Abraham and God’s Faithful Promise

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Intro: When was the last time you made a promise to someone else? What was the content of the promise that you made? And maybe more importantly, do you remember if you were faithful to the promise? Relationships and are interactions with others are made up of many promises. Husband and wife promise to each other that they will love each other in sickness and health, kids can promise to their parents that they will behave when they are dropped off school in the morning, parents can promise to their children to buy them something for a special occasion. Promises are made with other people and I think many times we don’t even think about it - it is just so second nature. But, there are two parts to every promise, there is the promise that is made, but then the second aspect to any good promise is the other person trusting and believing that it will happen without seeing the results. The husband and wife take each other for their word and genuinely believe that the other will love in sickness and health, the parents take their children at their word that they will behave when they are dropped off at school and children believe their parents when they say they are going to give them something as a special gift. If there isn’t trust in the words that are spoken - the promise that is given - that promise isn’t a strong one. If the trust in something that will happen isn’t there it’s to accept and hear a promise from someone else.

In our text, today from Genesis we see God make some pretty bold promises to Abraham - as He calls Him to leave to go to a new country that He will show him. I imagine it went something like this. It was an ordinary day in Haran, Abraham came running into the camp shouting, yelling proclaiming some news to the whole camp. He said - “We’re moving! God has commanded us to go to the place that He will show us and He will make us a great nation!” Sarai and Lot, spoke up with excitement, but there were some workers who were them who had their doubts. Some of the workers in the camp pulled Abram to the side - Where are we going exactly? Abram replied - I don’t know, God will show us. The worker spoke up again - what kind of nation will we be? Abram replied - I don’t know, God will show us. The worker said to Abram - “You said, that God will make your Name great - what does that mean? Abram replied - I don’t know, God will show us. So the workers and others who were skeptical, packed up their bags and tents because Abram told them to, in order to prepare for the long journey. The journeyed on and on - and the longer the journey went the more doubt came over the camp. As the passed the “Welcome to Canaan” sign they saw cities and villages already established. The Lord told them to put up camp and dwell here for a little while. So the workers set up tents - put up the camp, and the Lord pulled Abram aside and revealed to him this great message, “To your offspring, I will give this land!” After Abram got this great news, he went to the whole camp that made the long journey with him and told them the great news, that his offspring would possess this land. And someone from the camp spoke up - How can that be since you are already 75 - and Abram replied with a smile - “I don’t know, but God will show us.”

These are some bold promises made to Abram in Genesis - that he would be made into a great nation, that God would make His name great and that his offspring would possess this land already owned by a different nation - the Canaanites. And Abram has the opportunity to take God at His Word and hear His promises. God promises that He would lead Abram and those will them to the new land that He would show them and He did! God promised Abram that He would make this same family that He called from the rest of the world - into a great nation and we fast forward a few hundred years in the Bible to King David and we see God was faithful - He did! We see God promise Abram that he would have an offspring of His own and we see few chapters later - the improbable son, Isaac was born to Abram and Sarai even in their old age. And we see that through Abram and his family that the rest of the world is blessed; God sent His Son as a Son of Abram that through Jesus all people may be blessed. Jesus is the great fulfiller of God’s promise way back in Genesis! God is faithful and carries through on His promises!

There was this husband talking to his wife trying to figure out what she wanted to for her birthday. They had been married for a long time, so nothing was popping up his mind of anything she wanted or needed. So he blunted just asked her, what do you want for your birthday this year? Give me some suggestions for you! So the wife thought about it a little bit and gave him a list of different suggestions and ideas for her this year with a few weeks to til her birthday, to give him enough time for shopping. But a few days later - she came home with something that was on her list. She said, I bought that one thing on the list because it was on sale and I was at the store, so I just grabbed it. A few days later she came home with another thing on her birthday list - she said I just had a stressful day at work - so I needed it for comfort today. Another thing crossed off the birthday list. This pattern kept happening and happening until there was just one thing on that list leaving the husband only one thing to buy to give a gift. And she said for that one gift, only buy this brand, make sure it is this color, - she gave him a list of specific things she wanted because she was so particular. Her birthday gift was so specific and narrowed down - there was no room creativity.

Perhaps this may be relatable, but maybe in our relationship with God we have the same attitude when it comes to His promises for us. We perhaps have heard the promises of God, but have a misconception about they look like in our lives. When God fulfills His promises and they don’t look exactly how we want them to, we walk away disappointed instead of trusting in His care for us. Perhaps we heard the promise from Jesus - that in Him we have life. Some might think and imagine that means life in this world will be always peaceful, there will be no stress, maybe some read that and think that means that Jesus will take all difficulty away, but when life with Jesus doesn’t match up to expectations - they come become disappointed and doubt. Or a familiar promise that we cling to from God, “I will be with you always until the end of the age”. Maybe some of us have this idea that God will follow me, rather than me following Him. That this promise means that God will give me anything I want in this life. Perhaps we set up expectations for God limiting Him in His work focusing so much on ourselves, that we fail to see His care and the fulfillment of things that He promises to us.

As we hear and see in Genesis, and as we see through Jesus the great fulfiller of God’s promises - He always comes through on His Word. He said He was going to send His Son - to cover our sins and forgiveness, and Jesus came for you! In the work of Jesus we see and hear the fulfillment of God’s amazing promises for you! And He doesn’t just give you what you want, He gives you want you didn’t even know you needed! It’s through Jesus we are all blessed!

He said and promised that all who look to Jesus are saved because of what He has done! He says that those who look to Jesus and His work are saved and have eternal life through His work on the cross. He promises that you have life through the power of the cross! May you and me today have the same responses to doubt as Abraham - a response of faith - God will show us!

Now may the grace of God, the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.