does that mean for me? how do i benefit from that?"
- 00:18:04.806 --> 00:18:08.644
- Listen to this.
- 00:18:08.644 --> 00:18:09.778
- God has made an unconditional contract,
- 00:18:09.778 --> 00:18:11.747
- A covenant with you and with me.
- 00:18:11.747 --> 00:18:14.349
- And it's simply this.
- 00:18:14.349 --> 00:18:16.318
- If we will confess our sins before god,
- 00:18:16.318 --> 00:18:19.221
- Acknowledge our spiritual bankruptcy
- 00:18:19.221 --> 00:18:21.690
- And believe with all of our heart
- 00:18:21.690 --> 00:18:23.525
- That jesus christ was the payment for our sins,
- 00:18:23.525 --> 00:18:26.962
- Then god will take all of the righteousness
- 00:18:26.962 --> 00:18:29.731
- That belongs to jesus
- 00:18:29.731 --> 00:18:31.266
- And he will deposit them in your spiritual bank account
- 00:18:31.266 --> 00:18:34.636
- So that when you die, not if you die, when you die,
- 00:18:34.636 --> 00:18:36.939
- You will be welcomed into heaven,
- 00:18:36.939 --> 00:18:39.474
- Not based on your spiritual financial statement,
- 00:18:39.474 --> 00:18:42.678
- But on the righteousness of jesus himself.
- 00:18:42.678 --> 00:18:46.615
- "oh, pastor jeffress, that's just too easy.
- 00:18:46.615 --> 00:18:48.917
- Don't i have to do something to ratify that,
- 00:18:48.917 --> 00:18:51.353
- To earn my salvation?" no.
- 00:18:51.353 --> 00:18:54.089
- The fulfillment of that unconditional promise from god
- 00:18:54.089 --> 00:18:57.326
- Depends upon god and god alone.
- 00:18:57.326 --> 00:19:00.028
- He is not only the one who can save you.
- 00:19:00.028 --> 00:19:02.397
- He's the only one who can keep you saved.
- 00:19:02.397 --> 00:19:04.900
- And you see that over and over again in scripture,
- 00:19:04.900 --> 00:19:07.336
- John 10:28, jesus said,
- 00:19:07.336 --> 00:19:09.438
- "and i give eternal life to them
- 00:19:09.438 --> 00:19:11.807
- And they shall never perish.
- 00:19:11.807 --> 00:19:13.742
- No man shall snatch out of my hands
- 00:19:13.742 --> 00:19:16.178
- Those whom the father has given me."
- 00:19:16.178 --> 00:19:18.447
- Romans 11:29, "for the gifts
- 00:19:18.447 --> 00:19:20.782
- And the calling of god are irrevocable."
- 00:19:21.984 --> 00:19:24.886
- They can't be taken back no matter what you do or don't do.
- 00:19:24.886 --> 00:19:28.090
- Hebrews 7:25, "he is able to save to the uttermost,
- 00:19:28.090 --> 00:19:31.260
- Those who draw near to him."
- 00:19:31.260 --> 00:19:33.562
- Or think about jesus' own words in john 3:14-16,
- 00:19:33.562 --> 00:19:37.666
- "for as moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.
- 00:19:39.001 --> 00:19:41.803
- So must the son of man be lifted up,
- 00:19:41.803 --> 00:19:44.039
- That whoever believes in him has eternal life.
- 00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:47.075
- For god so loved the world that he gave his only son
- 00:19:47.075 --> 00:19:50.212
- That whoever believes in him shall not perish,
- 00:19:50.212 --> 00:19:53.615
- But shall have everlasting life."
- 00:19:53.615 --> 00:19:56.151
- "but pastor, what if i falter in my belief?
- 00:19:56.151 --> 00:19:58.920
- What if i quit believing?"
- 00:19:58.920 --> 00:20:01.089
- 2 timothy 2, "even when we are faithless,
- 00:20:01.089 --> 00:20:05.027
- He remains faithful for he cannot deny himself."
- 00:20:05.027 --> 00:20:09.131
- That's how we are saved, by simply believing,
- 00:20:11.233 --> 00:20:15.337
- Trusting, and clinging to the death of christ
- 00:20:15.337 --> 00:20:18.307
- For our forgiveness.
