Genesis 15
Book of Genesis • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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In chapter 14 God showed great grace to Abram, Lot and countless others by saving them from their enemies, the 4 pagan kings from the north. We saw that this had nothing to do with Abram or his abilities but was only accomplished by God’s grace. God’s power was seen by the entire region and now God takes Abram off to the side for a personal conversation.
1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
There is so much good stuff in this passage. God comes to Abram and comforts him saying He is his shield. God is you protector, you don’t need to have your guard up and constantly be looking over your shoulder… God is your protector. and I love the last part, God is your great reward. What is God saying?
The word Reward comes from the Hebrew skr = Take into paid service.
God is telling Abram, look I am taking you into my service. Stop trying to figure it out on your own, just serve me and let me supply your needs.
2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
Abram brings to memory Gods promise of making a great nation from him. He asks God, How is this gonna work because you have not allowed me to have my own child, Should my servant continue my name and start the nation your speaking of? You can tell from this tone and from God’s conversation that Abram is not asking out of lack of faith. He is asking because he knows God’s promise and just wonders what the plan is. Let’s look at God’s response.
4 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but a son that is from your own body will be your heir.” 5 He brought him outside and said, “Look up toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So will your descendants be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.
God says no your idea wont work, just trust me, i’m gonna do something great. something so awesome, nobody can deny that only God did this! God says I’m not done showing mankind what I can do! he says look at the starts… that’s how many descendants your going to have… you may say, how can this be? Can one nation have that many people? If you remember we mentioned a few weeks ago Galatians 3:29
29 If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
God’s was looking at the grand picture that we can only see because we now have the full story. The Messiah was going to come from Abrahams family and offer salvation to people of every nation and tribe of the earth. We are all included in this promise to Abram! we are not his physical descendants, but we are his spiritual descendants.
12 Yet to all who received Him, He gave the power to become sons of God, to those who believed in His name,
Some people say all people are sons of God, no all people are created by God but only those who believe in Jesus Christ have been given the right to be called the son of God.
I’m gonna take some time now and link this to What Jesus taught us on this topic. We must seek truth and follow that truth even when some get upset. everyone in this room has 1 or two possible fathers. Jesus is about to tell us about these two fathers. As we read, please take this time and think of the two option and if you are a child of God, pray for those you know who are not.
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s seed and have never been in bondage to anyone. Why do You say, ‘You shall be set free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 Now a slave does not remain in the house forever, but a son remains forever. 36 Therefore if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s seed. But you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I am telling what I have seen with My Father, and you are doing what you have seen with your father.” 39 They answered Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You are doing the works of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father: God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from God and proceeded into the world. I did not come of My own authority, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speaking? Because you cannot bear to hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words. Therefore, you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
There are too many people that get confused about who is and who is not a child of God. let’s put it simple, the only Children of God are those that hear and believe and follow the truth as Jesus taught it. Not those who try to change the word to fit their desires.
1. Your heritage, such as parents that went to church does not make you a child of God.
2. You are not a christian just because you say you are, vs 41 The pharisees thought they were children of God, but Jesus revealed that they are truly children of Satan. They do not do the works of God, nor do they love the truth of God’s word.
3. If you are rejecting God’s word and following the lies of satan, (other religions) you are not a child of God, you are a child of the devil.
4. Gen 15:6, Galatians 3:29, John 1:12, John 8 all tell us that to be saved we must not just hear God’s word, we must believe God’s word. Not just believing the facts but believing it to the point of transforming our mindset.
