Abraham: Following In The Footsteps Of Faith
Sermon #1
Series Intro: few men, outside of the Lord Jesus Christ
Himself have has such an impact on the history of the world as
did the man introduced to us in this passage of scripture.
This
man is revered by over one-half the world's population. In our
day, Abraham is held in high esteem by Jews, Muslims and
Christians. In ancient times the Jews considered Abraham to
be almost worthy of their worship. In the Bible, Abraham is
presented to us as a great example of a man who lived his life
by faith,
Heb. 11:8-19.
James 2:23 records the fact that
Abraham was called the "
Friend of God." This man's life was
a special life and a great portion of the first book of the Bible is
devoted to it. Tonight, we are going to begin a study of the life
of this man named Abraham. Now, some may ask, "
Why take
the time to study a man who lived 4,100 years ago?" My
answer to you is that, first, the Bible takes the time to speak
about him, so we should take the time to study him.
The
second is that the life of Abraham teaches us much about the
matter of walking with God by faith. That, after all, is the goal
of the Lord for all His children. God is calling every one of His
children to live a life of faith. This man teaches us how.
Genesis 11:27-12:3
THE CALL TO A LIFE OF FAITH
Sermon Intro: These verses teach us about the early years of
Abraham's life. They show us how the Lord found him, called
him and promised to bless him. On the surface they may
seem as though they have little to say to us in our day,
however, nothing could be farther from the truth! The early
days and call of this man's life teach us some valuable lessons
about God, His ways and about what our response to Him
should be.
Since it is true that God has and is calling each of His
children to a life of faith, Rom. 14:23; Rom. 1:17, and since
we have trouble living that kind of life day by day, we need to
hear what the Bible teaches us in these verses about
Abraham's call to faith. Let's look in on these events that
transpired some 4,100 years ago and see what we can learn
tonight about The Call To A Life Of Faith.
I. 11:27-30 ABRAM'S PAST OBSCURITY: THE WRETCHED YEARS
(Ill. There was a time in the distant past when Abraham
was a mere nobody. He was just another nameless face in
the crowd of humanity. His past was one of obscurity.)
A. The Place Of His Original Home - Ur of the Chaldees
was located in what we call Iraq today. It was in the
southeast corner of Iraq, some 75 miles north of the
Kuwaiti border. Right in the middle of the area where
the Gulf War was fought in 1991. It was, at Abraham's
time, located at the place where the Euphrates River
emptied into the Persian Gulf. At that time, it was a
bustling seaport, where trade was conducted with India
and Africa. History also says that this city was a center
of intellectual activity. A large public library has been
unearthed that contained thousands of ancient texts
written in clay. That region was also well suited for
raising flocks and herds. Which may account for the
fact that Abraham was, for the whole of his life, involved
with sheep and cattle.
B. The Problems Of His Original Home - While the area
which spawned Abraham may have been prosperous,
it was also perverted. The people of that area were
involved in some of the most wretched forms of idolatry
known to mankind. That city was an important center
for astrology and for the worship of the stars and the
moon. The fact of their wickedness is born out by the
testimony of the scriptures themselves, Josh. 24:2.
Gen. 31:30-34 relate that while Abraham was able to
break free of the idolatry of the land, his relatives were
not. There we find that his great-nephew Laban and
Jacob's wives Leah and Rachel. Many years later,
Isaiah reminded the nation of Israel to remember where
God brought them from, Isa. 51:1. He called their
father Abraham out of the most wretched of conditions,
spiritually speaking!
C. The Pain Of His Original Home - As one reads these
verses, the wretchedness and hopelessness of
Abraham's years in Ur comes to the surface. For him,
it was a time of darkness, Josh 24:2, death, v. 28, and
despair, v. 30. No matter how you look at it,
Abraham's early years were wretched days!
(Note: When you get right down to it, you and I were no
different what Abraham. We might not have served
stone gods and worshiped the heavenly bodies, but we
were all trapped in the same darkness that enveloped
the life of Abraham, Eph. 2:1-3! It rejoices my heart to
know that we serve a God Who can reach into the
blackest heart and turn on the light of His glory and
presence. I praise Him that He can take a life that was
so hopeless and barren and can turn it into one of the
greatest examples of the power of faith and grace that
can be found anywhere!
The whole point is this: regardless of where we
came from or of what baggage we carry with us now,
God is able to come where we are and change us for
His glory. He can make new creatures of us for the
glory of God, 1 Cor. 5:17! No one is beyond the touch
of the Lord! Not even a pagan like Abram!)
II. 11:31-32; 12:1
ABRAM'S PARTIAL OBEDIENCE: THE WASTED YEARS
A. 12:1 The Call To Depart - We are not told how the call
came to Abraham, (Notice the word "had"), but we are
told that God spoke to this man in his darkness and
called him into the light to follow a new path. Abram
was called to leave behind everything he loved and
everything that had shaped his life up to that point. He
was ordered to leave his Region, his Religion and his
Relatives behind. For this man, it would be a difficult
task. He was issued a call to Follow, to Faith and to
a new Future. He was to leave his home, not
knowing where he was going, or when he would
arrive. He was to leave all such matters in the hand of
the Lord!
