Following In The Footsteps Of Faith Sermon #12
Genesis
18:1-33
THREE SIDES OF A MAN NAMED ABRAHAM
Intro: Everyone in this room wears many different hats. For instance, I am
a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a Pastor, a friend, among many other
things. This passage reveal three sides of the life of this man named
Abraham. In this passage, he is visited personally by the Lord. During this
visit we are given a glimpse at three sides of this great man's life. As
Abraham is revealed to us here, we see some characteristics in his life that
need to be seen in every life in this room. For a few minutes, I want to look
into this personal encounter between the Lord and Abraham. I want to
preach to you about THREE SIDES OF A MAN NAMED ABRAHAM. Let's
examine our lives to determine whether or not we are made of the same
stuff as this great man was.
I. V. 18 THE MINISTRY OF A SERVANT
(Ill. The identity of Abraham's visitors. One of these beings was the Lord
Jesus Himself. The other two were angels. It seems that Abraham
recognized the heavenly origin of his guests, because he sprang into
action to serve them when they appeared. That reaction sets a good
example for us because you never know when the Lord will show up
at your place! When He does, He is looking for the same servant heart
He found in Abraham. Notice three aspects of that servant's heart.)
A. V. 1-6 The Quickness Of His Ministry - Abraham springs into
action speedily trying to supply every need of his heavenly visitors.
He may be 100, but there is not hesitation as he flies from one task
to the next, until all is completed. (Note: Here is a man who
recognized his duty and set about to do it as quickly as possible!
May I just remind you that the Lord deserves the best service we
can give Him?! When we are serving Him, regardless of how menial
the task, we should do our best to recognize Who we are serving
and we should seek to do the best possible job for the glory of the
Lord! Ill. Col. 3:23; Eph. 6:6. If it is worth doing for the Lord, it is
worth doing right, 1 Cor. 10:13.)
B. V. 7-8 The Quality Of His Ministry - Not only was Abraham swift in
his service to the Lord, but he was also sacrificial in his service to
the Lord. He went to his flock and personally selected, killed and
prepared a calf for their meal. (Note: You haven't really become a
servant until your service costs you personally. Being willing to
sacrifice for your master is a sign that you are possessed of a
servant's heart. Whether the service is time, tithe or talents, it is
willingly rendered at the request of the Master and for His glory. The
greatest sacrifice you can offer, of course, is yourself, Rom. 12:1!
That is a sacrifice that no one else can give to Him! By the way,
when He has you, He has everything you have anyway!)
C. V. 8 The Quietness Of His Ministry - While his visitors were eating
their meal, Abraham stood quietly by to serve them in any way they
might need. He simply stood beside them, adopting the pose of a
servant, listening for the voice of his Lord! (Note: Imagine the
reaction of Abraham's servants as they watched him assume the
role of a servant to the Lord. What a powerful testimony it was to
them! By the way, others are watching! Make sure your service and
testimony are all they should be!) (Note: Real servants of God are
those individuals who make themselves ever available to the Lord
and His work. They are ready and willing to serve Him on a
moments notice. When there are no orders to follow, they continue
to do the last thing He told them until new orders come. They are
His and they have no will of their own, but they are lost in His will for
their lives! That is a servant's heart!)
II. V. 9-21 THE MESSAGE FOR A SAINT
(Note: God always rewards the faithful service that is rendered to Him.
In Abraham's case, He does this by reassuring Abraham regarding the
birth of Isaac. Verses 18-19 tell us of the great affection, knowledge and
care God possessed for this man Abraham. God knew what caliber of
man Abraham was. He knew that Abraham would stand the test and be
all that God wanted him to be. He is clearly pictured as God's saint in
these verses. )
A. v. 9-15 A Message About A Child - God had given this promise
repeatedly to Abraham. The last time, Gen. 17:17, Abraham had
laughed for joy when he heard again the glorious promise of hope
from the Lord. This time, the promise is repeated for the benefit of
Sarah. All she had heard was second hand promises from
Abraham, this time she hears the promise directly from the mouth of
God. Her reaction is vastly different from that of her husband. He
laughed for joy, she laughs from doubt! She is confronted and
rebuked. (Note: This episode is a reminder that God knows
everything there is to know about you and me. He knows our
motives, our secret sins and all things that we do. Nothing is hidden
from His eyes, Heb. 4:13.)
