GOD RENEWS HIS PROMISE TO ABRAM

Series: Following in the Footsteps of Faith

God Renews His Promise To Abram-#6

Genesis 13.14-18

Series Intro: few men, outside of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself have has such an impact on the history of the world as did the man introduced to us in this passage of scripture. This man is revered by over one-half the world’s population. In our day, Abraham is held in high esteem by Jews, Muslims and Christians. In ancient times the Jews considered Abraham to be almost worthy of their worship.

Consider This:

1. Genesis 1-11 deals with 2000 years of history-creation, sin, flood, languages changed.

2. All the rest of Genesis 12-50 covering about 400 years deals with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

3. The rest of the OT 39 books deals with the history of the nation which sprang from Abraham, the nation of Israel.

4. All of the rest of the Bible is occupied with and centers on Abraham’s greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

5. One man’s obedience and devotion impacted all of human history, and we don’t think it is important for us to obey God!!!!

Intro: Abram is a man walking with God. His misadventure in Egypt is behind him and he is back in the place of blessing walking by faith. This is seen in the fact that when a dispute arose between himself and his nephew Lot, Abram willingly took the second place. He placed the needs of Lot ahead of those in his own life and left himself in the gracious care of God.

By the way, that is how you can know when you are growing as you should be. When you can willingly turn loose of your rights and privileges for the good of others, you are on your way!

After the incident with Lot, Abram is left alone with his wife, his servants and his possessions. It must have been a difficult thing to see his own flesh and blood separate from him under such harsh conditions. Yet, for Abram, that difficult time would turn into a time of grace and blessing. For it is this time that the Lord chooses to renew His promises to Abram.

I. THE CONFIRMATION OF GOD’S WORD-VS. 14-16

(Ill. When you look at the events of verses 7-11, you may believe that Abram got the short end of the stick. You see, verses 10 and 14 tell us that both Lot and Abram “lifted up their eyes”. But, what they saw with those eyes was vastly different.

Lot saw the world; Abram saw the promised land. Lot looked in self-sufficiency; Abram looked in perfect trust. Lot looked with a heart driven by greed and lust; Abram looked with a heart driven by a sacrificial love of unity.

Lot looked through eyes connected to a worldly, uncommitted heart; Abram looked through eyes that were connected to a committed, spiritual heart.

Lot may have taken the best of the land, but Abram was about to get all the land!

Friend, those who walk with their faith in God and their heart centered in His will need never fear that they will lose anything!

God honors the faith of His people, because the faith of His people honors Him!

A. What The Promise Communicated

- God’s promise to Abram was full of blessings!

1. V. 14-15 A Promised Land - Lot chose the best; Abram got that and the rest to boot. The land was the prize for his faith. (Ill. Heaven for us - Rev. 21-22

John 14:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

2. V. 16 A Promised Legacy - God’s promise is farther enhanced by the promise of a multitude of offspring from Abram. No doubt his lack of children was a sore spot with Abram. To the people of that era, many children were an indication of the blessings of the Lord,

(Psalms 127:3) Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

(Psalms 127:4) As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

(Psalms 127:5) Happy isthe man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Even his name was a mockery to him. Abram means “Exalted Father”. However, God’s promise is that Abram will have a legacy in children. So many will descend from him that their number will be beyond comprehension. That has literally come to pass! (Note: God wants to do the same for us! He wants to multiply our faith and use us to reach others for His glory. We too can leave a legacy of spiritual children behind for the glory of the Lord-

(Daniel 12:3) And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

3. V. 15b A Promised Length - God’s promise to Abram is one that will never be repealed. Notice that there are no strings attached! God is going to do this thing for His Own reasons. It is an eternal promise! That land they are fighting over this evening in Israel and the Middle East belongs to Abraham’s descendants! (Note: The redeemed are also partakers of eternal promises. Our salvation, our heavenly home, our Father’s love are just a few of the many eternal promises that belong to those saved by the grace of God.)

B. When The Promise Came

- God’s promise came to Abram after he was separated from Lot. Lot represented worldliness and lack of commitment to the things of God. When that distraction was removed, Abram heard from the Lord.

(Note: Separation from people, institutions, etc., is never easy. However, if we ever expect the Lord to bless us to the level that He can bless us, we are going to have to separate from anyone or anything that hinders our being right with Him, 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1. God can and will bless a separated life!)

RU Principle-#5- Those who do not love the Lord will not help you serve the Lord.

