Abram, Walking by Faith

Genesis 12 is kind of a transition point in the story of Scripture…

This is where we begin to see what living life with God looks like, what faith looks like. We get three mini-episodes in these chapters that are different, but still very similar…

So if you would like a see a model of making choices in light of your faith in God (or examples of failing to do so), look at Abram!

God’s people are called to display their faith through the choices we make.

pray

God calls his people

God calls Abram and he responds in faith. God has given a call to believe and follow Him, we must respond.

12:1-3

We have a dog, her name is Leia. Some of you have met her. She is dumb, but she loves us and she’s fun. When she was little she used to try to escape all the time (because she’s dumb), and every now and then she’d succeed. She’s even jumped out of the back of my truck whilst moving before, it’s a wonder she’s alive!

When she would get out she wanted to explore everything. She also knew she’d get beat when I caught her. So she’d be running all over and I’d call her, and sometimes when I’d call her, she’d stop and look. I knew she was deciding what she was going to do. She had her the call, and she was figuring out if she would listen or not…

God has called you. If you’ve never heard that before, hear it now. You must decide how you’ll respond!

Acts 2:38–39 ESV

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

The first call the God has given that you must respond to is the call to faith and repentance…

After that, you are called to a life of faithfulness, what does that look like for you? Where and what is God calling you to?

We see what it looked like for Abram in three short stories from his life…

Egypt

Separating from Lot

Rescuing Lot

God’s people must walk by faith

Abram faces different situations. In each, he must make a choice. Will he walk by faith or by sight? Life is the same for us today, will you walk by faith or by sight?

I majored in Psychology in college. One of my favorite psychological experiments that we studied was one that was done to learn about children’s ability to think outside of the moment, to see if they could delay gratification. I don’t know why I liked this so much, but I did.

They would sit a kid down in a room at a table with a scientist and put some candy on the table…

This is kind of like the call to live by faith in God. We have a promise of a better Kingdom (which we’ll talk about in a minute) and we show our faith in God bringing us into that eternal Kingdom by the choices we make in this Kingdom…

look at verses marked in red

Abraham, more times than not, lived by faith in God’s promises.

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.

Are you living by faith? Is your trust in God displayed through your actions?

Are you generous to others because you trust God to provide for your needs?

Do you reject what the world tells us about sexuality and sex because you believe that God’s plan is better?

Do you deny yourself even though the world tells you to seek more stuff, power, followers, more whatever because you believe that God has something more fulfilling for you?

Do you pursue God above all else, even if it seems you are missing out on an opportunity, because you trust Him to make a way into all his plans for you?

We can sum it up with a question based on something Jesus: Are you storing up treasures for yourself on Earth or in Heaven?

God has promised better treasures in Heaven!

God makes promises to his people

These promises give us the hope to live faithfully in this world as we wait for God’s Kingdom. God reminds Abram of his promises and we are reminded in his Word.

Think about the power of a promise…

If you promise me a piece of chocolate cake, I’m going to pass on a cookie right now!

look at verses marked in brown

God promised Abram that He would make a people for himself through Abram and that those people, Abram’s children forever, would have a place. All those who have put their faith in Jesus are children of Abraham…

Galatians 3:6–7 ESV

just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

And God is preparing a place for his people… Rev 21:1-4

His people are those who have responded to his call with faith! By trusting his word…

Gospel call

Live your life by faith in the promises of God’s coming Kingdom for his people!