https://youtu.be/rQQlnOhwMQs

Intro story

 You could say, his heart had not been circumcised for the Lord

Now you might be thinking, that’s a weird way to phrase it

Generally speaking it would be, but since we go through the bible verse by verse this is where we are landing in the scriptures today

Romans 2:25-29

25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your [a]written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose [b]praise is not from men but from God.

When I started in ministry about 15 years ago I never once thought that one day I would have to prepare a message about circumcision

But here we are.

In the last month I have learned more about it than I ever thought I would, now you get to hear it too

Circumcision is mentioned about 100 times between the old testament and the new

This discussion about circumcision happens a few times in the new testament

Often when we hear circumcision we just think of a medical practice

But to God and the jewish people it was so much more than that

Circumcision was a direct covenant between God and His people

People probably don’t think of this or even realize, well I didn’t anyway, that this covenant was the beginning of Gods chosen people

This covenant to Abraham created a whole lineage that was set apart by God and for Him

As long as they upheld the covenant God gave to Abraham they would be set apart

Lets look in genesis to see the start of the covenant

It’s a lot of scripture but it is important to understand

Genesis 17:1-22

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am [a]Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of [b]many nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called [c]Abram, but your name shall be [d]Abraham; for I have made you a father of [e]many nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in[f] which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

9 And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins,