Believe the Word of the Lord!

Sermon Title: Believe the Word of the Lord!

Text: Genesis 12:1-9

Introduction

“You can’t buy happiness

But you can buy dirt

And that’s the kind of thing

That you gotta do

‘Cause it’s the dirt that makes you feel alive.”

(Buy Dirt by Jordan Davis)

This song reflects a common belief: that owning land, building a legacy, and focusing on family will bring true happiness. Many people think that blessing is tied to material success, comfort, or stability.

But is that what it truly means to be blessed? What does it mean to live a fruitful life?

The Bible gives us a very different picture of blessing. To be blessed doesn’t mean having a comfortable life, a secure home, or a large inheritance. In Scripture:

To be blessed is to be in a right relationship with God.

To be cursed is to be cut off from His presence.

Abraham’s story challenges our ideas of blessing. It shows us that true blessing comes from believing the Word of the Lord and living by faith in Him, even when it requires sacrifice and obedience.

Theme: Believe the Word of the Lord!

1. Believing the Word of the Lord is Necessary Because of the Barrenness of Humanity (Genesis 11:27-32)

• Genesis 11 ends with Abraham’s family, where we learn of Sarah’s barrenness. This was not just a personal issue but a picture of humanity’s spiritual condition: barren, lifeless, and incapable of producing anything lasting apart from God.

• Just as a barren field yields no fruit, human effort apart from God produces no eternal life or blessing.

Christ-Centered Connection:

• The barrenness of Sarah points to Christ. Just as God brought life through a barren woman, He brings spiritual life to barren hearts through Jesus. Jesus is the life-giver, the One who makes the barren fruitful.

Illustration: The Barrenness of the Field

• Farmers know the frustration of barren soil—land that yields no harvest due to drought, pests, or poor soil. It’s hopeless without external help.

• Connection: Sarah’s barrenness symbolized humanity’s inability to produce life on its own. But God transforms barren hearts and barren fields, bringing life where there is none.

Application:

• Are you trying to produce fruit in your life through your own strength, or are you trusting God to work in His timing? Bring your barrenness to Him in faith and prayer.

Transition to Point 2:

• Just as Sarah’s barrenness highlighted the need for God’s intervention, so does the exclusiveness of God’s promise remind us that true hope is found only in Him.

2. Believing the Word of the Lord is Necessary Because of the Exclusiveness of Hope (Genesis 12:1-3)

• God’s call to Abraham was radical: leave your land, family, and security to follow Him into the unknown. Abraham had to trust God’s promise completely.

• God’s promise to Abraham was exclusive: through him, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. This promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

Christ-Centered Connection:

• Abraham’s call to leave everything for God’s promise foreshadows the exclusivity of the gospel. Just as Abraham’s blessing pointed forward to Christ, Jesus is the only way, the exclusive hope for humanity. As Acts 4:12 says, “There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

Illustration 1: Sowing Seeds and Trusting the Harvest

• Farmers plant seeds and trust unseen forces—rain, sun, and time—to bring the harvest. They can’t control the process but must believe it will work.

• Connection: Abraham had to trust God’s promises without knowing how the “harvest” of blessings would come. Similarly, we must trust in God’s promises even when we don’t see immediate results.

Illustration 2: Leaving the Familiar Land

• Imagine leaving your family farm—the land your ancestors worked for generations—to move to an unfamiliar place based solely on a promise.

• Connection: Abraham had to leave everything secure and trust in God. What might God be calling you to leave so you can fully trust Him?

Application:

• Are you looking for hope in your own plans or securities? Or are you trusting in the exclusiveness of God’s promise through Christ? What familiar “land” or comforts might God be asking you to leave behind to walk by faith?

Transition to Point 3:

• Trusting in God’s promise is not easy. Faith is tested in obedience. This leads us to the hardness of holiness.

3. Believing the Word of the Lord is Necessary Because of the Hardness of Holiness (Genesis 12:4-9)

• Abraham’s faith was not just belief—it was demonstrated through obedience. He left his home, journeyed to an unknown land, and built altars to worship God. Holiness requires sacrifice, perseverance, and faith-filled action.

• Holiness is not a one-time decision; it is a life of ongoing obedience to God.

Christ-Centered Connection:

• Abraham’s journey points to Christ, who left His heavenly home to obey the Father. Jesus’ obedience was costly—He endured the cross for our sake. Just as Abraham built altars to worship God, Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross is the foundation of our worship and holiness.

Illustration 1: Plowing a New Field

• Breaking new ground is back-breaking work. It’s far easier to keep farming the same patch of land, even if it’s worn out.

• Connection: Holiness is like plowing new ground. It’s hard, but it’s necessary for growth and obedience. Abraham’s faith led him to worship God in unfamiliar places.

Illustration 2: A Single Seed Leads to a Harvest

• A single seed may seem insignificant, but when planted, it multiplies into a harvest that feeds many.

• Connection: Abraham’s faith and obedience, though small in the moment, led to blessings for all nations through Christ. Your faith can have eternal significance when placed in God’s hands.

Application:

• What sacrifices is God calling you to make as you pursue holiness? Is there an area of your life where obedience feels difficult or costly? Will you trust God enough to obey Him?

Transition to Conclusion:

• Abraham’s faith, obedience, and blessing ultimately point us to Christ. Let’s see how his story connects to the gospel.

Conclusion

• Abraham’s story doesn’t end in Genesis. It finds its fulfillment in Christ:

• Matthew 1:1: Jesus is the son of Abraham, the fulfillment of God’s promise.

• John 8:58: Jesus declares that Abraham saw His day and rejoiced.

• Galatians 3:6-9: Those who have faith in Christ are heirs of Abraham’s promise and true children of God.

Key Questions:

1. Have you started by faith in Christ but now value your dirt—your possessions and security—more than Him?

2. Is there something, like family or comfort, that you’re unwilling to surrender to God?

Final Illustration (Returning to Buy Dirt):

• “The world says, ‘Buy dirt’ to find happiness. But Abraham’s story teaches us that no dirt, no possession, and no relationship can compare to the blessing of knowing and obeying the Lord. True blessing isn’t something you can buy—it is given by God through Jesus Christ.”

Final Call:

• To be blessed in this life but lost for eternity is to be cursed forever. True blessing is found only in Jesus Christ.

• Believe the Word of the Lord! Trust in Christ, the fulfillment of God’s promises and the only source of true blessing.