The Mill Church

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Week 5: Believe Big and Multiply

Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
Genesis 18:16-17
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has
promised him.” 
Genesis 18:18-19
So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.
Genesis 18:22
Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
Genesis 18:23-33

Why is Abraham ___________ for the city in the first place?

The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Genesis 18:17-18

When you do see yourself as a recipient of unfathomable ___________, you develop a desire to see it ___________________________. 

Each of us is placed into a _________________ to pray and sacrifice on its behalf. 

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place
Acts 17:26

God didn’t save you because of something about you.  

In this story, we are ____________ and Jesus is ____________.  Jesus _______________ for us. 

“Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every unsaved person this side of hell.” David Platt

We can pray and give _________________ because of the worthy sacrifice of Jesus.  

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
Psalm 2:8
For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live; but do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal or cross over to Beersheba;for Gilgal shall surely go into exile, and Bethel shall come to nothing.” Seek the Lord and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel.
Amos 5:4-6

God loves when we ask big prayers, like the salvation of Sodom, on Jesus’ behalf, because in asking big we are honoring the ______ of God’s grace demonstrated in Jesus’ sacrifice. 

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
Psalm 2:8
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:11

Question:

Who is that one person, one family, one community, one nation, that if you took this promise seriously, you would pray for?  Who is that one family for which _________ is all about for you?