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Message & Sermon Notes
May 17, 2026
Name Above All: Knowing God, Following Jesus
El Shaddai
Lord God Almighty
The way you see God determines the way you live your life.
If this is who God is, what does it mean to follow Him?
Since God is El Shaddai, you can rely on Him when your strength is insufficient.
Genesis 17:1a – When Abram was ninety-nine years old…
Genesis 17:1b – …the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’
Genesis 12:1–3 – The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 17:1c – Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.
Genesis 16:1–4 – Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. 3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)
4 So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt.
Genesis 17:2–8 – 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, 4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! 5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham,[a] for you will be the father of many nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
7 “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants[b]after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 – 9 – Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
HEAD – HEART – HANDS
HEAD – El Shaddai never runs out of strength.
HEART – What am I carrying that God never asked me to carry?
HANDS – Take one practical step of dependence
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think God revealed Himself as El Shaddai to Abram at this stage in his life?
2. Where are you most tempted toward self-sufficiency?
3. What is one practical way you can depend on God more intentionally this week?
It is the good news of salvation!
God
God is both our sovereign Creator and our righteous judge.
Therefore, we are doubly accountable to Him for all our behavior – word, thought, and deed. (Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 98:9)
Man
Man was created by God, in God’s image, to glorify God and enjoy
Him forever, but man sinned against God by disobeying his holy law. Man, therefore, separated himself from God’s holy and satisfying presence and incurred His wrathful displeasure. (Genesis 1:27, Romans 3:23, Romans 1:18)
Jesus
Jesus Christ’s death is the substitute payment for the penalty that we deserve for our sin. His death is God’s only provision for the forgiveness of man’s sin and the appeasement of God’s wrath against him. (Isaiah 53:6, John 3:36, Acts 4:12)
Jesus Christ’s physical resurrection from the dead conquered death and sin. It provides hope for a future resurrection of all believers. Belief in the resurrection is an essential doctrine of Christianity. (1 Corinthians 15)
Response
We are called to respond to this good news in repentance and belief, turning away from our sin and self-sufficiency toward God, and trusting in the shed blood of Jesus Christ as the substitute penalty that we deserved for our sin.(Mark 1:15, Romans 10:9-10)
If you would like to talk more about salvation with someone, fill out a connection card and take it to the welcome desk. Or, send us an email: office@bethanybiblechurch.com
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LEAD PASTOR
Seth Westmoreland | seth@bethanybiblechurch.com
WORSHIP DIRECTOR
Jake Losen | jake@bethanybiblechurch.com