Sermons in Genesis 12“ABRAHAM- FACING A FAREWELL” Genesis 12:1-3 Intro-I want to preach to you … about Abraham and The Patriarch of Faith. Abraham was an average individual that made a CHOICE to follow God… Nathan Halewas a soldier for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Widely considered America's first spy,[1] he volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission, but was captured by the British. He is best remembered for his speech before being hanged following the Battle of Long Island, in which he said, "I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country." “Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth”.-- Martin H. Fischer
“Life is like a hot bath. It feels good while you're in it, but the longer you stay in, the more wrinkled you get.”-- Robbert Oustin
“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.”-- Pericles
“Each day of our lives, we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” --Charles Swindoll
“Life is a Gift from God. What You do with it is your gift back to Him.u/k
Very few men, outside of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself have had such an impact on the historyof the worldas did the man introduced to us in this passage of scripture.Now, some may ask, "Why take the time to study a man who lived 4,100 years ago?" First, God put him in the Bible, so we should take the time to study him.Second, is that the life of Abraham teaches us much about the matter of walking with God by faith. That’s the goal of the Lord for all His children. God is calling every one of His children to live a life of faith. The Life of Abraham teaches us how.
Verse 4 says Abraham was 75 years old WHEN he began his Journey of faith. Can I just pause and say age is not a limitation with GOD. God calls the young as well as the old. Abraham had already done very well for himself. He was successful in business, happily married to a beautiful wife named Sarah. He was well established with goods and servants. BUT Rich as he was, Respected and Religious as he was, Abrahamwas a poor Lost Sinner Hurrying on to a LOST ETERNITY. (I wonder if this describes you or someone you know?) Life without God is meaningless and pointless if all you have to journey toward is the grave. But let’s Look at a Life of Faith.
I. THE PATRIARCH OF FAITH- “Now the Lord had said to ABRAM”
A. HIS REGION- “Get thee out of thy country” Abraham was from a land called Ur of the Chaldees.Today it is modern day IRAQ. UR was an important sea port. It was said to be a great place for raising sheep.
B. HIS REALATIVES- “and away from thy kindred” 1- His ANCESTORS-After the flood, the world was populated by the descendants of Noah’s three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Abraham came from the line of SETH. Genesis 11 traces the genealogy line of Seth down to Abraham. From this genealogy, we learn that Abraham was born 300 to 400 years after the flood and about 2000 years before Christ. 2- His FATHER- Abraham’s father was Terah (11:27). Terah was an idolater. Joshua 24:22And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time,even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. Terah was a poor excuse for a father because he was a stumbling block for is son Abraham. No Thanks goes to Terah for Abraham’s life of faith! 3-His BROTHERS- Abraham had two brothers: Nahor and Haran. Both played a significant part in Abraham’s life. A. The part Haran played was leaving behind a son to be raised. Haran died prematurely leaving behind a son who Abraham’s father took in. And when he died, Abraham took him in. His son’s name was Lot. B. The part Nahor played in Abraham’s life had to do with Brides. Nahor’s granddaughter Rebekah became the bride of Abraham’s son Isaac (Gen 24) Nahor’s great granddaughters Racheal & leah became the wife’s of Abraham’s grandson Jacob (Gen 29). 4- His NEPHEW- Abraham’s nephew was LOT. Lot was a great problem for Abraham. Lot did not have the spirituality like Abraham. He went along with Abraham, but his heart was fixed on other things! 5- His WIFE- Abraham’s wife was Sarah (11:29). She was a blood relative. She was a half sister to Abraham. In those days, marriage among kin was practiced. (Who else would Cain marry other than a sister?) Sarah played an important role in the life of Abraham and his journey of faith!
C. HIS RELIGION 1- He was Ungodly- UR was the center of paganism. When Abraham was called out of there, he was an Idolater. The religion of Ur was set on worshiping the SUN MOON and STARS. 2- He was Unlikely- Out of all the people God could have chosen, Abraham was a very unlikely candidate. Abraham’s background was not a good one. He was a pagan and lost in religion. Isaiah 51:1(Isaiah reminds us where we came from)…look unto the rockwhence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pitwhence ye are digged. (You & I were not Anything when He found us! There was nothing special about us. We were sinking deep in sin! Drowning from the muck & mire of sin, and GOD reached WAAAYYY down for you & me)
II. THE PLACE OF FAITH- “unto a land that I will shew thee” A. In the Old Testament-it is called the Land of Canaan; the Land of the Fathers; the Land of Milk of Honey.
B. In the New Testament-it’s called the Land of Promise; the Land of Paradise; the Land of Praise.
Deuteronomy 12:11Then there shall be a place(Aren’t you glad God has a Place? Not just ANY old place, but a Special Place. In the O.T. God dwelled in a Tent! Then He moved into a Tabernacle! NOW, God dwells in Temples! “WHAT know ye not that your body is the TEMPLE of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore, GLORIFY God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. I Cor.6:19-20)which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
III. THE PROPOSITION or CALL OF FAITH-(Gen 12:1-3) This CALL involved 3 things! A. It Involved a CHOICE- There was really no Choice in the matter! God had already taken the initiative! For whatever reason, God looked at Abraham and said “You’ll Do”. Jesus put it like this in John 15:1616Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, andthat your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. That’s the WHY of the Call! Because God chose him! The HOW of the Call is not said! God calls in many ways, through sermons, through circumstances, through Divine Intervention! THE QUESTION IS- IF GOD CALLS Y-O-U…WILL YOU GO?
B. The Call Involved a COST- There’s always a COST involved in the call of faith. God said “Get thee OUT of thy country and AWAY from the Kindred” 1- It was a Call to LEAVE the PLACE that he LIVED! 2- It was a Call to LEAVE the PEOPLE that he LOVED! 3- It was a Call to LEAN on the PERSON of the LORD!
C. The Call Involved a COVENANT- For one act of obedience on Abraham’s part, a Seven-fold promise and Reward from the Lord.
1-“I will make of thee a Great Nation”
2-“and I will bless thee”
3-“and make thy name great”
4-“and thou shalt be a blessing”
5-“and I will bless them that bless thee”
6-“and curse them that curse thee”
7-“and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed”
God’s Covenant was CONDITIONAL- God promised to bless Abram, but before he could receive the promise he had to step out in faith. God said “get thee OUT of thy country and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.” The CALL & PROMISE of God was Clear. But the Plan was NOT CLEAR. “God said I’ll tell you where you’re going when we get there”.
Pause for a moment- I wonder if Abram looked around at his home town that was busting with trade. UR was a great place to make a living! I wonder if he looked around and saw his family and thought will I ever see them again!
God’s Covenant was RADICAL- If Abram chose to follow God and step out in faith, his life would dramatically change. God was going to make him the Father of a Great Nation! It was the Deal of All Deals!
God’s Covenant was OBTAINABLE- I don’t believe there was Any hesitation! I don’t believe there was Any doubt! Abraham, I believe had been waiting All his life for Real Purpose & Meaning!
Hebrews 11:88By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a placewhich he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Conclusion: If God CALLS YOU… will you obey HIM?