The life of faith is a journey and it s not for the faint of heart. Over the coming weeks we are going to look at one man s journey of faith and how it applies to us. His journey contains all that is familiar to us: the ups and downs, the trials, the surprises, the times of blessings, failures, and God s promises faithfully fulfilled at just the right time. We re looking at Abraham s story, his journey, and his faith. Many are inspired when they hear his story. I for one am impacted by his bold faith and obedience. I m also greatly encouraged by God s grace and faithfulness in his life. I ve entitled this series Carry On because what s fundamental to this story is that no matter what Abraham faces on his journey of faith he ultimately trusts the Lord and carries on and keeps walking. You and I face all sorts of blessings and adversities in our walk with the Lord our journey of faith and we must develop the discipline of carrying on no matter what (especially in these coming days) just keep walking with Jesus, trusting Him as we follow His plans and purposes. Today we look at Genesis 12:1-9 and we see the beginning of his story. What s interesting to note as we begin is that the name Abraham means father of a multitude. But when his story opens, he is known as Abram, which means, exalted father. Ironic, because Abram is not yet a father at 75 years old! Genesis 12:1-9 1 Now the Lord said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to
the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, To your offspring I will give this land. So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb. O B S E R V A T I O N S REGARDING ABRAM S CALL Ø Abram is called/elected by GRACE alone He comes from an idolatrous family Joshua 24:2 - Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. He does nothing to earn or deserve God s call, election, or promises. Ø This is how the journey of faith begins for all of us! God is his own plan and choosing, before the foundation of the world chooses us and calls us. He created each of us with a plan and purpose. He pours out His favor and grace on us and He chooses by grace to reveal Himself to us. We earn none of it and are completely undeserving, just like Abram, yet God so lovingly and graciously chooses us! Ø God gives Abram a call and a promise You are to be a great nation I will bless you and make your name great You are to be a blessing to all nations I will deal with those who oppose you, dishonor you, and curse you
You are to leave your father s household and country and go to a land that I will show you (the one condition) Ø Notice that Abram was called, promised, and blessed so that through Him all would be blessed. God has called you and saved you into His family by grace through faith so that you like Abram, would bless all people by being a light and sharing what you have been given faith grace JESUS CHRIST. Ø The Call to leave was with implied haste. Get out of the country with your life! Make haste! Move now! There is no time for delayed obedience! We know that this was a land full of sin and idolatry. A place where he had connections to his sin A place where his sin had connections to him! He needed to break from his past and his sin and follow the Lord s call and plan for him. In Acts 7 we Stephen right before he was martyred recounts Abram s story, but through inspiration of the Holy Spirit he notes that Abram had originally heard this call while he still lived in Ur of the Chaldea s (Babylon). Genesis 11 says that Abram s father Terah left Ur and took with him Abram and headed out towards Canaan, but only got as far as Haran where he settled and eventually died. I have a question that may not be knowable this side of eternity, but was Terah called like Abram? Did his settling down in Haran equate to unbelief and disobedience? In any case, there s a point here: Abram, get out of your father s household! Don t repeat your father s mistake! Leave your sin and idolatrous ways behind! Don t stay in comfort and miss out on the promise! Don t let the unknown keep you from obedience! Go while you can! Go while the call is fresh! Don t sit on this, don t talk yourself out of it! Follow me now or not all Abram! What a parallel to our own spiritual journeys. Make haste as you believe and follow the Lord Run from sin and those who tempt you to do so
Break off relationships and habits that would hold you back Run as if your life depends on it for it surely does! Regarding Abram s Faith and Obedience Ø V4: So Abram went as the Lord had told him! (Faith & Obedience He went!) Believing God and receiving his promises meant that he had to obey His commands His Word. This was an act of SACRIFICIAL OBEDIENCE Leave everything you ve ever known Go to a land that I WILL show you (hasn t revealed yet, will only show him as he trusts and obeys). Abram needed to have FAITH, TRUST, and COURAGE to push through the fears. Fears will paralyze you prevent you and I from following God s call. (Leaving PA?) (Coming here?) What s amazing is the simple trust and obedience displayed in probably a new believer. Thank goodness there wasn t a wiser and more mature believer to talk him out of obedience to the Lord. You know Abram, the Lord doesn t ask us to do stuff like that. Abram, God didn t really mean that, let me tell you what He meant. For all of us, the journey of faith REQUIRES not only belief in who God is and His abilities, but also our obedience. Obedience WILL BE COSTLY at times. If your faith hasn t cost you, something s probably not right Sometimes trusting God and obeying makes no sense with the understanding we currently have (Isaiah 55:8-9). You and I will need to push through our fears. We cannot afford to let our fears dictate our decisions. Ø V7: Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said After he set out by faith and obeyed the Lord s call, the Lord appeared to Him! The Lord showed him the land and promised it to his offspring which he doesn t have yet!
God often reveals Himself powerfully and most impactfully AFTER we step out in obedience by faith! He also knows how to encourage us especially as we begin our journeys of faith and as we take challenging steps of faith! Ø V9: And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb. The journey didn t end after one step of faith and one mountaintop feel good encounter with the Lord the promise of blessing! The journey still had to be walked out. The promises given still needed to be fulfilled. Notice: He couldn t stay there (at Shechem/oak of Moreh) He had to journey on Carry On! Even after good and powerful experiences where God moves powerfully and builds our faith, we must move on! Carry On! Keep walking with Him and allow Him to lead us each new day!