- 00:20:18.307 --> 00:20:20.208
- Charles haddon spurgeon was perhaps
- 00:20:20.208 --> 00:20:23.779
- The greatest baptist preacher in all of history
- 00:20:23.779 --> 00:20:26.682
- And he often told the story of the night he was saved.
- 00:20:26.682 --> 00:20:30.552
- He had wandered into a primitive methodist church
- 00:20:30.552 --> 00:20:34.589
- And the pastor was gone that evening
- 00:20:34.589 --> 00:20:36.692
- And a layman was standing up,
- 00:20:36.692 --> 00:20:38.360
- An uneducated layman preaching that evening.
- 00:20:38.360 --> 00:20:42.064
- He butchered the king's english.
- 00:20:42.064 --> 00:20:44.032
- He didn't have much education, but he announced his text.
- 00:20:44.032 --> 00:20:48.670
- Isaiah 45:22, "look, and be ye saved
- 00:20:48.670 --> 00:20:52.574
- All the ends of the earth."
- 00:20:56.211 --> 00:20:58.714
- "look, be ye saved all the ends of the earth."
- 00:20:58.714 --> 00:21:02.651
- And then he launched into his message.
- 00:21:03.819 --> 00:21:06.154
- He says, "notice what the text says here.
- 00:21:06.154 --> 00:21:08.123
- It says, 'look,' it don't take no effort to look.
- 00:21:08.123 --> 00:21:11.793
- It's not like raising your hand or lifting your foot.
- 00:21:11.793 --> 00:21:14.429
- All you have to do is look
- 00:21:14.429 --> 00:21:15.897
- And you don't have to be educated to look.
- 00:21:15.897 --> 00:21:18.266
- You don't have to earn a thousand pounds a year to be look,
- 00:21:18.266 --> 00:21:21.236
- All you have to do is look.
- 00:21:21.236 --> 00:21:24.106
- But it not only says, look, it says, 'look unto me,
- 00:21:24.106 --> 00:21:28.410
- Look unto me and be ye saved.'
- 00:21:28.410 --> 00:21:31.146
- It doesn't say, look to yourself.
- 00:21:31.146 --> 00:21:32.981
- There's no comfort in looking to yourself.
- 00:21:32.981 --> 00:21:35.250
- You have to look unto god, look unto jesus, look unto jesus.
- 00:21:35.250 --> 00:21:39.488
- And be ye saved."
- 00:21:39.488 --> 00:21:41.390
- And then he notice young spurgeon there on the front row
- 00:21:41.390 --> 00:21:44.793
- And notice how uncomfortable he was getting.
- 00:21:44.793 --> 00:21:47.062
- He said, "son, you look miserable and guess what?
- 00:21:47.062 --> 00:21:50.265
- You're going to stay miserable in this life
- 00:21:50.265 --> 00:21:52.734
- And into the next life.
- 00:21:52.734 --> 00:21:54.369
- You're going to be miserable now and after you die.
- 00:21:54.369 --> 00:21:57.906
- If you don't obey my text, look unto me and be ye saved
- 00:21:57.906 --> 00:22:03.011
- All the ends of the earth."
- 00:22:03.779 --> 00:22:04.746
- And then lifting up his bible.
- 00:22:04.746 --> 00:22:06.381
- That lay preacher said,
- 00:22:06.381 --> 00:22:08.216
- "look, look, look unto christ,
- 00:22:08.216 --> 00:22:10.819
- All you must do is look and live."
- 00:22:11.753 --> 00:22:14.656
- And spurgeon says, "that night i looked at jesus christ
- 00:22:17.225 --> 00:22:21.530
- And received his gift of salvation."
- 00:22:21.530 --> 00:22:25.066
- Let me ask you the most important question of all.
- 00:22:25.066 --> 00:22:27.803
- What are you looking to, to save you when you die?
- 00:22:27.803 --> 00:22:31.640
- Are you looking to yourself?
- 00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:33.942
- You're going to be disappointed one day,
- 00:22:33.942 --> 00:22:36.278
- None of us is righteous enough to earn salvation.
- 00:22:36.278 --> 00:22:40.615
- Are you looking at other people,
- 00:22:40.615 --> 00:22:42.451
- Thinking, "well, i may not be perfect,
- 00:22:42.451 --> 00:22:44.352
- But i'm better than they are."
