Beginnings: Abraham: The Seeds of faith Introduction (Lobster changing shells, Offered to do a winter retreat payment free skiing older I get less that is appealing. Hard to be made uncomfortable) Transition: Over the next 7 weeks we are going to be looking at the life of Abraham. This series began last year during the winter months as started a series entitled Beginnings. My intention is to pick our way through Genesis at the beginning of each New Year, finishing either next year or the following year. So today we will start chapter 2 of the series looking at the life of Abraham. Now to put this into context, the New Testament makes it clear that Abraham is the father of salvation by grace through faith. And all of us that believe the gospel of Jesus are children or descendants of 1
Abraham who modeled for us what it meant to take God at His word and trust Him for our salvation. The Apostle Paul makes this clear when he says: Galatians 3:6-9 just as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, In you shall all the nations be blessed. 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (ESV) Retell the Story: So last year we finished with the tower of Babel, which lead us to the lineage to Abraham, and now the author of Genesis transitions to the life of Abraham, and it starts in Genesis chapter 12 Retell the chapter: 1. Go to a land I will show you. 2
2. Abraham goes with Lot, scouts out the land God reiterates his promise that His descendants will inhabit the land. 3. A famine hits and Abraham goes to Egypt. 4. Abraham doesn t tell the entire truth about Sarah, Pharaoh takes her as a wife, but God protects Abraham, by sending plagues on Pharaoh and Pharaoh sends Sarah back to Abraham and rebukes Abraham. (The original hearers of this story would have fully enjoyed the idea of Pharaoh being plagued it was written by Moses to the recently freed slaves of Egypt who are now going to fulfill this promise by heading to the promise land) Transition: So this story not only applies to Abraham, it applies to the original hearers, and it applies to us to day. Let me make a couple points regarding our journey of faith. 3
Genesis 12:1 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. (ESV) I. Faith (A couple truths about faith) A. Faith in God s word. 1. We are not talking about faith in faith. 2. Or some nebulous hope, You just gotta have faith. Faith in what?? 3. At the root of Christian faith is the understanding that the Bible is God s word, and as such is true, accurate, and trustworthy. 4. Our faith rests in God s character, that He is a God who communicates, communicates clearly, and His communication (word) is true and trustworthy. 5. Abraham took God at His word. 4
B. Faith is always go. 1. Faith always requires movement. 2. Not that obedience to the word saves us, but obedience shows that I trust God s word and God s character to be true. Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV) 3. Usually from the known to the unknown. C. God provides as we are going. (To a land I will show you. 1. As you move in faith and obedience God will provide. 2. This is why I love Proverbs 3:5-6 as one of my favorite verses. Proverbs 3:5-6 5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (ESV) So What? 1. This applies to dating, and marriage Do we take God s word on this. 2. This applies to being involved in our local church, do we take God at His word on this? 3. This applies to our money are we generous (Some of my most memorable God moments is when I gave more than I thought I could our should and watched God provide) 4. This applies to being a Christian. Some of you have not yet given your life to Jesus Christ as savior, because you want it all laid out for you. This is not faith. Jesus is the only way to God, and you have to repent or your sin and believe in Jesus to have eternal life. Do you believe God and His word on this?? 6
Transition: Faith often pulls us out of our comfort zone where we believe and take God at His word. Second, when God blesses faith we are. II. Faith: Blessed to be a blessing. Genesis 12:2-3 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. (ESV) A. God s generous gifts to us are always meant to be shared. 1. First and foremost is the gospel we as Christians have the knowledge and the hope of eternal life. a. If Jesus is the hope of the world, why are we so silent about it? 7
b. When was the last time you talked to someone about knowing Jesus that they might have eternal life? c. How about your own kids? Parents it is not enough to bring them to church, drop them off and let the professionals (Children s ministry, and youth group) teach your kids about Jesus. d. It is up to you to share the truth of Jesus Christ to your kids. 2. Stuff & finances & time. All are gifts to us to use to bless others with the hope of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. B. Blessing is for all nations. 1. This is the piece the nation of Israel forgot. 2. They were always to have all nations in mind. 8
3. It wasn t an ethnic and land deal, it was a blessing from the Lord to bless all nations. 4. Abraham and his descendants, were to bless all nations with the hope of the coming Messiah, to save mankind from their sin. 5. As Christians (And children of Abraham through faith) we have the same obligation to use our blessings to spread the fame of Jesus Christ to all nations. Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (ESV) 6. This is why I am exceedingly passionate about missions. 7. It s why we give 10 cents of every dollar you give to missions. 9
8. This is why I want every member of this church to be involved with a mission and take a mission trip. 9. Faith always has a view of God s blessings being used to invite others to be in relationship to God, by believing in His provisions for salvation (Which is His son Jesus Christ). Main Point: If you have a great talent use it to serve the Lord with purpose of introducing others to His son Jesus Christ. If you have influence or time it can all be used to bless people with their greatest blessing, knowing Jesus Christ. Transition: Faith always gets us moving, and God blesses to be a blessing. Finally III. Faith pauses to worship God. Genesis 12:7-8 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 10
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. (ESV) People of faith pause to worship. A. We gather corporately every week to worship and give thanks and be reminded. B. Abraham upon each leg of the journey took time to give thanks and worship God. C. This has always been the overflow of faith. D. Let me encourage you, make corporate worship a priority in your life as an overflow of your faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Illustration: I can t tell you how many times I have done funeral for people who are not regular attenders in a local church. Now 11
going to church doesn t save you, but man there is so much more encouragement around a person that paused weekly to serve in a local church, and worship in a local church as an outworking of their faith. I always tell the audience at this funeral, this very thing. Being a regular in worship brings a tremendous amount of comfort to your loved ones left behind. Main Point: Why? Because pausing to worship is a common overflow of faith. Finally: We see Abraham not perfect in his journey of faith. Of course, neither are any of us. We all fall short in our belief and trust in God s word. Remind of this part of the story. 1. Famine heads to Egypt. 2. Conceals the truth about Sarah (Genesis 20:12 Father s Daughter) IV. Abraham s stumble does not thwart God s plans. (In other words God s promises are not somehow tied to our 12
faith, nor are His plans thwarted by our disobedience. A. God Protects for His name s sake. Genesis 12:17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram s wife. (ESV) B. God sees His promises through. Genesis 12:20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had. (ESV) C. We are invited to be a part of fulfilling God s plans and purposes. 1. There is nothing more exciting than this. 2. This is an eternal plan, with an eternal reward. BTW: Some of you have taken yourself out of the game because of a past stumble or sin. 13
The amazing thing about God is when we repent of our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). 3. Abraham s lie, did not mean God no longer used Him. 4. We can be forgiven of our past, and grace gives us a fresh start, a new invitation to be a part of what God is doing. Conclusion 14