Sermon : 23 February 2014 Willie Crew

1. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible
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2. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible

Genesis 12 verse 1 – 3 is a pivotal passage in the Bible that reveals
the PURPOSE OF GOD
1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your
people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will
curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

3. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible

WHY ARE THESE VERSES PIVOTAL?
• Genesis 1 &2 - reveals who this God is.
• Genesis 3 - reveals the - fall of man
• Genesis 4 – 11 - reveals the disaster as a result of the fall of man
• By the time we get to the end of Genesis 11 – Abraham finds
himself surrounded by disaster
• In Genesis Chapter 12 – verse 1 – 3
- We see the Promise of God to Abraham.
• The Rest of the Bible reveals the out-working of this
“Promise” that God made to Abraham.
• And in the Book of Revelation - an amazing picture of the outcome
of the purpose of God – the fulfillment of His dream!!

4. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible

This GOD of the Universe calls Abraham and makes him a promise
at a critical moment in history – almost 4000 years ago.
GOD ESTABLISHING A PEOPLE TO HIMSELF!!!

5. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible
So lets look at the promise!!! - for what and for who?
• It’s about Future Generations – it speaks to the future!
• It’s about Territory
• It’s about Blessing
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6. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible

How does the promise of Generations/ Territory
and Blessing come about?
• THEN
Hebrews 11 verse 8 – 12
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his
inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country;
he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same
promise.
10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect
and builder is God.

7. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible

How does the promise of Generations/ Territory
and Blessing come about?
• THEN
Hebrews 11 verse 8 – 12
11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear
children because she[a] considered him faithful who had made the promise.
12 And
so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as
numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

8. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible

How does the promise of Generations/ Territory
and Blessing come about?
• THEN
• NOW – A NEW dispensation!!
Ephesians 3 verse 6
6 This
mystery (Of God) is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs
together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together
in the promise in Christ Jesus.

9. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible

How does the promise of Generations/ Territory
and Blessing come about?
• THEN
• NOW – A NEW dispensation!!
Acts 2 verse 39
39 The
promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for
all whom the Lord our God will call.”

10. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible

How does the promise of Generations/ Territory
and Blessing come about?
• THEN
• NOW – A NEW dispensation!!
1 Peter 2 verse 9 – 10 - This speaks of us!! The CHURCH
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special
possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness
into his wonderful light.
10 Once
you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had
not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible

How does the promise of Generations/ Territory
and Blessing come about?
• THEN
• NOW – A NEW dispensation!!
Romans 9 verse 25: As he says in Hosea:
“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”

12. The purpose of God
– the Story Line of the Bible

How does the promise of Generations/ Territory
and Blessing come about?
• THEN
• NOW – A NEW dispensation!!
• FUTURE – In the Book of Revelation an amazing picture of the outcome
of the purpose of God – the fulfillment of His dream!!
The God of the universe establishing a PEOPLE unto Himself

13. 
The purpose of God –
the story-line of the Bible (Part 2)
The ultimate fulfillment in Revelation
• Vast numbers comes to the throne room of God
from every nation, tribe, people and language. Rev 7 v 9
• So many that no one can count them!!
• Like the STARS in the sky or the SAND on the Seashore!!
• The PROMISE OF GOD TO ABRAHAM!!