(Note: The call of Abram raises some questions that the
Bible does not answer. First, why did the Lord pick this
one man, out of all the men of the earth? Why didn't
God choose some of the other inhabitants of the world,
or of Ur to call to this new adventure called faith? The
answer to those questions is: I don't know! I would ask
this question: "Why does God call anyone?" Why did
He call you and not your neighbor? Why did He call
you and not you coworker? The answer to those
questions dwell within the cloud of God's sovereign and
the answer is not for us to know, Rom. 9:18-23!)
(Note: Regardless of why God calls who He does,
those who have been called by Him should rejoice in
the fact that they are saved and secure in the blood of
the Lamb! Thank God for the day the clear call to follow
the Lord came to my heart! I bless His name for the
day He turned the light on in my soul and showed me
the way to Himself! Therefore, I will rejoice in what He
has done for me, Luke 10:20.)
(Note: When the call of God does come to a life, it is a
call for that person to sever all ties with the past life.
His call is a call to a new life with new priorities and a
new Lord. His call is for total commitment, Matt. 16:24.
His call is for the believer to leave the old life behind
and to begin a new life of faith, where every moment is
lived in utter dependance upon the Lord alone for every
need. That is the nature of the divine call! God's call is
for you to follow without your being concerned about the
destination. His call is for you to leave the details to
Him. His call is for surrender to His call, regardless of
what it costs, where it leads or how much it hurts. His
call is still follow me!) B. 11:31 The Compromise In Devotion - The nature of
Abram's call was for him to leave. Note the word "thee"
in 12:1. Yet, when they left Ur, notice that it was "they"
who went, 11:31. It seems that Abram compromised by
not separating from his family as he had been ordered.
He failed to fully submit to the Lord's call!
(Note: Some may argue that he just wanted to take his
family with him as he began his journey for the Lord.
That is noble, but it should be noted that there is no
indication that they were saved at all. There is no hint
that they ever placed their faith in the Lord as did
Abram. The only ones who were saved, it would see,
were Abram, Sarai and Lot. The rest were still pagans,
trapped in the darkness of their sins.) (Note: The Bible says that they came Haran and
dwelled there. If you look at a map, you will find that
Haran is north and east of the promised land. This was
not where God called Abram to be! He has not gone all
the way for the Lord. He has failed to separate from his
family and he has failed to arrive at the place he has
been called to. Always remember that partial
obedience is simple disobedience! Until you have
done all God says to do, you haven't done what
God said to do!
What has the Lord told you to do that you haven't
done? Have you come short in the obedience
department? I know first hand that not all of God's
commands are easy to obey. Some are difficult, some
are frightening and some are costly, but all to be
obeyed without question by the child of God who
wishes to walk by faith and be found pleasing to the
Lord, 1 Sam. 15:22.)
(Note: Notice that Abraham did not leave Haran and
fully follow the Lord's command until the death of his
father Terah. The name Terah means "A Station or
delay." It has the idea of a stopping place, a rest
area or a roadblock. Evidently, Terah was a roadblock
between Abram and his doing the will of God. When
Terah was removed from the scene, Abram was ready
to move on in the things of God. Terah is a type of the flesh and other things that
hinder our progress in the things of God. You see, until
those things are taken care of and "reckoned dead",
Rom. 6:11, there will be little or no progress in your life
for the glory of the Lord. What is your Terah this
evening? Oh, if you aren't exactly where the Lord
wants you to be, you have a Terah. Oh yes! You have
a roadblock between you and your doing what the Lord
has told you to do. You know what has to happen when
there is a Terah in your life or mine? There must be a
death! That thing that serves as a station or a delay in
your life or mine must go! What's holding you back this
evening?)
(Note: We all need to be careful that we do not stand in
the way of others doing the will of God. If you aren't
careful, you just might find yourself being a Terah to
someone in your life. Don't let you lack of faith prevent
someone else from following God fully!)
C. 11:32 The Cost Of Delay - Abram's delay in this matter
of obedience was costly to him. While he lingered in
Haran precious years past him by. Those were years
that could have been spent enjoying the best God had
to offer. Instead, those years were spent watching the
father he loved waste away. Those years were spent
being grieved by the sins of a family still in the grip of
idolatry.
(Note: The work of God is too precious and time is too
short for us to hesitate in carrying out the orders we
receive from Heaven. Why should we settle for second
best while the wasted years pile up in our lives?
Everyday brings us one day closer to the grave, let us
determine in our hearts that we will make every moment
count for the glory of the Lord, Rom. 13:11-14; Eph.
5:16.)
(Note: God was so patient in His dealings with Abram!
He gave him time to get things squared away in his life.