B. V. 16-21 A Message About A City - This is a precious point in
Abraham's relationship with the Lord. Because of who he is, how he
has conducted himself and the future he is to enjoy, God is
determined to share His heart with Abraham. Imagine being in a
position of closeness to the Lord that motivated Him to share His
heart with you. No doubt this is among the passage that prompted
the Jews to refer to Abraham as "the friend of God.", James 2:23;
Isa. 41:8; Ex. 33:11. (Note: God wants to have that same kind of
relationship with each and every one of us this evening! When we
are in a position of closeness to Him, He will share His heart and His
will with us. Never feel that this kind of relationship is only for the
super saints! I will remind you of the great truth that as we seek to
get closer to Him, He responds by moving closer to us, James 4:8.)
III. V. 22-33 THE MEDIATION OF A SON
(Ill. The message that the Lord had shared with Abraham was a difficult
message to hear. It had been revealed to him that his kinsmen, Lot and
his family, were in danger of death and destruction. (Note: "The cry" of
that place and their "grievous sin" was the reason for the coming
destruction. To many, Sodom must have been viewed as a showplace
and a success story. They probably bragged about how it had been
rebuilt after the great war of Gen. 14. Abraham knew different. He
knew the city was slated for destruction. Those of us who know the
Bible know that our world thinks awfully highly of itself. However, it too
is slated for destruction! May we learn to pray like Abraham did so that
we can see our world saved!) He received the message and it motivated
him to action before the Lord. Perhaps this was a factor in God's desire
to share the message with Abraham! Perhaps he wanted to motivate
Abraham to move deeper in his relationship with God. We have seen
Abraham the servant. We have seen Abraham the Saint. Now, we are
given a chance to see Abraham the son speaking with his heavenly
Father!)
A. V. 22-23 The Distance Between Them - Abraham stood before the
Lord and when the angels departed, he drew near to the Lord.
(Note: I praise the Lord for the truth that God's children can
approach Him and draw as near as they please to their heavenly
Father. Listen to His invitation to you and me, Matt. 11:28; Heb.
4:15-16; Rom. 8:15-17.)
B. V. 24-33 The Dialogue Between Them - Abraham's prayer to the
Lord arises out of several burdens he carries because of the
revelation he has just received. First, he is concerned about God's
reputation. If the Lord simply destroys the people of Sodom out of
hand, Abraham is concerned that people will get the wrong
impression of God and of His love for sinners. Secondly, he is
thinking about Lot and his family, who live in Sodom. He wants to
see them spared, at the very least. So he begins to talk to God
about the situation and gets God to agree to spare the city if just 10
righteous people can be found there. In Lot's family, there was Lot,
his wife, two unmarried daughters and at least two married
daughters and their husbands. This was a total of at least eight
people in that family. Abraham must have thought that Lot would
have at least won his family and a few others. (Note: Although
Abraham did not know it at the time, his prayer was answered! God
did spare the righteous when He destroyed the wicked. When the
morning came and Abraham looked toward Sodom and saw the
smoke of that place, Gen. 19:27-28, he must have ben discouraged.
However, his prayer had been heard and it had been successful, 19:29. Sometimes, our prayers seem to be very ineffective and
weak, but only in eternity will know the full impact of our personal
ministry of prayer in the lives of others. Therefore, do not be
discouraged, just pray and trust the Lord to bring it to pass!)
Conc: If there is anything that you need to take away from this service, it is
this: a close, personal relationship with God is possible for anyone who
desires it! In your heart, are you honestly as close to the Lord as you would
like to be? Are you His servant, running eagerly and speedily to do His will?
Are you His saint, listening intently as He reveals His will and ways to you?
Are you His son, His child, interceding before the throne of the Heavenly
Father on behalf of those who do not have access to Him? Do you need to
work on one or more of these areas of your relationship with the Lord? If so,
there is help to be found in His altar!
