Sermons in Genesis 22- “ABRAHAM FACING A FINISH LINE” Genesis 25:1-10
Intro- We have now come to the final chapter of Abraham’s life. Abraham is a man that has faced a lot in his life. Abraham has faced a Farewell to his family. He’s faced a Famine in the land. He’s faced a Family Feud, a Fight against the 4 kings who came against Lot and Sodom. We’ve watched Abraham as he faced his Fears, being how shall I that am old bare a son? And now we find Abraham coming down to the close of his life. He’s facing the greatest challenge yet. We find Abraham Facing A Finish Line; the Finish Line being that of Death. Have you ever thought about how you are going to finish?
There are 2 things Every person NEEDS to do in life! First, we should PLAN on dying. The Bible says, “It is appointed unto men once to die.” Your death is as certain as your life (Heb. 9:27). Second, we should PREPARE for dying. All of us are going to die, so we should get ready for death. The Bible says, “Prepare to meet thy God…:(Amos 4:12)
ILL- D.L. Moody was a man greatly used of God! On one occasion someone approached him about writing his biography. He replied, “A man’s life should never be written while he is living. What’s important is how a man ends, not how he begins.” D.L. Moody is buried on a hill called “Round Top” behind his birthplace. His tombstone simply reads, “Dwight Lyman Moody. February 5, 1837 - December 22, 1899. He that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” I don’t know about you, but I WANT TO FINISH WELL!
Our text … shows us the Summary of Abraham’s Life; the Specifics of His Will; and the Statements about His Death
I. THE SUMMARY OF ABRAHAM’S LIFE- (Vs.1-4) How did Abraham live his life? What will the card at the funeral home read of our lives? For Abraham: A. HE LIVED BY FAITH – From the time that God called him to leave his country and go toward Canaan, he lived by faith. Every step he took shouted faith in God. As the people of God we are to Live by faith. The Bible declares in Galatians 3:11-“… The just shall live by faith. Abraham did not lose his life when he left his home… he found it! Matthew 16:25 25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
B. HE LIVED BY FOLLOWING - Hebrews 11:9 9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, asin a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: WHEREVER the Lord pointed him that was the direction he took. The majority of Abraham’s life was spent Following GOD! Is that not what our Lord taught the disciples? Matthew 4:19 19And he saith unto them,Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.(are you willing to FOLLOW GOD?) Mark 8:34 34And when he had called the peopleunto him with his disciples also, he said unto them,Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Luke 9:23 23And he said tothem all,If anyman will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (OH that someone would be willing to FOLLOW GOD in your life?)
C. HE LIVED WITH FAVOR - Because Abraham chose to Follow God, God gave him favor in the sight of all men! Abraham was blessed financially, militarily, physically, spiritually and He blessed Abraham's family as well. After all, God promised that he would bless him and make his name great…! Gen 12. ILL- FAVOR is what I often pray for my children on a daily basis. That God would give them FAVOR in the eyes of their class mates and in the eyes of their instructors!
1- The Addition of the SPOUSE- Vs.1 2- The Addition of the SONS-Vs.2-4 (He was fruitful all his life)
(#1- THE SUMMARY of Abraham’s Life. He (a) (b) (c) How are you living your life?)
II. THE SPECIFICS OF ABRAHAM’S WILL- (Vs.5-6) A. THE PREFERENCE FOR ISAAC- (Vs.5)- “And Abraham gave “all” that he had unto Isaac. It’s a good thing because God had already said my covenant shall be with Isaac. Genesis 17:18-19, “And Abraham said unto God, ‘O that Ishmael might live before Thee.” And God said, ‘Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.” So it was not unfair treatment of the others it was undying devotion to the Word of God!
B. THE PRESENTS FOR OTHERS- (Vs.6)- “But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived…” It was necessary for Abraham to send these other sons away for Abraham’s will gave Isaac all the land of Canaan. They could have No Portion with Isaac whatsoever!-Barnhouse
C. THE PERSONAL ATTENDING TO THE WILL- Abraham wisely took care of dividing up his estate “while he yet lived” vs.6. If Abraham had left this to someone else, problems could have arose!
III. THE STATEMENTS ABOUT HIS DEATH- (Vs. 7-8) Abraham’s death is described briefly in just two verses.
A. HIS AGE AT DEATH- “And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.
1- The QUANTITY of his years- 175 years old. Remember how old he was when God called him out of Ur of the Chaldees? He was 75 years old. So he lived in Canaan 100 years. That’s a long time! During that time in Canaan he saw the promises of God fulfilled. He saw Isaac grow to be 75 himself. He saw his grandsons Jacob and Esau live to be 15 years old. Abraham actually died before Shem the son of Noah died (Gen. 11:10-11)- J. Butler
2- The QUALITY of his years- Abraham “died in a good old age an old man, and full of years.” Very seldom do you see happy old men. Most are sour and filled with complaining! Warren Wiersbe said: “How few people really experience joy and satisfaction when they reach old age! When they look back, it is with regret; when they look ahead, it is with fear; and when they look around it is with complaint.”
B. HIS AWARENESS AT DEATH- “he gave up the ghost” There was no struggling involved, he simply “LET GO” of life when it came time to go. He had lived a full and long life, 175 years, but when the time came to make the crossing out of this life into the next, Abraham did so with grace and serenity. Why? Because he had spent his life looking for a city whose builder and maker is God. Heb. 11:10. Abraham knew that Sarah was waiting on him on the other side. He knew that the only way to reach that city and to be with Sarah again was to give up the ghost. That he did without fear, fretting of fighting. His deathbed scene was one of peace!
Oh that we may say like the Apostle Paul 7I have fought a good fight, I have finishedmy course, I have kept the faith:(2 Timothy 4:7)
C. HIS ABODE AFTER DEATH- The Bible tells us that he was "gathered to his people." Abraham went to Paradise. The Bible does not focus on him being buried in a cave… but gathered unto his people. Who are your people? Are they the redeemed? The righteous who died in faith? OR are they the evil ones described in: Revelation 21:8 8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Abraham went went to that place where those died in faith were waiting for him, Luke 16:23! They were all waiting for another One Who came into their midst with some glorious news one day! When Jesus died on the cross, He descended into Paradise with the glorious news that redemption had been purchased for all those who had died in faith! With that news, He lead them out of Paradise and into Heaven in a glorious parade of triumph and victory, Eph. 4:8-10; 1 Pet. 3:19! Somehow, Abraham knew this by faith! (Note: you and I have a better assurance that even Abraham had! He was to go to Paradise to stay until the price was paid. Neither he, nor anyone else, knew how long that would be! They were looking forward to that event. We look backward at that event this evening! It is finished! The way is opened and all those who died in faith are immediately gathered home to the presence of the Lord in Heaven. (A.C.)
Conclusion: Abraham was a blessed man. In spite of all the battles and all the burdens, he managed to Finish His Life Well! What was the secret behind Abraham’s life? Is there a secret or a formula that allows us to finish well? Abraham’s blessed life could be summed up in two words found in Hebrews 11:8-10 8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, asin a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and makeris God.
Are YOU living “by FAITH”?
Do YOU want to FINISH WELL?
HOW will you cross your Finish Line…Saved?...or Lost?