Abraham, An Example For All Godly Men Hebrews 11:8-19

Hebrews 11:8–19 ESV

8 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. 9 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. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

INTRODUCTION: FATHER ABRAHAM!!!!

A Godly Man Communes with God! Genesis 12:1-8

Genesis 12:1–9 ESV

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. 2 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.” 4 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. 5 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, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 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. 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. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

How did Abram know he was to leave his land and go to a new place? He was in communion with God. What does communion mean? It means in a close relationship, in communication, united with.

If a man or any person for that matter is going to live a godly life, they must be in a relationship with Christ.

A Godly Man Worships God!

Genesis 12:7–9 ESV

7 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. 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. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

A Godly Man Obeys God!

As we have already seen in Genesis 12, Abraham obeyed God by going where God told him to go.

A Godly Man Trusts God!

God told Abraham that he and Sarai would have a son. While Abraham and Sarai stepped outside of God’s will, God still honored His promise. This is something we all need to realize. If God makes us a promise, He is going to keep His promise. We don’t have to try to help God because He is more than capable to uphold His end of the bargain.

In Genesis 21, we read about God keeping HIs promise to Abraham.

Genesis 21:1–5 ESV

1 The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Abraham trusted God to give Him A Son!

Abraham trusted God to lead him to where God wanted him!

Abraham trusted God because Abraham had faith in God.

Romans 4:3 ESV

3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

A Godly Man (person for that matter) Trusts God even though he might not always know what God is up to!!!!!!

A Godly Man Cares and Protects For His Family!

Abraham Pleads For Lot’s Protection!

In Genesis 18:22-33

Genesis 18:22–33 ESV

22 So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” 33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

God and Abraham once again have a conversation. This time it is Abraham pleading with God to save Lot from the destruction God is about to levy on Sodom. Abraham talks with God about how there must be at least 50 righteous people in the town. As it would turn out, Abraham ended up realizing that there were probably only 10.

God answered Abraham’s plea for his nephew and angels appeared and warned Lot what was about to happen in Genesis 19. As we remember in the story, they were told to leave Sodom and not look back. We also remember that Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of Salt. This serves as a reminder that when we are disobedient to God, there will be repercussions. While God spared their lives, they were still in love with such a sinful city that she had to look back one more time.

God answered Abraham’s prayers and yet there was still heartache.

Abraham Cares For Hagar and Ishmael

Another instance in which Abraham looked out for his family was in the case of Hagar and Ishmael. While this child was born out of a sinful relationship and outside of God’s plan, Abraham still wanted his child taken care of. Also, Hagar was the mother of this child so he wanted her taken care of as well. Sarah told Abraham to get rid of her and the child because Issac was the one God had ordained to be his son. This broke Abraham’s heart.

In Genesis 21:11-14, we read about Abraham taking care of them as he sent them away.

Genesis 21:11–14 ESV

11 And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 13 And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

What I want us to see here though is that a Godly man looks out for his family and pleads with God for the protection of his family.

When was the last time you spent time on your knees before God pleading for that lost family member to be saved?

When was the last time you spent time on your knees pleading with God for that wayward child to return?

When was the last time you spent time on your knees asking God to heal that family member struggling with some disease or addiction?

Maybe you need to do that today?

A Godly Man Sacrifices for and to God! Genesis 22

We have seen throughout the story of Abraham where he has communed with God, Obeyed God, Worshipped God, and Trusted God. Now, we see a culmination of all of those things take place. A Godly man is often called upon to make sacrifices to God. While Abraham had everything God had promised him and he had not only honored God, he had honored his family. He went to bat with God to help Lot out when Lot was stuck in the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, he took care of Hagar and Ishmael to make sure they would be taken care of when they were sent on their way. Now, we see God testing His faith by asking him to sacrifice the promised son Issac.

Knowing the godly character of Abraham, what did Abraham do? He did exactly what God asked Him to do.

The most famous Abraham story is the story where Abraham takes Issac up on the mountain to sacrifice him. Remember this is Abraham’s promised son! The one that would help him become the father of many nations! The one that was born to him when he was 100 years old! The one who Sarah waited 90 years to have. This was HIS BOY!!!!!

However, As we have looked at...

Abraham Trusted and Obeyed God!!!!!!

Look at Genesis 22:1-19

Genesis 22:1–19 ESV

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” 15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

ABRAHAM HAD ENOUGH FAITH IN GOD THAT HAD HE SACRIFICED ISSAC, HE KNEW THAT GOD COULD RAISE HIM BACK UP FROM THE DEAD!

Hebrews 11:19 ESV

19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

When was the last time you were willing to make such a sacrifice for God?

Sadly, some people have never made a sacrifice for God and yet they think they are right with God. Folks, following Christ with your life is all about a life of Sacrifice.

I mentioned that a Godly Man/Father makes sacrifices for his family. Let’s now think about the Sacrifice that the Father of Fathers made for His Children.

God the Father sacrifice His ONLY SON so that we His Children could spend all of eternity with Him!

Give Invitation!

Fathers, Are you following the example of Abraham today? If not, repent and start following Christ today.

Men, are you living a life that is exemplified by Abraham? If not, repent and start doing so today.

Ladies, you these characteristics are not just for the men. These are characteristics for all followers of Christ. Are you following them? If not, repent and start doing so today.

Whatever God is calling you to do today, DO IT!