Abraham

By Faith Abraham Followed God into the Unknown

Abraham’s faith led him to respond to God in obedience.

In this section of Hebrews 11, the examples of faith move to a section of impossible reactions to God’s calling or at least unique reactions. The stories are designed to help give witness to faith in action. Faith in response to God. The people responded in ways that most would not naturally respond.

Abraham’s faith is on display in Hebrews passage. His failures are not mentioned, God celebrates his obedience.

Our choices always matter, but many of us have longer memories about everyone’s failings and need to learn to recognize and remember the right choices.

Our obedience always matters to God.

Today, we will look at Abrahams first act of Faith is following God into the Unknown

Abraham’s obedience is on full display

Abraham following God teaches us how to follow God into the unknown

Hebrews 11:8–10 ESV

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

Hebrews is reflecting back on the Patriarch, the FATHER OF ALL FATHERS. And specifically talking about the faith of Abraham to obey God by following him into the unknown.

The author of Hebrews focus on three main aspects of Abraham’s faith and how he reacts differently than others might.

By Faith Abraham obeyed God by following God’s call

into an unknown land, without knowing where he was going.

to commit to living a nomadic lifestyle with generations of his family.

intentionally waiting for a city whose foundations are designed and built by God.

Would you leave everything you have ever known for God’s promise?

Would you follow God into the unknown, without details on how God will fulfil the promise?

Would you commit you and your children to waiting for God’s city while you dwell in tents, waiting for generations to receive God’s promise.

Some days, I’m not patient enough to drive slowly behind someone going up 58th street

There is a reason that Abraham is in this Hebrews Hall of Faith, he obeyed and followed God into the unknown.

Abraham’s choice to obey is a critical moment in God’s redemptive work. His line directly leads to Jesus. Hebrews is collectively pointing to the “saints” gone before.

These where the People of the Promise! The promise of Jesus, who would bless all the families of the world. God’s story includes redeeming the world back to right relationship, and he invites people into the process of redemption.

It’s God’s Story. We get to participate in blessing the whole world.

Look at the original text Hebrews is referencing Genesis 12:1-3

Genesis 12:1–3 ESV

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. 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. 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.”

Sounds like a wonderful blessing.

Abram is leaving his father’s household, he is leaving wealth, security, and the only community he has ever known. He is leaving his inheritance.

He is leaving for a new inheritance, without knowing anything about what God will do for him.

There are a lot of details missing…place, income stream, land.

What is Abram inheriting? A promise to bless his family, his legacy, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Follow me and I will bless everyone through you.

What an inheritance!

What a relationship!

We know that the land is promised, but it is significant to note that Abram leaves without knowing anything about the promise land

Genesis 12:4–7 ESV

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. 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, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 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.

So His offspring are also heirs of the promise.

They are going to receive the new inheritance, which even down to Jacob does not include a land.

The blessing of all families of the earth is a hinge point in the Bible, setting up the people of God to be God’s best representation of community and relationship on earth. Israel repeatedly fails at this task, but God’s story never stops...

The Israelite people where supposed to build their life on obedience

on utter dependence on God

Believing in the promise of a life back to the fellowship with God in community.

Back to the Garden of Eden Genesis 1:28

Genesis 1:28 ESV

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Dominion - Agency to make a world flourish. A life eternal with the creator.

Abraham responding in obedience is the first time this blessing reappears. God establishes a covenant with Noah to never flood the earth again, but with Abraham, he announces his grand high-level plan.

God’s heart is to bless all the families of the world.

Abraham, Issac and Jacob are all continuing on this journey of following God, waiting.

Jacob was fifteen when Abraham died.

“Also, his mode of living in Canaan—dwelling in tents—served as a symbol of his commitment not to settle into the earthly cities of the Canaanites, but to seek a more permanent city built by God.”

Did you notice that the city whose, designer and builders are God is missing in the Genesis account?

The author of Hebrews is intentionally saying that the foundations for living together, the city is looking forward toward heavenly city.

This is another intentional hinge point for us.

Everything before pointed to Jesus, we are heirs of the promise because we believe in Jesus, and NOW

All of us, for all time, are waiting for the fullness of restoration, the Kingdom of God. Heaven come down.

Revelation 21:1–5 ESV

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Hebrews is written before Revelation and does not know about this new city, but throughout the old testament, the city metaphor with God is repeated. The Israelite people were supposed to be the city built by God.

We are all trying to get back to the garden. To Walk with God again, In fullness.

New Jerusalem, Abraham follows God to see all the families of the earth blessed, when one day the new city will descend from heaven, for God’s ultimate reign to be here. The Full realization of the Kingdom of God.

We know as much about heaven as Abraham knew about the promise land

To have faith like Abraham, you need to believe in a future hope, a future promise of blessing, of God wiping away every tear, of a heavenly host.

Live your life in light of heaven

Treat your neighbor in light of heaven

Love your kids with eternity in mind

Pray for your families

Have hope for your soul in light of forever.

Follow God without knowing how he is going to fulfill his promises.

NOTHING CAN PREVAIL AGAINST GOD’S PLAN

Your obedience matters to God, to the kingdom, and to participating with redemption story.

If you truly believe the blessing of God is for everyone, you will treat others differently.

Our faith can push us to look forward to the full experience of God’s promise. Where every knee shall bow.

Every Knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord

We will be caught up in a great cloud of witnesses

He will wipe away every tear from our eyes

We will walk with the father side by side with our brothers and sisters in Christ