The Confirmation of God’s Word

II. THE COMMAND TO GOD’S WORKER-VS. 17

(Ill. After the promise has been given, a call to obedience is issued. This is always the way it works with the Lord. His promises are nearly always coupled with His commands. This is good and right!

If we want His best, then we should be willing to follow Him.)

A. A Command To Rise

- Abram is called upon to get up and to go with God. He is being challenged to deepen his walk with the Lord. (Note: God is looking for people who will simply walk with Him, Micah 6:8

Micah 6:8 KJV 1900

8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the Lord require of thee, But to do justly, and to love mercy, And to walk humbly with thy God?

Sadly, many believers are just sitting around and are not walking with Him by faith.

(Romans 13:11) And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

(Romans 13:12) The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

(Romans 13:13) Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

(Romans 13:14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfilthe lusts thereof.

B. A Command To Review

- Abram is commanded to get up and walk up and down, all over the land he has been given. He is to try and see it all!

C. A Command To Receive

- As Abram journeyed, he was to live as though he carried the title deed to the land in his hand. Even if, at the moment, it belonged to someone else, Abram was to accept by faith the fact that this land was his land! (Note: So it is in our spiritual journey. We have much in Jesus, but we have to claim it by faith. For instance, what about victory? Jesus says that we have it,

(1 Corinthians 15:57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(2 Corinthians 2:14) Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

(Romans 8:37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Let’s face it, there are days when you just have to take that by faith! What about Romans 8:28? There are great promises from God and they are true whether I believe them or not!

Abram could have set still and the land would still have been his. I have all those things I have mentioned and more, but they do me no good until I reach out and take them by faith!)

The Confirmation of God’s Word

The Command to God’s Worker

III. THE CONSECRATION TO GOD’S WILL-VS. 18

A. Seen In Abram’s Adapting

- When the Lord spoke, Abram responded in action and obedience! As this old man traveled around that country, he was looking at more than the mountains, valleys, rivers, streams and lakes. He was looking for a place to settle down forever.

Hebrews 11:8–10 KJV 1900

8 By 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. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

These verses tell us that Abram had his sights set just a little higher than Canaan. He was looking for Heaven at the end of the way.

So he just kept going, moving around the country enjoying all God had given him until the day came when he would go home to God.

(Note: His is an example that we should all readily follow! Like Abram, we are pilgrims in this world. As we journey through our lives, we are to do so in dependence upon and obedience to the Lord God.

Always knowing that this world is not our home. One day we will leave this world for a better land. But, until then, let us move at the command of the Lord, for nothing honors God like obedience to His commands, 1 Sam. 15:22; John 14:15.)

(John 14:15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.

B. Seen In Abram’s Association

- The Bible tells us that Abram moved to Mamre which is in Hebron. Those two names are filled with meaning! Mamre means “Fatness” and Hebron means “Fellowship”. The idea is that Abram has settled down in a place of blessing and closeness to the Lord. He is living a life of close fellowship. (Note: That is what the Lord wants from your life and mine! He wants us in the place of “fellowship” and “fatness”. He wants what was said about Enoch to be true about you and me, Gen. 5:24, “And Enoch walked with God...” Can that be said concerning your life?)

Note- you will never have the walk with God that you should have until you are faithful in church- 3 to thrive- Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday evening!!!

Note- raising a generation of children that only will follow God out of convenience when it doesn’t interfere with what they thinks is important!!!

Example: ball games, school activities, work, family reunions, or any other excuse!!!

Remember: what we do in moderation the next generation will do in excess!!1

C. Seen In Abram’s Adoration-vs. 18

- Abram does again that which has become his trademark: he builds an altar for the worship of the Lord.-vs. 18

(Note: A life that is lived in communion with God is a life that God can bless! He desires that every one of us be in a place where we love Him more than anything else in this world. He wants us to acknowledge Him. He wants us to exalt Him. He wants us to love Him. He desires our worship, John 4:23-24!) (Note: God is absolutely self-sufficient, Psa. 50:10-15. He needs nothing! He does not need us. But, He wants us! That is precious and we should all determine that we will live our lives for His glory, considering the fact that He gave His life for our salvation.)

Conclusion:

Where are you in your relationship and walk with God today?

Are you as close as you should be?

Do you have some associations that you need to separate from?

Are you growing deeper each day in the things of the Lord?

When He speaks, do you move?

Are you concerned with strengthening your fellowship with Him day by day?

May we determine that, like Abram, our life will be characterized by our altars and by our obedience to the voice of God.

To the one that has never trusted Christ as Saviour:

The promise is this-

(Romans 10:9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

(Romans 10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

(Romans 10:13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.