This week is part two in the advent series “The Thrill of Hope” celebrating the coming of Christmas through the eyes of Zechariah and Elizabeth.

This week, we begin a brief advent series as we look to the Gospel of Luke to celebrate the coming of Christmas through the eyes of Zechariah and Elizabeth.

As we close the week of Thanksgiving, we will look at Psalm 138 to discover what it means to give thanks “wholeheartedly.”

This week, we conclude the series in the life of Abraham. As Abraham approaches the end of his life we look back to see how God demonstrated his faithfulness to Abraham and fulfilled his promise and covenant through our savior Jesus Christ.

This Sunday we look at Genesis 24. Isaac is ready for a wife. Abraham sends a servant to find a young women from amongst his kinsmen in Nahor. It was important to Abraham that Isaac’s wife be one who shares the same faith and values and faithfulness towards God. We see God’s fulfilling the promises made to Abraham.

In this week's sermon, we see how God tested Abraham's obedience and faithfulness by commanding him to take Isaac to the land of Moriah, build an altar, and bind and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Abraham obeys. At the last moment, an angel of the Lord stops him from killing Isaac. When Abraham proves his faithfulness, the Lord spares Isaac and provides a substitute sacrifice. The Lord then confirms the covenant He had previously made with Abraham.

In this week's sermon, we see how God tested Abraham's obedience and faithfulness by commanding him to take Isaac to the land of Moriah, build an altar, and bind and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Abraham obeys. At the last moment, an angel of the Lord stops him from killing Isaac. When Abraham proves his faithfulness, the Lord spares Isaac and provides a substitute sacrifice. The Lord then confirms the covenant He had previously made with Abraham.

In Genesis 21, the long-awaited birth of Isaac, Abraham and Sarah’s son arrives. Jealous for her son, Sarah wants Hagar and Abraham’s son sent away. Abraham sends them off, assured of God’s provision for them. He then makes a covenant with Abimelech and sojourned in the land of the Philistines.

Abraham and Sarah sojourn to Gerar. Abraham again claims Sarah is merely his sister and the king, Abimelech takes her. When God intercedes in a dream, warning the king that Sarah is another man’s wife, Abimelech confronts Abraham for his lie which brought condemnation upon Abimelech and his house. When the king returns Sarah to her husband, Abraham prays and God heals Abimelech and his household.

Angels come to Sodom to rescue Lot and his family. So wicked are the men of Sodom that they seek to abuse the angels. Lot and his family escape, with reluctance. His wife turns into salt for looking back as the cities are destroyed. His two daughters, over time, fear their family line will cease unless they take matters into their own hands.