- 00:22:44.352 --> 00:22:46.254
- God done great on the curve.
- 00:22:46.254 --> 00:22:48.256
- He said, it's not enough to be better.
- 00:22:48.256 --> 00:22:50.959
- You have to be perfect.
- 00:22:50.959 --> 00:22:52.861
- The only way to be assured of heaven
- 00:22:52.861 --> 00:22:55.197
- Is to look into jesus christ.
- 00:22:55.197 --> 00:22:58.233
- And the bible says,
- 00:22:58.233 --> 00:22:59.601
- "when you look one time
- 00:22:59.601 --> 00:23:02.037
- And put your faith and trust in the savior,
- 00:23:02.037 --> 00:23:04.439
- God takes your little amount of faith
- 00:23:04.439 --> 00:23:07.209
- And he credits it for righteousness."
- 00:23:07.209 --> 00:23:10.779
- Abraham believed god
- 00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:12.547
- And his faith was counted as righteousness.
- 00:23:14.616 --> 00:23:18.286
- (music)
- 00:23:19.921 --> 00:23:23.258
- My prayer is that you will make this all important decision
- 00:23:27.162 --> 00:23:29.898
- To trust in jesus christ for your salvation.
- 00:23:29.898 --> 00:23:33.435
- When you do, god will count your faith as righteousness
- 00:23:33.435 --> 00:23:37.472
- And you'll become a member of god's forever family.
- 00:23:37.472 --> 00:23:41.309
- Well, these are exciting days at pathway to victory.
- 00:23:41.309 --> 00:23:44.446
- In fact, when i look back over the last 12 months,
- 00:23:44.446 --> 00:23:47.716
- I'm astounded by the expansion of our ministry.
- 00:23:47.716 --> 00:23:50.986
- For example, our television program
- 00:23:50.986 --> 00:23:53.355
- Is reaching hundreds of thousands of new households
- 00:23:53.355 --> 00:23:56.391
- Every single day of the week
- 00:23:56.391 --> 00:23:58.560
- In america and around the world.
- 00:23:58.560 --> 00:24:00.962
- Our radio program is heard on more stations
- 00:24:00.962 --> 00:24:03.832
- Than ever before.
- 00:24:03.832 --> 00:24:05.300
- Plus, we've been given rare opportunities
- 00:24:05.300 --> 00:24:07.903
- To teach the bible on up and coming digital platforms
- 00:24:07.903 --> 00:24:11.172
- Allowing us to reach a whole new audience
- 00:24:11.172 --> 00:24:14.109
- Who might not otherwise hear the gospel.
- 00:24:14.109 --> 00:24:16.711
- Would you pray with us
- 00:24:16.711 --> 00:24:18.013
- That god will continue to expand our influence
- 00:24:18.013 --> 00:24:20.715
- For his glory?
- 00:24:20.715 --> 00:24:21.983
- Together we are piercing the darkness
- 00:24:22.984 --> 00:24:25.387
- With the light of god's word.
- 00:24:25.387 --> 00:24:27.522
- Now please stay right there.
- 00:24:27.522 --> 00:24:29.324
- I'll be back with more pathway to victory in just a moment.
- 00:24:29.324 --> 00:24:33.361
- [announcer] in the midst of our chaotic world
- 00:24:33.361 --> 00:24:35.897
- And the personal problems that we face,
- 00:24:35.897 --> 00:24:38.266
- Is it possible to find peace and contentment?
- 00:24:38.266 --> 00:24:41.169
- Abraham did and so can you.
- 00:24:41.169 --> 00:24:43.638
- In walking by faith, dr. robert jeffress
- 00:24:43.638 --> 00:24:46.374
- Shows you how to make courageous decisions,
- 00:24:46.374 --> 00:24:48.944
- Ones that are far outside your comfort zone.
- 00:24:48.944 --> 00:24:51.947
- In doing so, god will prove faithful.
- 00:24:51.947 --> 00:24:54.783
- Abraham was far from perfect.
- 00:24:54.783 --> 00:24:56.851
- He made mistakes, including some really big ones,
- 00:24:56.851 --> 00:24:59.921
- But through it all, he walked with god in faith
- 00:24:59.921 --> 00:25:03.325
- And you can too.
- 00:25:03.325 --> 00:25:04.492
- [announcer] in this dynamic book,
- 00:25:04.492 --> 00:25:06.294
- Dr. jeffress explains how to walk by faith
- 00:25:06.294 --> 00:25:08.930
- In a faithless world, squarely founded on the wisdom
- 00:25:08.930 --> 00:25:12.867
- Gained from the story of abraham.
- 00:25:12.867 --> 00:25:15.170
- Request your copy of walking by faith
- 00:25:15.170 --> 00:25:17.706
- When you give a generous gift to pathway to victory.
- 00:25:17.706 --> 00:25:20.809
- And when you give $75 or more,
- 00:25:20.809 --> 00:25:23.511
- We'll also send you all 11 messages
- 00:25:23.511 --> 00:25:26.214
- For the walking by faith series on dvd video
- 00:25:26.214 --> 00:25:29.484
- And mp3 format audio disc
- 00:25:29.484 --> 00:25:31.886
- Along with the personal and group study guidebook.
- 00:25:31.886 --> 00:25:34.990
- If the story of abraham tells us anything,
- 00:25:34.990 --> 00:25:37.225
- It tells us this.
- 00:25:37.225 --> 00:25:38.593
- It doesn't matter how old you are,
- 00:25:38.593 --> 00:25:40.261
- It doesn't matter how far you've drifted away from god,
- 00:25:40.261 --> 00:25:42.998
- You can come back.
- 00:25:42.998 --> 00:25:44.532
- [announcer] your gift today is important and appreciated
- 00:25:44.532 --> 00:25:47.469
- As we impact your home and reach a nation
- 00:25:47.469 --> 00:25:49.971
- And world in spiritual need.
- 00:25:49.971 --> 00:25:52.240
- God is clearly using pathway to victory
- 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:55.110
- To fulfill his mandate,
- 00:25:55.110 --> 00:25:56.611
- To pierce the darkness with the light of his word.
- 00:25:56.611 --> 00:25:59.614
- Thank you for investing in this important gospel work.
- 00:25:59.614 --> 00:26:04.219
- Jesus is the only path to salvation.
- 00:26:05.453 --> 00:26:08.723
- That's true in the new testament
- 00:26:08.723 --> 00:26:10.625
- And true in the old testament as well.
- 00:26:10.625 --> 00:26:12.727
- Even abraham who lived many generations before christ
- 00:26:12.727 --> 00:26:16.731
- Was offered salvation.
- 00:26:16.731 --> 00:26:19.267
- Well, waiting on god to provide an answer is never easy.
- 00:26:19.267 --> 00:26:23.271
- Sometimes we want to move ahead of god
- 00:26:23.271 --> 00:26:26.041
- And force the answer we want.
- 00:26:26.041 --> 00:26:28.009
- Next time i'm going to show you
- 00:26:28.009 --> 00:26:29.911
- How abraham and sarah got tired of waiting on god
- 00:26:29.911 --> 00:26:33.381
- And so they devised another plan.
- 00:26:33.381 --> 00:26:36.351
- The results were devastating.
- 00:26:36.351 --> 00:26:38.720
- Stay tuned for a preview
- 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:40.255
- Of what's coming up next in our series walking by faith.
- 00:26:40.255 --> 00:26:45.326
- Running ahead of god leads to bad decisions
- 00:26:46.461 --> 00:26:49.931
- And painful consequences.
- 00:26:49.931 --> 00:26:52.100
- You know who discovered that first of all?
- 00:26:53.168 --> 00:26:56.237
- Our subject, our friend named abraham.
- 00:26:56.237 --> 00:26:59.774
- He's a living illustration of how bad decisions
- 00:26:59.774 --> 00:27:03.945
- And painful consequences are always the result
- 00:27:03.945 --> 00:27:07.982
- Of running ahead of god.
- 00:27:07.982 --> 00:27:09.984
- [announcer] set your dvr
- 00:27:09.984 --> 00:27:11.419
- And join us next time for the message
- 00:27:11.419 --> 00:27:13.288
- Two's company. but three's a crowd
- 00:27:13.288 --> 00:27:15.623
- Here on pathway to victory.
- 00:27:15.623 --> 00:27:17.325
- (music)
- 00:27:17.325 --> 00:27:17.325