But, it is far better for us to hear His voice and respond
in immediate action for the glory of God! That is what
Jesus did, John 5:19-20, and that is what the Lord
wants fro you and me too! Have you been putting
something off that God has told you to do? If so, the
time for delay has past! Get busy carrying out the will
of God. Delay is dangerous and it is costly.)
III. 12:1-3 ABRAM'S PRECIOUS OPPORTUNITIES: THE WONDER YEARS
(Ill. At the age of 75, this man named Abram finally makes
his break with the old life. He leaves out from Haran on the
great adventure of faith. These verses tell us that after all
the wretched years in defilement and the all wasted
years in delay, that God reserved some wonderful years
of delight for this old servant of God. Notice the qualities
of these wonder years.
A. 12:1 To Walk In God's Presence - This man Abram
has been called out of the gross darkness of sin to walk
in the presence of the Lord. This verse implies that
God intends to lead Abram in the way he should go.
God Himself will direct this man's pathway.
Note: There is nothing in this world more precious that
walking with God by faith! The faith walk puts you in a
place of dependence upon the Lord and He will not let
you down, Heb. 13:5. Those who lean solidly upon the
Lord need never fear that He will leave them or desert
them. They need never fear that will God fail them as
they lean their weight upon Him!, Psa. 37:19.) B. 12:1-3a To Watch God's Providence - God makes
some grand promises to Abram in these verses. Look
at all the things God promises to give this great man:
- •A New Home
- •Many Offspring
- •Great Blessings
- •A Great Name
- •Abram Will Be A Blessing
- •God Will Protect Him From His Enemies
- •God Will Bless His Friends
- •All The World Will Blessed Through Abram's
Faith
Abram doesn't know yet how God will work it all out,
but he knows that God will do it. His faith has grown to
the place where he is willing to trust God and just leave
the details to the providence of the Lord. He is willing
to live by faith day by day as the Lord works out His
plan and purpose in his life! By the way, everything
God promised to give to Abram, He did give him! He
kept His promises to the letter. Also notice that some of
these things are still being worked out today and that
God will faithfully continue to work our His promises to
Abram until all are fulfilled!
(Note: That is where He wants to bring us as well. He
wants us to come to the place where we can simply
take Him at His Word and be satisfied in our hearts that
He will do what He has promised to do. Regardless of what the devil, the flesh and the world
tell us, we can trust God. Everyone of His promises is
true! You can depend on Him to take care of you if you
will live your life by faith, Rom. 4:21. He will look after
those who lean on Him!
Have you reached the place where you can rest in
the arms of divine providence and know that will take
care of you? That is where we all need to be!
Remember, no matter how life looks, God is doing what
He does for you good, Rom. 8:28.)
C. 12:3b To Wonder At God's Purposes - As Abram
began this journey of faith he must have questioned
how God could take an old idolater and make him a
blessing to all the families of the earth. When he died
a hundred years later at the age of 175 he still did not
have the answer to that question. But, this man Abram
died in faith. That faith was counted fro righteousness,
Gen. 15:6 and when he died, he went to a place called
paradise. Well, he waited there some 2,100 years.
Then one day a man appeared in paradise. This man
said that His name was Jesus and that He had just died
on a cross for the sins of everyone in paradise and for
the sins of all who would believe on Him, 1 Pet. 3:18-19; Eph. 4:8-10. When Jesus appeared in that place
that day, Abraham realized that the last piece had been
placed in the puzzle. This man, Jesus, Who descended
from Abraham through His mother Mary was the One
that would make Abraham a blessing to all the families
of the earth.
When Abram left Haran, he did so with all his hopes
hidden in his heart. He held all the unseen things of the
future in the hand of faith. He trusted God to take care
of it and the Lord fulfilled every promise, just as He had
said that He would!
(Note: As we live this life of faith in this world, there will
be times when we cannot see the way. There will be
days when we too will wonder how God could ever do
anything with the likes of us! There will be times when
we will have to walk by faith and not sight. Of course,
some people just can't do that! If they can't see how it
should be done, they won't do it! If they can't explain it,
then they avoid it. Those folks never grow! The people
God uses greatly are those who will walk obediently
wherever the path of God leads them. Whether they
understand it or not, whether they like it or not, whether
they know what will happen or not. Those are the
people who get to see the Lord part the seas. They see
the multitudes fed. They get to walk on the water. They
walk unharmed through the fiery furnaces and lion dens
of life. They live life by faith and they get to see the
Lord do the impossible over and over again.)
Conc: There is an old saying that goes, "The journey of a
thousand miles begins with one step." It took Abram a
while, but he made that step. When he did, he saw God do
things that amazed him until the day he died.
I wonder, have you made that first step of faith? Have you
made the step of faith for salvation? Have you made the step
of faith to total surrender? Have you made the step of faith that
will take you beyond the hum drum, ordinary run of the mill life
into that other worldly realm where God operates and uses
people like us for His glory? You and I will never be all we can
be for Him until we cut our ties with this world and cast
ourselves on Him by faith! God help each of us to do just that
tonight!
